The most important daily headlines from News, Sports, Business, Living, and Opinion. Once I realized it was a police officer, I pulled my hand back in. employment, consumer credit, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA The speedometer still said 73 when the Dodge Charger rear-ended a slow-rolling minivan near the Dunkirk exit. racist or sexually-oriented language. Jordan, sitting in the rearmost seat, was thrown forward at impact, along with his seat. Success! Flag pins for First Responders. An internal affairs investigation is underway. We hold our Troopers to high standards and the behavior displayed in the video is not reflective of the values of Commissioner Rovella or my administration, Mellekas said in the release. Our preferred mediums are metal and enamel. In the video, posted on YouTube Monday, the trooper is seen cursing at a man who was allegedly speeding on the span also know as the Q bridge in New Haven. We'd love to hear eyewitness {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, New York State Trooper Stephen C. Barkeropened a Facebook page on his cellphone just 52 seconds before his, City mourns Buffalo firefighter Jason Arno as investigation into fatal fire launches, Buffalo firefighter makes 'ultimate sacrifice' in blaze that may have sparked backdraft, Paula's Donuts to move Clarence store that faced backlash for tax breaks to Amherst, Vandal damages 'brokenhearted' Russell Salvatore's tribute park in Lancaster, Chad Hall's departure from Buffalo Bills to Jaguars remains a bit of a mystery. We strictly Sentences for distracted driving can be severe, but thats usually when someone dies, which then puts felonies into play. The media has really gone off the deep end. The trooper was removed from working with the public and placed under investigation after a video of him berating a motorist in an expletive-laced rant on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in New Haven was posted on YouTube. Invalid password or account does not exist. Pension racket may explain state trooper's crazed rage. Last year Spina made $99,000 in regular pay, $97,000 in overtime, and another $7,000 in miscellaneous pay, presumably private-duty pay, another sort of overtime, for a total of $203,000. If you want something and don't see it, please ask. The first trial, focused on Cole's case, is scheduled for Sept. 13, a spokesman for the Court of Claims said. "It certainly wouldn't have happened today.". He died three years later. You couldnt leave it alone, could you? As artists, creating collectibles, we leave the judgment to the public but hope our creations will bridge divided, conquer hatred and unite everybody, the company said in a message. Retired reporter. Share with Us. States have to go bankrupt in order to legally get rid of the Golden Pension Club. TheFirst Amendmentof the U.S. Constitution provides significantprotectionto artistic expression and, as a result, severely limits the government's right to censor controversial works including what we create. Come on, people. Unfortunately, the coin could certainly erode public trust in police, it is emblematic of the challenges facing police leaders as they try to create change. I was respectful the entire time and never had hard feelings against the trooper. These distractions are what caused Mr. Barker to fail to observe the slowing traffic ahead, McCusker wrote in documents accusing Barker of reckless driving and reckless endangerment, both misdemeanors. reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq, (FCRA). Blame the labor negotiators who have enabled this, but the ones who can fix it are the supervisors who are now corruptly approving the overtime (expecting it themselves when they retire), and blame the top managers in the public service agencies, the comptroller, and the fovernor who do not stop it administratively and thereby are complicit in the loss of faith in government. a tirade famously captured on cellphone video. End censorship. A law enforcement source said the coin has been circulating among state troopers and other police officers. Dispatchers art the tip of the spear. We won't share it with anyone else. Great for fundraising and non-profits.NEED CUSTOM COINS? This byline is mine, but I want my name removed. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Nonetheless, we must not allow any entity to censor us, as artists, or prevent us from voicing our expressions and sharing them far and wide. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. God Bless America & the Laws that prevent Art & Free Speech Censorship. Jette said he saw Spina driving erratically in traffic and flipped his middle finger at him without realizing he was a police officer. Tro. The man allegedly showed unhappiness with Spinas driving before the stop, saying Spina was following another car too closely. Who the f--- do you think you are worrying about what Im doing? Spina can be heard saying. End censorship. In July, the Hartford Courant reported the unions plan to hold a vote of no confidence. