Thread by @RSGAT

I'm tuned in to @MayorBronin's town hall on the recent spike in gun violence in Hartford. facebook.com/events/8345392…

The panelists are the Mayor, the City Council President, the two top cops, and a prosecutor. I would gently suggest that that is not a well-rounded group to address gun violence in a poor city. But let's see how the conversation goes.

The mayor did shout out the many community groups who are doing work around the issue in the city.

Mayor notes that many cities around the country are going through a similar spike in gun violence.

Mayor says he believes this spike is related to "the profound disruption" around the pandemic: jobs lost, high anxiety, trauma.

Mayor also points to limitations on probation and parole supervision, and operations of criminal justice system that have come from the pandemic.

Alludes to protests and unrests, but says we don't know if that has anything to do with spike in violence. "There is a complex stew of causes that have come together in this extraordinary and difficult year."

"There is a sense" the mayor says, that gun violence is contagious.

Things mayor thinks are not causes:
- 2% reduction in police budget
"We have more police officers on the force right now than at any time in the past six years."
(Which begs the question: why is the state sending in MORE police."

- police accountability bill. "I said publicly and I said privately to union leadership ... I don't that is an accurate story, and I think it does a disservice to the men and women of the HPD."

Mayor says we can both reduce incarceration overall and detain people who have repeatedly been involved in violence.

(Research suggests that gun violence in cities like ours is more likely endemic than contagious, which means responses should focus more on underlying causes. psychologytoday.com/us/blog/denyin…)

The mayor is now enumerating several of examples of people who were arrested for gun offenses, then bonded out, then were arrested for new offenses. The implication, of course, is that bond should not be available, or should be higher, for gun offenses.

Mayor does point out that in-person supervision is important to prevent new offenses. That's an important distinction because statistics don't actually support the proposition that holding fewer people pre-trial leads to a spike in violence. See, e.g. foxnews.com/us/nypd-bail-r…

The enumeration of six or eight instances when people who bonded out is a deceptive way to make the case for holding more people charged with violent offenses pre-trial. The number of people with violent charges who are released pre-trial and don't reoffend is MUCH MUCH HIGHER.

Police Chief Thody will now talk about what the HPD is doing. Worth noting here that there is no one on the panel to talk about efforts to address these issues other than via incarceration.

Thody says 70+% increase in homicide arrests and gun arrests, although homicides are down. This again begs the question: if police are numerous and effective, why are shootings increasing?

Thody: increase in traffic enforcement in "areas where we're seeing these stolen cars and guns." This is, in fact, how police prevent gun violence: many more low-level stops and attached searches.

Thody echoes desire for more pre-trial detention of folks charged with gun possession charges. Still no offer of statistics to suggest that this would be effective.

Thody detailing the assistance that State Police are providing to HPD: detectives, "patrol checks," highway traffic enforcement. Essentially, more stops.

Assistant Chief Medina speaks very very briefly, essentially to say, "We're adapting."

Now the new Assistant State's Attorney for GA 14, Sharmese Walcott speaks.

Was appointed a few weeks ago.

State's Attorney's office is back to work, not working remotely. Courthouse dockets and ancillary services are increasing after major limitations because of pandemic.

Walcott says mayor's examples show that there is a nexus between the release of people with gun charges and further violence. "We will continue to ask for high bonds when an individual poses a threat to public safety."

(Eight examples of people who offended after bonding out does not, in fact, compellingly make this case.)

Bronin pivots to efforts other than arrest and incarceration. "Law enforcement alone cannot solve this problem."

Enumerates community groups doing anti-violence work.

Violence spike of last six weeks is on a scale that puts enormous strain on community groups doing the work, says Bronin.

Mentions reentry center as a city effort designed to reduce recidivism, youth service corps. (Hopefully, someone will talk about funding for recreation and parks in the last budget.)

Mentions crisis response team (concedes it's more focused on mental health than violent crime, per se). Will he call on the state to send as many social workers as it sent State Troopers?

Mayor: we need to work more on the hospital-based violence intervention program, which was slowed down by the pandemic.

Mayor enumerates the Council members and state reps who are present. Sounds like there are 8 of 9 Council members (including Council President, who is on screen).

Maly Rosado: public safety is our number-one priority.

Rosado asks, "How does bond process work?"
Prosecutor: "HPD sets initial bond, which can be adjusted by bail commissioner. Then the bond is reviewed again in court (if they didn't post already)."

Side note: Walcott just said a person is often represented by "an attorney or a public defender." Excuse me?

Rosado: Bonds that used to be $100K are now $25K. What are the courts doing to keep people locked up?

Holding people on bond is not effective.

(Source: theatlantic.com/business/archi…)

Council President argues high bonds should be used to discourage car theft. That is unconstitutional.

Prosecutor Walcott is measured in response. Many factors lead to these kinds of crimes.

Mayor: A lot of people ask, what can we do? One answer, he says, is to make sure you know your neighbors. Build relationships on your block. Trust and relationships are the glue that hold us together.

Also, says the mayor: if you have information about violence, please share it with the police.

Mayor again emphasizes the important role of community organizations, being visible in the community. He has not yet mentioned any efforts to direct additional resources to them in response to this crisis.

Mayor urges more residents to volunteer with those groups and their efforts.

Question: Why did the guy who came from the 'burbs to trade many guns for drugs get a lighter sentence than most city residents who get a single gun possession charge.

Walcott says she doesn't know the details of how that particular sentence came about. (She again suggests that "defense attorneys" and "public defenders" are separate groups, so let me say, PUBLIC DEFENDERS ARE ATTORNEYS.)

Heres' the question I submitted:

Question about walk beats. Thody uses it to praise Bronin's efforts to increase number of police, which allows more walk beats. (Reminder: Hartford has more than double the number of police per capita as the national average.)

Question: will police union withdraw its statement blaming violence spike on police accountability act?
Bronin: We can't speak for them, but I think they're wrong.

Bronin: I have heard from a number of officers who did not like [the union's] statement.

Thody: there are concerns from HPD officers about how the new law will affect them. We think cops can still do their job. The union's job is to look out for their own membership.

(It is hard to feel sympathy for officers' worries about increased accountability. For example, an officer was filmed shoving a bystander because the officer was angry (at someone else!). An investigation found it was improper. He got no punishment.)

Bronin, on my question: Recreation funding was not reduced, but it is true that recreation opportunities are hurt by pandemic. So viz. that, we're between a rock and a hard place.

Concerning community groups: mayor is seeking resources through grant process, etc. Agrees state should send more resources, but talks about budget process. (I had hoped to hear about emergency, right-away responses.)

Question from Leslie Hammond: Post police climate/culture report on city website.
Mayor: It's on there.
Leslie: What of rumor that up to 60 officers are getting ready to retire.
Thody: Not true.

Question: how can community members find out more about community partners doing antiviolence work? Will there be a forum of them?
Mayor: good idea. maybe we'll do that on the city website. Invites Jackie Santiago from Compass to speak.

Jackie Santiago speaks. We need a united effort from everyone in the community. Emphasizes the power of relationships, investment in community. Talks about Peacebuilders' work to build relationships with young people. NOtably, she said there are 16 of them. Imagine 100!

Mayor asks Sue Gunderman, who works at Reentry Center, to talk about what they do. Center has been open for 2 years, served over 700 people.

Well, the baby is waking up, so I gotta go.