Chief State’s Attorney’s Meeting
Minutes of the Meeting of August 29, 2016
Office of the Chief State’s Attorney
Rocky Hill, Connecticut
Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane called the meeting to order at 12:40 p.m.
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), Patrick J. Griffin (New Haven), Gail P. Hardy (Hartford), Kevin D. Lawlor (Ansonia/Milford), Anne F. Mahoney (Windham); Peter A. McShane (Middlesex), Maureen Platt (Waterbury), Brian Preleski (New Britain), Stephen J. Sedensky, III (Danbury), David Shepack (Litchfield) and John C. Smriga (Fairfield).
Also present: Executive Assistant State’s Attorneys Brian Austin, Jr., and Michael A. Gailor, legislative liaison Wilfred Blanchette and Communications and Legislative Specialist Mark A. Dupuis.
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Boyle made a motion to accept the minutes of the July 18, 2016, meeting. The motion was seconded by Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto and passed without opposition.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane and Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported on discussions with the Office of Policy and Management regarding the $1.7 million in holdbacks ordered for fiscal year 2016-17. There was a need cited for collection of additional data to document workload beyond that reflected in caseload statistics. The Chief State’s Attorney and Deputy Chief State’s Attorneys will meet with each state’s attorney to review data and discuss specific concerns for each Judicial District prior to the submission of additional data and related information to OPM.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane asked the State’s Attorneys and all employees to submit any suggestions for 2017 legislative action to the Legislative Committee as soon as possible.
State’s Attorney Shepack reported the Operations Committee is reviewing the decision in State v. Dickson concerning in-court identifications. The Appellate Bureau is exploring the possibility of producing reference materials for training purposes.
State’s Attorney Smriga reported that the Training Committee discussed the composition of the existing State’s Attorneys’ committees in light of the appointment of new State’s Attorneys since the committees were established. Each committee chair is urged to review the matter. The Training Committee is preparing revisions to Division of Criminal Justice Policy No. 220 to comply with the recently enacted mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) requirements of the Connecticut Practice Book. The revised policy will be brought to the State’s Attorney for approval in September or October.
Executive Assistant State’s Attorney Austin reported the Division has 99 percent compliance with existing training requirements; only three prosecutors were not in compliance in the most recent fiscal year.
State’s Attorney Lawlor reported on issues concerning the involvement of Connecticut Valley Hospital personnel in recommitment hearings conducted by the Psychiatric Security Review Board. State’s Attorney Lawlor will keep the State’s Attorneys apprised of developments.
Executive Assistant State’s Attorney Austin reported that all Division personnel who may have contact with Connecticut On-Line Law Enforcement Communication Teleprocessing (COLLECT) system information must undergo training now that two years have elapsed since initial training. The training materials will be distributed.
Executive Assistant State’s Attorney Gailor reported on the implementation of Section 2 of Public Act 16-71. The Executive Assistant State’s Attorneys continue to work with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and other personnel to facilitate the required reports.
Executive Assistant State’s Attorneys Austin and Gailor are working in data collection mechanisms and collection of information from the Department of Children and Families. More information will be available at the September meeting.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:34 p.m.