Transcription
Welcome back to another episode of Neighborhood Watch. This is a show that is centered on safety and it's all about you keeping you safe. And here's what we're going to do here. We're going to talk about a number of things. We're going to dig into big cases in our state, talk about public safety issues, talk about simple tips that you can do, or we're gonna also introduce you to leaders here in our state who are in the safety sector.
None of this would be possible without my trusty co-host here, Gary McNamera. He is the executive director of community and government relations at Sacred Heart University or also Fairfield's former police chief. Gary, it's good to see you.
>> Katherine. Good to be back and look forward to today's conversations.
>> Me, too. Before we get into this, we have some celebrating to do. We've got we've got lots to talk about, but first, you were recently promoted and I want to read what was written about you because there was a lovely press release that came out yesterday. Congratulations on your promotion.
>> Thank you so much. But it goes Gary has been a trusted leader in the community for many years and his ability to build strong relationships has already made a meaningful impact on the university and this was said by Michael Ionazi. Am I saying that right?
>> You did. Yes.
>> Ayanazi, senior vice president for the administration. This transition allows him to fully focus on the work and continue to expand our government and community relationships in a way that supports our mission and region. Look at you making things happen.
>> Yes. Yeah. I you know it's funny because that's what this is really too and we talked about it last time you know our our it's really about building relationships. So we've known each other a long time and from really when I was chief maybe even before that and I think as a university we all know that those relationships matter and they're not built overnight. So this gives me an opportunity. First of all, I'm very humbled and thankful that the university uh puts me in this position, but it it allows me an opportunity to really foster and build on the relationships that many people in the university have. So I'm thankful for that and I look forward to continuing that. Although I will tell you that I think they they've certainly overrated me. I mean certainly one of many people, but you're too humble. You're too humble. Oh, it's certainly uh it's a good opportunity and really I've always thought that relationships matter. So, I'm going to keep doing what I do and hopefully >> we get to continue doing what we're doing.
>> That's right. Congratulations. I I had to take a moment and give that space.
>> Well, thank you. Yes.
>> And celebrate the good things. That's that's a big part of what we should be doing as well.
>> Um so much has happened since the last time we sat down together. And for those of you who didn't watch the last episode, I really encourage you to do so. And this was a a really thoughtprovoking conversation with New Haven's acting police chief David Zenelli. He sat with us. He talked about stepping into the role there amid controversy. But a a new sort of big thing happened within that time since the last time we sat down with him that we're going to pick through. So, just for some context, uh I I want to explain that acting police chief David Zenelli came into that role amid scandal within the department and that's because of um the abrupt retirement of former New Haven Police Chief Carl Jacobson. This was back on January 5th. He abruptly retired. He was later arrested, accused of stealing public funds. So, his criminal case is ongoing. He's facing two counts of first-degree larceny. Accused of again stealing city funds, about $85,000. That number I know investigators are still looking into. And this was from the confidential informant fund as well as the police activity league. So, uh, really a lot of people were shocked by this, stunned by this, and the state continues to investigate. This is an ongoing case. Just on Friday, he pleaded not guilty. He entered a plea in court. And I want to put our headphones on, Gary, for a second because we're going to listen to the first time that we hear from former police chief Carl Jacobson after he entered his not guilty plea. Take a listen.
>> Chief, how'd it go today?
>> Fine.
>> How have you been doing with all this?
>> I'm fine. And I'm just concerned about the community and the officers. That's my biggest concern, you know. Um I I just hope that the community and the officers can move forward and uh you know, still do what they were doing together when I was chief. And um you know, I wish everybody luck and and I hope that uh no, I care about the officers. And then obviously with my situation, there was things that I didn't take care of personally and I was as chief trying to get more services for the officers and I just hope that if anything is learned from this that these officers need um it's a hard career. They need help and we got to keep take care of them as we move forward.
>> What do you have to say to the city? What do you have to say to the mayor who had faith in you?
>> Yeah, you know, um I apologize to the mayor and the city and the officers,
>> but Cole, can you explain in the arrest warrant there is some admission there, but you plead not guilty today. Can you explain that?
