January 18, 2023

Foncello Votes to Advance State Police Contract to House for Further Consideration

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HARTFORD – State Representative Martin Foncello (R-107), a member of the Appropriations Committee, today voted on a new State Police Union contract.

The contract covers 888 employees over four years at a cost increase of $79,363,062. This includes $3,500 bonuses retroactive to July 1, 2022, and with a 2.5% wage increase for contract years 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025. There’s also a wage reopener for contract year 2025-2026.

Foncello questioned why the rate of loss of Troopers four times as great as municipal officers is.

David Krayeski, Undersecretary of the Office of Labor Relations Division in the Office of Policy and Management said during the Appropriations Committee meeting that currently certified police officers would have to take a dramatic pay cut to enter the academy because the compensation for Troopers was not competitive with what municipalities are offering. There’s a reduction in currently certified police officers making transition to ranks of troopers.

“These are quality of life and quality of career issues. Members of the law enforcement community want to be sure the state has their backs,” said Foncello.

Foncello has introduced a bill to restore governmental immunity for law enforcement officers.

“Connecticut should be sending the message to the men and women in uniform that if they go out and make a routine, reasonable arrest, using their training, the state has their back. The mix of laws hindering good police officers and rhetoric stoked to create public distrust in police has led to challenges among police agencies to hire qualified individuals,” said Foncello.

Foncello served as a Senior Intelligence Officer with the newly created Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Intelligence and Analysis. For over 14 years, Marty worked in New York City as a liaison to the NYPD, FDNY and Office of Emergency Management. He also worked closely with members of the private sector as well as his colleagues from the Intelligence Community and from the DHS component agencies located in NYC.