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Rep. Scott Votes in Support of State Police Contract

Posted on January 25, 2023

HARTFORD – State Representative Tony Scott (R-112), today voted in support of a new State Police Union contract. The document was approved on a vote of 142-1.

“There’s a shortage of State Police Troopers and the incentives in this contract are necessary to build up the ranks to effective strength, with a goal of stemming the rise in crime that Connecticut is currently experiencing. Law enforcement efforts have been hampered by the Police Accountability Bill, so I’m glad the legislature took a step today toward showing the men and women in uniform that the state has their backs,” said Scott.

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.

Several additional bill proposals seek to help law enforcement safely do their jobs:

  • Protect law enforcement and municipalities from being forced to settle in qualified immunity cases because any denial under current law bars them from appealing that decision until after jury decision. (HB 5361)
  • Evaluate the use of force from the perspective of a reasonable officer in the same situation, based on the totality of the circumstances known to or perceived by the officer at the time, rather than with the benefit of hindsight, and that the totality of the circumstances shall account for occasions when officers may be forced to make quick judgments about the use of force. (HB 5361)
  • Provide clarity and list circumstances under which police can be decertified for undermining public confidence. (HB 5362)
  • Restore the ability for police to request consent searches during motor vehicle stops when there is reasonable suspicion of a crime. (HB 5361)
  • Require P.O.S.T. to rewrite the police pursuit policy to allow pursuit of property crime offenses. (HB 5361)
  • Create a special account for families of officers killed in action. (HB 5363)
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