Just look at the higher ups they have to deal with .... if I had to work under the conditions they do now (being investigated, emailed to put in complaints against honest officers who got the investigation going, tarnished image, etc) I'd find life as an officer stressful. Rude and unhelpful is not proper nor professional. Who knows what they are dealing with while on the job. Obviously, if an officer puts in a complaint they get harrassed and other officers are asked to follow suit in complaining about those officers initially putting in complaints. How can anyone work under that stress and duress.

Bring it to Internal Affairs attention. They have a single form that you can put in a compliment, an Informal Complaint or a formal complaint. When it comes to internal affiars though, well public knowledge by news articles suggest the dept doesn't do their job ... who knows if they got their act together yet.

Oh my, I wonder how many people put in the form as a compliment of any officers. I'd love to know the ratio

Roaring- unfortunately filling out a form is useless as MPD can not stay fair and objective in investigating itself through the Internal Affairs process. If you google Sgt. Caponigro you can see how vidotaped transgressions by MPD are swept under the carpet by IAD and MPD.
This is a part of the problem as officers know that there will not be an action against them, even if residents complain so they don't even bother with being helpful.

How well would you work while being watched under a microscope? Your every move and word being taped and photographed? Give the officers a break and let them do the job they are trained to do to the best of their ability. How about we support these brave men and women? After all who do you think will be there when you need them the most?

Rich no one is asking the officers to perform miracles, just a little bit of courtesy and professionalism. And the problem is that they are not watched and act like wild animals. Contrary to your point apparently they should be watched more to get them back in line. Plenty of departments in CT that function as they should, is it too much to ask for MPD to be civil and act like Police instead of thugs?

Have you not seen a police crime or accident scene lately? Everyone at the scene is either taking pictures or video taping the scene with their cell phones as well as the in car cameras and microphones that are immediately activated when any of the cruisers lights are activated. I was recently involved in a motor vehicle accident and while the other driver was screaming and yelling at everyone and anyone the police officer was nothing but courteous and professional.

In fact state police should come in and oversee operations at Meriden Police Department. And those who got us in that mess should foot that bill - mainly the Chief and Mayor - out of their pockets!

So you have tried them and found them guilty before the investigation is complete? the state police and the attourney general are investigating them. How about we wait for their investigation results before YOU pronounce them guilty. Or have the rules changed and it's now guilty by accusation. I thought it was innocent until proven guilty and they have not been proven to be guilty of anything yet.

Don't need a federal investigation to see that Meriden Police Officers are rude and unprofessional.

Dear Rick...Officers should never be pressured into performing their job professionally, respectfully, ethically, etc. Obviously they are walking on egg shells due to the trarnished image of the Meriden Police, caused by others they work with. Further pressure being placed on police is the email sent out to all offiicers (union members) suggesting to follow suit in submitting complaints against the two officers who honestly reported what had been going on, that can make anyone fear being a witness to the truths of the events taking place at the Meriden Police Department. Its unbelievable that Cheif Cossette didn't know what was going on within Internal Affairs, he did not sign off on the complaints so he knew his son was repeatedly complained against. Get rid of the chief, all of his family members and friends on the police force, get rid of officers in Internal Affairs who do not properly investigation each and every complaint submitted.........in short, clean out the slackers. I wonder what "conflict of interest" of the chief was at issue in my complaint, he didn't sign off on it even though there were not last name similarity of the officers reported

In short, the citizens of Meriden did not create this event. Stress of officer was and continues to (email) be caused by others within the Police Department and its union. Yes we citizens are watching closely but if they perform their jobs correctly, cause of stress can not be placed on us, blame it on the going on's within their own profession

So right Durpert. That would take care of the whole Police Department issue. Then we can move on to having the management of this City investigated

dear Frenchie, lets be fair here. It is not all of the Meriden Police officers that are rude adn unprofessional, its just some adn it seems to be those with some kind of relationship, be in family, friends, friend of family or friend, to the Police Chief. I'd like to know exactly how many sign off signatures he actually placed on documents opposed to how many he didn't so so due to some kind of "conflict of interest" in complaints.

Dear Citizens of Meriden and City Officials receiving these postings:
I too experienced rudeness, duress among other things by specific officers. I put in formal complaints and even though I finally received a letter from internal affairs that their investigation was unfounded, they never noted the complaint case number on any correspondence. I had pretty much given up hopes that the officers involved would be brought to justice (I continued writting letters in protest adn requesting a proper invesigation). Then the news articles came out alerting the citizens of this unfine City of what was going on. I again put in complaints against, in turn, each Internal Affairs officer who I encountered for "failure to act" making sure I sent copies to 3 of our city officials. No letter acknowledging my letters were ever recieved from any of the 3 officials, This chain of events did me no good until in a final attempt to get action, sent a last letter to INternal Affairs enclosing a copy to the Mayor sent certified return reciept requested. I got the return reciept (green card) back with a signature that someone signed for and recieved my letter. Sadly enough, even though I know that letter was recieved, our dear sweet citizen concerned Mayor failed to acknowledge receipt, no letter mailed out to me stating he "was in receipt of letter dated ______ and will review the matter" or at the least "forward letter to appropriate party(s) for action" How much time would it take to instruct an administrative assistant to compose a letter of response acknowledging a letter from a citizen/taxpayer, then having the Mayor review to ok or edit, provide a signature and mail it out?

We are pretty much left in the dark and now more so with the encrypting of police signal on personal scanner listeners. Its a terrible time for the citizens of the City of Meriden due to the lack of action and concern of our elected officials. In my opinion, as far as our elected officials are concerned, if a matter does not concern things requiring the shoveling out of taxpayers dollars, they're not concerned at all

How about sending the bill for the attorney the City hired to investigate (waste of money since FBI is investigating and a grand jury is involved) straight to the Police Union for payment. To the City Officials who are forwarded these posts, as a Citizen and TaxPayer in the City of Meriden; and sinceTaxpayers didn't cause this problem at hand, I respectfully and formerly request that our tax dollars not be used for payment of the said attorneys bill.

My experience with the police is that you get what you give. Getting mouthy and rude with a police officer is not a good idea. They aren't getting paid to be abused by the public. As for the cost of the investigation, I agree the taxpayers should not have to foot the bill. Let those who caused it pay for it.

I think the cops are doing a pretty good job in town. We had a pretty good year this year and I would like to thank the community officer on Grove Street for keeping on top of the troublemakers. Thank you Meriden Police Officers for keeping us safe!

Dear Ruffled Feathers:
HOw about WHEN all allegations are found to be true, let all those collected Union Dues pay for the investigation, not taxpayers money. Put the dues to good use for a change

Good year? All the news would tell you otherwise, and so would all the people that ended up in the hospital because of the boys in blue. Unless you are thinking of the fact that there was no death resulting from their actions this year, then in fact we all had a good year.

Where is Rohde reassuring people that something will get done about this?

I was receiving threats from an unstable person. Went to Meriden police station with text documentation, and even a DEATH Threat on my voicemail. I wanted a report to send to this persons probation officer. She has warrants outstanding for 3 class C felonies. Officer "L" was not helpful. He would only give me an "event # ". Probation needed a report. I walked back over there again. Same officer. Still would not write a report. Sent me to courthouse "expert". She only does domestic cases. I would have to go to a hearing WITH the woman harassing me. I do not want her to know what town I live in. It should be noted that I have not have not engaged this woman at all. I really am a victim. I was afraid for my life. If I had gotten a report, her probation officer told me he could get her off the streets immediately. SO frustrated.