>> It's just part of the court process. I mean um you know, at this point it's early in the stage and and um you know, basically I don't want to comment further on that. That's more on my lawyer's part.
>> Um anything else you'd like to say to to the viewers of Connecticut? Obviously people in the city who believed in you and trusted you?
>> Yeah. No, I I you know, I apologize the um um I love the city. I hope the city moves forward. I hope the officers move forward. Um and that's all.
>> I I mean this with anything you can say about like, you know, trying to tell people why you did what you did.
>> Um I really can't get into that now. I mean, uh it wasn't intentional. wasn't something that I um I really can't get into it now. But
>> gambling these days is such a serious thing and is affecting a lot of people. I mean, can you shed some light into just how serious of an issue it is?
>> Well, yeah. I mean, it's something that um obviously it's been popping up all over the news and um it was something that I got caught up in uh with the ease of having it on an app. Um, so, uh, you know, I I just hope people understand, if anything, learn from the cases that are coming up recently to, uh, make sure they take care of themselves. So,
>> is that is that something you are looking to get help for or seek some help for in Connecticut? I know there are some resources in this.
>> Oh, yeah. I Yeah, I don't want to comment further on that either, but thank you guys.
>> Thank you.
>> Thanks, Chief.
>> And this was the first time that we heard from former New Haven Police Chief Carl Jacobson. and you got a sense of his frame of mind, what he was thinking. He apologizes to the city, but there are a number of things that jumped out to me just hearing that uh his initial words. He says he's fine. He's just concerned about the community and the officers. He kept sort of reiterating that fact that I'm concerned about the officers and that he was trying to help them and he hoped that that help was continuing and he addressed that and sort of uh kept kept saying it repeatedly. What was your take on this?
>> Boy, there's a lot to unpack there.
>> There is,
>> you know, uh I'm very surprised that he made those comments. You know, he's not wrong with some things. First of all, he apologized. Uh, which is surprising that he would walk and talk like that. Uh, you know, he made an admission and apologized for it. You know, he mentioned about the officers. We can certainly do a deeper dive maybe next time about officer wellness and the stresses of the job and what he's kind of I think what he's referring to with that. But I think that, you know, you take care of the officers first and foremost as the chief by being ethical and and he wasn't. And you know, he did a lot of good things and I understand that and I respect the good things that he did, but you can't override the fact and the acts that he did. And yes, gambling is a problem. There's an ease with gambling. I'm just really shocked and surprised. I am sure that uh his attorney was not too happy that we would have that comment and that walk and talk. And you know, it it's natural because he's very comfortable with the media. He's done it for a long time as chief. I'm just surprised at it. And he he kept going like, I don't want to comment any further. And then another question was asked and he answered it. I I just don't necessarily think it did him any favors. Uh while I appreciate that he's trying to take care of the officers, there's so much to unpack there. I'm surprised.
>> I know there is too. I was a little surprised, too. And you noticed that his attorney was not with him, not present. I'm And just like you said, I'm sure his attorney would have has probably had some some things to say uh about that. But he he does apologize. He says he loves the city and I hope the city moves forward. I hope the officers move forward. was which was also interesting. And to get back on on the gambling, I I think what's really important to note is that there was a significant uh gambling debt that he uh incurred over time that was part of the initial arrest warrant, more than $4 million through gaming apps. Um so we're going to dig into that a little bit more, but at the center of all of this is something called the confidential confidential informant fund. And I think a lot of people don't necessarily know what is that, how is that used in a police department? How did something like this happen? And I'd love to get your perspective on that, Gary, when we come back after the break to to dig into what is the confidential informant fund, how is it used, what was your experience with it, and and how it fits in this situation. We're going to take a quick break. Don't go anywhere. There's so much to talk about. We'll be right back.
Welcome back to Neighborhood Watch once again joined by Gary McNamera. Always great sitting down with you and having these important conversations. We just heard the the first time from former police chief Carl Jacobson of the New Haven Police Department. What he said outside of court. This was after he entered a not-uilty plea uh on on a few charges. Um, and this stems from the case started back in January where he is accused of stealing a significant amount of money from a public fund called the confidential informant fund as well as the police activity league. So out of curiosity, what was your experience with the confidential informant fund? What what is it and what was it meant to do within a department?