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. $29.99 previous price $29.99 previous price $29.99. The following day, Jette released another video giving his account. Forty percent of Spina's earnings of $76,744 so far this year has been overtime, so he is on track for another $200,000 year -- if he can maintain some semblance of sanity, if his supervisors don't see that overwork may be impairing his fitness, and if he is not suspended or dismissed for his misconduct, which has spectacularly besmirched the state police. No wonder state Trooper Matthew Spina hates his job, just as he told the motorist he abused with five minutes of crazed rage during a traffic stop in New Haven two weeks ago, a tirade famously captured on cellphone video, posted on the internet, and viewed internationally. Out of 707 members whose votes were qualified, 687 voted no confidence in the governors leadership, according to the results of the vote. We often poke fun at serious things. CUSTOM COINS & PINSYes! Retracing the path of controversial Project Veritas founder James O'Keefe includes many stops in Connecticut. Trooper Barker never faced a charge as serious as assault, and his criminal caseended quickly. Spina searches a bag inside the car before allowing Jette to leave. 1st Responder Nation, a company dedicated to these types of coins, often used as tokens of appreciation, advertises the coin with Spinas name for $13.99. A portion of every sale is donated to non-profits who support border security, police personnel, and more. Chance of precip 90%.. In the 2019 crash near the Thruway's Dunkirk exit, Trooper Barker had been texting throughout his shift, State Police Investigator John J. McCusker wrote in a court document. In the years before the crash and since, the state police and traffic safety experts have urged people to concentrate on the road, not on their phones. $9.99 Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. CLICK HEREThankful to have laws that protect artistsOur products all start with an idea which becomes a sketch. By Matthew Spina | Buffalo News A medical examiner partly faults medical personnel at the Erie County Holding Center for the death of an inmate, saying they did not properly respond to his withdrawal from addictive drugs, primarily alcohol. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. These remarks invite a review of his payroll records at state Comptroller Kevin Lembo's wonderful OpenCT internet site. Ned Lamont, according to a letter from the state police unions leadership. In that case he probably would have to keep working another 15 or 20 years in a different job. 1.5 inch cloisonn pin with dual pin posts. God help you if theres anything illegal in this car.. Two months after a state trooper was captured on camera in a profanity-laced tirade during a traffic stop, a commemorative coin that honors him is circulating among his fellow troopers. It shall cease and desist only when: 1) our elected officials have the courage to change current statutory language on our retirement system, 2) we elect a governor with the political will to change the culture of bureaucracy, and 3) the public is educated on how our unions have hijacked the state Capitol. He was suspended, but was collecting about $95,000 a year in salary, according to the state Comptroller's Office, when charges were lodged against him in December 2019. Medical examiner faults Erie County Holding Center staff for inmate's death but sees no 'criminal neglect', You Should Think Twice Before Buying Cooking Oil In Bulk, Hogan, stripped of his law license, states his case to the legal community, Gunfire hits man's leg in Niagara County's Town of Wilson, Judges suspend law license of HoganWillig founder Corey J. 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State police said they would release more information as it becomes available. Barker's police car wasgoing 73 mph when the collision occurred. Mellekas also said that many troopers are under extreme stress because of the COVID-19 pandemic and that Spina, who has been with the state police since 2001, has been referred to the agencys employee assistance program. PayrollCT is not a consumer So how will the state police department handle the Spina case? Dept of Emrg Svc & Public Prot. Matthew Spina started working at Dept of Emrg Svc & Public Prot on 29th June 2001. It's true, our stuff is diverse; sometimes serious, sometimes a total joke. The Thin Gold Line represents 911 Dispatchers and we have the largest collection of Dispatcher Collectibles available. This article is absolutely an opinion piece and should be taken as such. The topic of distracted driving was never mentioned, nor were the injured parties or the collision. He was acting like a loose cannon, Jette said. We love Dispatchers! I am willing to bet Mr. Powell wouldnt be able to cut it. Spina loudly explains that a car tailed him then passed him and the driver flipped him off while he was following a tractor-trailer looking for a violation.