Month: October 2021

WESTPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT PROMOTES TWO TO DEPUTY CHEIF

Westport, CT 10/22/2021– Captain David Farrell and Captain Ryan Paulsson were promoted to
the rank of Deputy Chief (DC) during a ceremony at town hall earlier today. During his
remarks, Chief Foti Koskinas said that Deputy Chief Farrell and Deputy Chief Paulsson possess
an outstanding work ethic and strong commitment to the town of Westport. Those qualities
made these two individuals the obvious choices for these positions. Chief Koskinas went on to
praise their strength of character and noted that they never fail to reflect the values of the police
department by treating everyone with dignity and respect.


Deputy Chief Farrell was hired as a patrol officer in 2001. He was promoted to Sergeant in
2009 and Lieutenant in 2012. In 2015, DC Farrell was appointed to Administrative Lieutenant
where he served as the department’s Public Information Officer. He was promoted to Captain
in 2017. During his tenure in that position, he commanded the Operations Division, and is
currently in charge of the Professional Standards Division and Training.
DC Farrell served as a Crisis Negotiator with the Southwest Regional Emergency Response
Team and is a former member of the department’s Honor Guard. Additionally, he was the Vice
President of the Westport Police Union and the Police Benevolent Association. DC Farrell also
worked closely with the Special Olympics organizing several charity torch runs and fundraisers.
DC Farrell holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Connecticut. He
resides in Fairfield with his wife and two daughters.


Deputy Chief Paulsson was hired as a patrol officer in 2000. He was promoted to Sergeant in
2012 and Lieutenant in 2014. In 2016, DC Paulsson was appointed to Training Lieutenant. He
was promoted to Captain in 2017. During his time in that position, DC Paulsson commanded
the Professional Standards Division and is currently in charge of the Operations Division as
well as the Westport Police/Fire Dive Rescue Team.
DC Paulsson is a former K-9 handler and was a Team Leader for the Southwest Regional
Emergency Response Team. Additionally, he is a certified law enforcement instructor.

DC Paulsson holds a bachelor’s degree in Justice and Law Administration from Western
Connecticut State University and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in criminal justice at
Sacred Heart University. He resides in Milford with his wife and two daughters.

Look Who’s DoingItLocal!

I had a monumental meeting with Chris at Madison Avenue Monuments located at 1000 Madison Avenue in Bridgeport. Purchasing a monument is not something you think of, but neither is buying a new battery or bringing your car in for repairs. Its important to keep your name out there until the customer needs you! I couldn’t believe the variety offered these days. Yes, there is the traditional bronze and granite stones. But today the monuments can be personalized. Visit their website at : https://madisonavemonuments.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MadisonAveMonuments/. Their phone number is 203-726-6821

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

BRIDGEPORT, CT –The City of Bridgeport Police Department is participating in the DEA’s
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday October 23rd. This collaboration with the
DEA is an effort to bring attention to properly disposing of your unused or unwanted
prescription medications and why that is incredibly important. In 2019, millions of Americans
were reported to misuse prescription pain relievers, prescription stimulants, tranquilizers, and
sedatives. Statistics show that among adolescents 12 and older who report using pain
medication, an estimated 70% obtained them from a relative or friend’s medicine cabinet and
those battling drug addiction have indicated that the easy access to prescription drugs in
family’s medicine cabinets allowed usage to continue with ease.


This event allows us to draw attention to the importance of properly disposing of unused
prescription medications, so they do not contribute to the drug crisis threatening our
communities. Help us address this crucial public safety and public health issue by dropping your
prescription drugs in the medicine box located at the Bridgeport Police Department
Headquarters — 30 Congress Street.


This is a great opportunity for Bridgeport residents to help prevent drug addiction and overdose
deaths in our community. It is safe, convenient, and no questions asked.
For more information, visit takebackday.dea.gov

This press release was made possible by:

https://www.bmwofbridgeport.com/

Bridgeport News: NAACP Upset Over Police Matters

#Bridgeport CT–The Greater Bridgeport Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (GBNAACP) demanded immediate action on racial disparity issues in Bridgeport’s police department. These concerns continue front and center as concerns for immediate change, GBNAACP Branch President D Stanley Lord said. The Branch, along with the Bridgeport Guardians, ACLU cite recent and historic racial and retaliatory actions. The most recent concerns center on violations within the city police department that continue to unlawfully dilute the values of Black and other communities of color.  

An official complaint was filed October 4 with Mayor Joseph Ganim’s office over the violations and sought immediate action and response. At this time, no response or priority change has taken place.  

NAACP, Bridgeport Guardians INC, local and state leaders are calling on Mayor Ganim and City Council to respond and correct their oversight on the pattern & practice of racially charged actions taking place within the city’s Police Department or face a Department of Justice inquiry and court action.  

The groups hold mutual disappointment and disgust over content filed in a recent lawsuit by retired former police Captain Mark Straubel centering on divisive actions and systemic racism prevailing under the administration of convicted former police chief Armando J. Perez. In an united front, the groups also contend that disparaging efforts continue under Acting Chief Rebeca Garcia to actively target and unfairly discipline officers based on her racial biases and demands for loyalty, including their promotions and career development.   

Straubel’s lawsuit angers the NAACP in its allegations that Acting Chief Garcia has been involved in an ongoing relationship with Lieutenant Santiago Llanos, who is the active commander in charge of the department’s Office of Internal Affairs (OIA).  As the entity investigating charges of racial bias, retaliation and other police matters, the NAACP and the other watchdog groups cite that none of the related cases involving officers of color have moved forward under the procedural chain of command to the Mayor or City Council. The groups believe that under the collusive purview of Llanos and Garcia the minority officer cases citing alleged racial bias, retaliation or other grievances have been dismissed and violate Department policy. Llanos plans to retire from the Department in 2022 to escape against Garcia’s urging to stay onboard and maintain the alliance. Llano and Garcia have attempted to add officers with questionable backgrounds in roles of power with the OIA division to maintain a non-compliant and manipulative chain of command. 

“We have a growing and thriving population of Black, brown and Asian people and their cultures living and paying taxes here in Bridgeport. There’s an opportunity for the Council to create better protocols that celebrate the diversity and opportunity in the police department as well as in other civic leadership roles, and work to improve its community engagement and correcting disparities,” Lord said. “Under the current administration, and it’s cronies continue a racially motivated practice of diluting opportunities and misappropriating corrective actions involving African American police officers by disrupting the process, diluting internal powers and marginalizing how officers of color are treated.” 

The community activist groups strongly support recommendations for the Mayor and Council to follow US District Court suggestions to place black and other minority officers in key leadership positions to deter and prevent patterns of the historic racial bias and disparate treatment.  

The NAACP believes that alternative is an acceptable triage opportunity for the Mayor and Council to initiate immediately; the Mayor is aware of the court suggestions and has not met yet as a full body to discuss what they are going to do. 

“It clearly is a dire concern on how active police engage and protect citizens of this diverse community, Lord said. “And since the city’s leadership has not acted yet that’s why we’re letting them know where we stand and to do so immediately.” 

The Greater Bridgeport NAACP, founded in 1920, looks to continuing its work with the City of Bridgeport, its Police Department and others to explore all outlying concerns, address additional methods to elevate parity and diversity. We encourage all media companies to work with us to seek more diversity, inclusion, greater protections of taxpayer funding, equity practices and to incorporate improvements immediately.    

This press release was made possible by:

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