Chief State’s Attorney’s Meeting
Minutes of the Meeting of September 21, 2015
Office of the Chief State’s Attorney
Rocky Hill, Connecticut
The meeting was called to order at 12:42 p.m. by Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane.
In attendance were: Deputy Chief State’s Attorneys Leonard C. Boyle and John J. Russotto; State’s Attorneys Richard J. Colangelo, Jr. (Stamford-Norwalk), Matthew C. Gedansky (Tolland), Gail P. Hardy (Hartford), Kevin D. Lawlor (Ansonia-Milford), Peter A. McShane (Middlesex), Maureen Platt (Waterbury), Brian Preleski (New Britain), Michael L. Regan (New London), Stephen J. Sedensky III (Danbury), David Shepack (Litchfield) and John C. Smriga (Fairfield).
Also present: Executive Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Austin, Jr., and Communications and Legislative Specialist Mark A. Dupuis.
State’s Attorney Sedensky made a motion to accept the minutes of the August 31, 2015, meeting. The motion was seconded by State’s Attorney Hardy and passed unanimously.
Chief Inspector James Hankard presented the latest draft of the Division policy concerning active shooter incidents. The policy will be voted on at the next meeting. Inspectors will be briefed at firearms training in October and November.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane introduced guests Mimi Peck-Llewellyn and Nancy Shaffer, co-chairs of the Coalition for Elder Justice in Connecticut, for a presentation on elder abuse and exploitation. The Division will offer a training program on October 29 at the Rocky Hill training center, and the Coalition will sponsor one prosecutor to attend a weeklong national conference in Denver.
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported that the Division budget will be reduced by $42,000 under the 2015-16 budget rescissions announced by the Office of Policy and Management.
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Timothy J. Sugrue of the Appellate Bureau gave a presentation on the Public Act 15-164 amendments to the Freedom of Information Act. State’s Attorneys are asked to provide feedback to assist in evaluation of the public act.
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Boyle and State’s Attorney Shepack reported that the Operations Committee is continuing its review of policies concerning investigations conducted pursuant to Section 51-277a of the General Statutes, as amended by Public Act 15-4 of the June Special Session. A copy of a policy established by the New London State’s Attorney’s office for responding to incidents involving the use of force by peace officers will be distributed to all State’s Attorneys for review.
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported on draft changes to Division Policy 511, Prosecutorial Impropriety. Further refinement of the draft will follow.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane asked for volunteers to serve on a working group to discuss concerns related to certain cases under the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board.
State’s Attorney Smriga will distribute a draft of proposed legislation developed by a committee reviewing Section 54-56d of the General Statutes concerning individuals who are deemed not competent to stand trial and not restorable.
State’s Attorney Sedensky reported that the Governor’s Task Force on Justice for Abused Children will hold an advanced Finding Words training program in November. State’s Attorney Platt asked the task force to consider a brief training program to acquaint prosecutors who do not specialize in child abuse cases with the Finding Words concept.
State’s Attorney Colangelo will distribute the schedule for upcoming training classes at the National Computer Forensics Institute in Hoover, Alabama. State’s Attorneys should notify State’s Attorney Colangelo of any employees interested in the training.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:53 p.m.