>> Yeah. And such important conversation to have because you're right, we we focus or the community would focus on the money and then they also focus on the, you know, how could it happen, you know, and and why do they even have that? And if people don't understand what it's for, they sometimes say, "We don't even need it." You know, generally law enforcement, you know, police always look for people to come forward with information and cooperate with police investigations for nothing. You know, just kind of uh if you have information, provide it. if you can help us with a case, do that. However, we know that that there are times when individuals who may be loosely connected with a crime may know or have information about an ongoing criminal activity. You know, typically it's drug investigations. It could be other investigations, but typically it would be drug investigations. And people we know have information. They may be arrested on a larceny, civil larceny charge, and they come forward and say, you know, I have information about something. or somebody else might say, "I'm concerned about my neighborhood and I have information on an investigation." Sometimes that information is provided free of charge, but there are times when we know people can be uh willing to cooperate and further an investigation if there is some sort of a financial um incentive, financial incentive to cooperate and to help further an investigation.
How often would you use the confidential informant fund? Was that or who who would use it during your time when you were chief at the Fairfield Police? How did that work?
>> Yeah. Well, that that's I think some of the things that this investigation will look into and I think we already know the chief shouldn't be handling any confidential informant fund. I mean, it doesn't make any sense why at that level they're doing that. I would never get involved with that. As a detective or even as a detective sergeant, I would oversee that fund. So for the Fairfield Police Department, when I was a detective sergeant, I'd oversee that fund and then investigators would come forward and say, "We have information or this is what we're looking to do. We have an individual that's interested in making a drug purchase for us." Now, that drug purchase requires money. So, not only would it be used to buy drugs, but also maybe provide that financial incentive to whoever was cooperating with the investigation. But it was done in such a way that it is really there's a variety of reasons why you need it done under close scrutiny and supervision. You know, if you think about it, first of all, uh you know, you're dealing with a fund that's outside the normal budget process. So, you want to make sure that there are eyes on it. But in addition to that, it's really for the cases,
>> right?
>> You know, you can't have an individual that's getting paid because that would come up in an investigation. So, if I paid an individual to go purchase drugs for me and I just handled it willy-nilly and didn't have any documentation that they they didn't have credibility and I didn't establish that, that case would be thrown out of court. And I'm surprised that that hasn't really been looked at. Maybe that's something that's going to be ongoing. But if I'm a defense attorney, I don't want to kind of put it in anybody's ear, but you got to remember it. If I'm a defense attorney, I'm going to look at any cases that involve that confidential informant fund, try to determine whether or not my client was found guilty based upon something that shouldn't have been done. That's why it's so crucial that this money is handled and and supervised to make sure that it's done properly because it's not the buy that's going to matter, it's the case that's going to matter,
>> right? Makes such great points. Okay. I I learned something from that. So, in terms of the fund's status, and this is just me looking things up because there have been some changes since the this case first broken, since the allegations first came out. So, the fund in New Haven from from my research typically receives around $75,000 from the city's general fund every year, and the account during the investigation was frozen. They have since uh implemented stricter policies requiring monthly mandatory audits. They're going to be having them monthly, quarterly, yearly, which I had assumed these things were already in place. Uh but again, I I didn't understand or know the inner workings of how a confidential informant fund uh worked. But it sounds from what you're saying it's it's a tool when it comes to police work and it's a powerful tool where you have success when used uh properly for an investigation specifically a drug investigation.
>> Yeah, that's the best example of it because you you can understand that pretty pretty simply that that would be it or a gambling investigation frankly or like I said prostitution. But yeah, it's an important component and it really is a tool to further an investigation. and it doesn't become the entire investigation, but it's certainly a tool to help law enforcement uh further an investigation. And that's that's really you what it's commonly used for. But again, it's I would give a detective $100 and then they'd sign that out and then I'd expect the results of what that was. So it's, you know, it's it's
>> all tracked at the same time, too.
