Stratford Police Department under microscope

Stratford Police Department under microscope

By News Channel 8's Crystal Haynes
Posted April 02, 2008

Stratford (WTNH) The Stratford Police Department is under the microscope Wednesday evening. Claims of nepotism and sloppy hiring practices have some asking questions. In the middle of it all is the mayor's brother.

Christian Miron is applying to be an officer. The only thing standing in his way is a background check which was sent anonymously to councilmen, questioning his pending employment. But who sent the files in the first place is also raising red flags tonight and launching investigations.

A one page letter is sparking big concerns over hiring practices in the Stratford Police Department and at the center is Mayor James Miron's brother.

"A couple issues I have with it. If my brother was the Mayor, I wouldn't apply for a job in his town," Mike Henrick, Stratford Town Council Chair, said. "And there are some things in here that clearly say he shouldn't be employed as a police officer."

Accompanying the letter, was a signature which wrote, 'the very disgusted residents of the town of Stratford'.

The incident report was obtained by News Channel 8. In it, the background interview Christian Miron underwent as part of his application to the police force. Sent to Henrick and at least one other councilman was a violation -- the mayor says ---- of police department policy.

A statement was released by Mayor James Miron, of Stratford, saying, "The town of Stratford takes seriously the privacy rights of all past present or prospective employees and is conducting an investigation to determine the person or persons responsible for the unauthorized and inappropriate release of personal records."

Henrick says he doesn't condone the way he got the information but thinks there are questions concerning Christian Miron's physical and mental capabilities. "There are issues in there that I think would clearly disqualify somebody from being employed as a police officer," Mike Henrick, Council Chair.

Henrick says this case is indicative of a bigger problem within the police force. "Some of these people who they've hired should not be police officers and one of them is going to get killed or get one of his fellow officers killed and make a bad choice that cost somebody else their life."

Henrick received a second report involving an officer --- he questions being on the force. He plans on bringing these issues up at the next council meeting when News Channel 8 asked if officers were involved in leaking personal files.

Police Chief John Buturla would only comment that an internal investigation has begun. Meantime, News Channel 8 spoke to Christian Miron on the phone -- he declined a response.