Inspector General urges changes to Hartford CPRB ordinance, citing blocked evidence and arbitration challenges

Inspector General Joseph Lopez told the Hartford Quality of Life and Public Safety Committee on July 16 that proposed amendments to the Civilian Police Review Board ordinance are needed to address long-standing roadblocks that prevent the board and the inspector general from conducting timely, effective investigations.

Lopez said discovery—timely access to Internal Affairs materials, body-worn camera video and other evidence—has been treated as if governed by the Freedom of Information Act, which he argued is the wrong standard for an investigator. "FOI is not the yardstick here," Lopez said, adding that the CPRB and the inspector general should receive unredacted internal affairs materials unless federal or state law specifically bars disclosure. He told the committee some records are being redacted or withheld, and said that practice has kept cases from moving forward.

Lopez described union and department resistance to subpoenas and officer interviews, saying the union has blocked the inspector general's ability to interview officers and that both the Hartford Police Department and the union have brought litigation seeking to quash subpoenas. He recommended clarifying ordinance language to confirm that the CPRB (with the inspector general's participation) has the authority to request subpoenas and that a court may enforce them when necessary.

On arbitration, Lopez said the ordinance should distinguish arbitration as an adjudicatory proceeding rather than "discipline" and proposed establishing a standing selection committee and a roster of at least five eligible arbitrators so arbitration cannot be voided by lack of available members. He also proposed language tolling the IG's 45-day investigation clock and the CPRB's 90-day review clock until the inspector general receives "substantial materials" from Internal Affairs, putting the onus on the department to provide evidence before the clock runs.

Lopez asked that the inspector general report to the CPRB rather than be supervised by the Office of Equity and Opportunity, arguing that supervision by an executive-branch official undermines independence. He also recommended an annual budget line for the IG office and clearer hiring authority for CPRB staff so the board has a larger role in staffing decisions.

Councilman Langston asked whether materials the IG receives would remain confidential and Lopez replied that case files are treated as confidential and not released under FOI; he stressed that when Internal Affairs withholds a record under a statutory confidentiality exception the department should notify the IG of the substance so the IG can seek court review if needed.

After presentation and questions the committee voted to keep the ordinance in committee ahead of a public hearing set for Monday, July 20 at 7 p.m., allowing residents to comment before further council action.