>> Of course. Yeah. Because it's not I'm giving you $100 and then well, we couldn't make a buy. Well, then okay, where's that $100 back? Or if we did use it for what it was intended to be, where's the where is the result of that? So, it's really checked. It's not just checking monthly. It's really checking during an investigation. Like any other component of a police investigation, there has to be accountability for it. Somebody says they're going to go up on a, you know, federal wire tap, then we have to get the information from that. If you're going to do surveillance, well, what did the surveillance show? So, it's really any investigation, any piece of that investigation, crime scene, searches, whatever. I take all the evidence, we got to make sure that there's always accountability with any of the tools we use in law enforcement.
Well, the other thing that uh I think is worthy of noting is when and it sounds like the prosecutors are still trying to figure out exactly how much money the the total sum was allegedly taken, but so far what we know is $81,000 was taken from that fund with $4,000 taken from the police activity league. that that's a significant amount of money for a fund that you know from my own research into what goes into it from $75,000 a year. And then you wonder how how were there no previous red flags. But to your point that a chief would not be the one overlooking that fund. That would not fall within their duties.
>> Yeah. If you're not if you're doing that then you're not being the chief. And and then at the same time since you are doing it, it's really hard and that's why you have to commend the chief Senelli and the other members of the department that really confronted the chief on it because it's hard to do that. The chief's in charge and if you're doing it then you're not going to confront them. But yeah, that's really hard. But the chief should be doing chief things and the uh investigators and all the other people should be doing the jobs that they're required to do so you don't run into this situation.
>> All right, Gary, thank you. We have to take a break, but there's much more to talk about. Uh, and I'm sure we're going to continue to talk about this New Haven case as well. But coming up next, we're going to be digging into a case that has sort of captivated a lot of people in our state. This is the Enfield investigation into the death of 12-year-old Eve Rogers. We're going to talk about that when we come back.
Welcome back to Neighborhood Watch here with Gary McNamera. Uh we just finished up uh talking about New Haven case and now we're moving on to a case that so many people have been talking about in Enfield, a a tragedy uh to say the least, but this is something that many people have been paying attention to, and this is the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of 12-year-old Eve Rogers. This is an active and ongoing investigation. Authorities uh initially investigating this as a potential homicide. Uh, but it first occurred on March 18th. Police were called to the home on Elm Street for a girl who was found unresponsive with a blanket over her body. Gary, wondering if you have been paying attention to this. I actually I know you've been paying attention to this case, but what were some of the initial things that struck you? I know there were some some things that I was noticing too because the police department brought in the major crime squad and spent hours staying at this home. And the question was what exactly were they looking for in this case and what is the nature of this case? But we just knew that it was an untimely death of a 12-year-old. So tell me about those initial thoughts that you had when you first heard about this case.
>> Yeah. and and Katherine, we kind of talked about it a little bit off air, offline, you know, uh it's not normal, obviously we know for a 12-year-old to die. And so when that call, when that report came out, you know, obviously police don't know a lot, but we know less, but you kind of look for closure. So you look for are the what are the police doing? because that's really going to be a telltale sign of what's happening because they're not going to jump to conclusions. But at the same time, if you can't conclude it pretty early on, then you start to wonder there's actually more to it. And we saw that because to your point, you know, major crime comes out, they start getting search warrants. So, it's not just an it's an untimely death. And basically all that term is for is we don't know yet. We know it's untimely. The 12-year-old shouldn't die. Now, we don't know why. And that's really part of the investigation. But as you start to, you know, we found out that the stepfather was arrested and charged with sexual assault. So now we get more information from that, which kind of, if you look at it, is out of the blue a little bit. He was charged with sexual assault, yet she's she's a 12-year-old that's that's uh dead. So, you know, they're obviously still conducting that investigation. We're finding out more along the way. search warrants and the arrest warrant, but search warrants really provide a peak into the eyes and feelings of law enforcement, right? They have to have probable cause to do it.
>> But they it provides us a window into what number one, what they're searching for and why
>> and the location and then what they find because what's what they're finding is going to start painting a picture. Now, it's not going to paint the most accurate picture because we're not investigating it. they are, but it does raise some questions about what they're finding and which direction they're headed in.
>> So, let me walk through some of this uh of what we've learned through through these warrants, the arrest warrant uh specifically of the the stepfather as well. So, Eve Rogers was found again, like I said, on March 18th on the floor of her bedroom. She was pale. Uh there was blood and fluids coming from her nose, and again, some of these details can be quite disturbing. and she was found naked from the waist down with a blanket over half of her body. And uh investigators had said in some of the paperwork that there did look like there was the potential for sexual assault, which we later learned through DNA and a rape kit test that that was in fact true. Uh, so Roger's stepfather, 39-year-old Anthony Federline, was arrested on April 2nd and charged with first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor because of that DNA. They found his DNA and say that it was likely him found in that kit. So, he has not formally been charged in her death, and I want to be very mindful of that. But, there has been sort of this it's it's this case is like an onion. There's many layers to it and you've seen police s sort of peel back that onion with each of the search warrants like you mentioned Gary that came out and I want to walk through some of the things that were were found and I know you've picked up on this too. It was an Amazon tablet. There was a a cell phone and there was also a laptop too. What is the importance of getting this digital information in a search warrant to really sort of better understand what was happening with the victim at that time or a potential timeline? Tell me how how key are the electronics in this?
>> You know, it's it it's funny you say that because in any investigation, it's always trying to you know, this is like life interrupted. So what we're trying to find out is what was life like for for her prior to her life, you know, in this case this tragic loss of life. So that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to piece back what happened before and that and that, you know, without electronics in the past, we used to talk to neighbors, they probably still do, talk to friends, try to paint the picture of what was occurring beforehand and get really that timeline. Now that you have technology, it gives a window into the person and it gives a timeline into the person. So that timeline is going to show what they were searching, who they may have been communicating with. And we've kind of gotten a trickle of information that there's some um concerning stuff within, you know, her search history. But that's what that's going to show. It's going to show what what what she was doing prior to and and who she was associating with and her frame of mind and whether or not there's any clues in there to that who might have whether she died, you know, untimely or whether or not there's some nefarious action behind it. and to the to the fact of the stepfather being arrested for and charged with the sexual assault. I mean, obviously there's information that we can find from that.
>> Yeah. And the other piece to this that's really incritical to to mention is that a week before her death, there was surveillance video that was found of her leaving her home in a convenience store and allegedly stealing an energy drink. So, there's footage from that which was a week prior to her death. Now, police questioned the uh her mother from the bits that we know. We are hoping to get video of those moments. News 8 is working on that. But it really begs the question of, you know, what what happened. DCF was brought in, an investigation was launched uh in that. And then also part of the search warrants, and I want to touch upon this because we're running out of time here, Gary. Within the search warrants, there was something taken. There were a number of of pills, medications, some of them identified, some of them not. But there was four pages of something titled my safety plan.
>> Yeah.
>> What what is that my safety plan? We don't know whose safety plan it is, but that's important to note.
>> That's a that's a critical thing. I saw that as well because who has a safety plan? You know, I didn't as a 12-year-old have to have a safety plan. We don't know whose safety plan it was, but generally when we start talking about sexual assault, domestic violence, and people in situations they don't want to be in, we generally tell them to come up with a safety plan. Do something that if you had to leave, what would you do to keep yourself safe? Now, whether she came up with this on her own, if it is hers, or maybe her mom's or someone else is in the house, we don't know that yet. But that is a crucial key component that obviously now we know that for some reason someone in that house felt the need to have a safety plan which really points to what was occurring prior to this incident and that that's a good clearcut indication that there's more to this story and we're going to learn more as the investigation goes on.
Yeah, there's so many unanswered question and I also want to make mention I did reach out to the police chief of Enfield in the hopes that he would come on this program and I hope he does eventually and I realize he's in the midst of a a very active and ongoing investigation so he is limited in what he can talk about but I hope that we at least open the door for that conversation down the road right here on Neighborhood Watch. I really do hope we do that.
>> Yeah, I agree. and and and Chief Fox is a a quality leader and and that whole department is going to get to the bottom of it through a quality investigation and he we need to give him the time and I agree with you be great to have him on and I'm sure we will in the future. Look forward to that.
>> There is uh so much more to this case that we are going to be talking about and digging into as we get more of the the videos and more information. Gary, always appreciate your time and expertise. It's great to sit here with you. Uh, make sure you tune in to our next episode of Neighborhood Watch.