The Connecticut State Police (CSP) is the state police and highway patrol of the U.S. state of Connecticut, responsible for statewide traffic regulation and law enforcement, especially in areas not served by (or served by smaller) municipal police. It is a division of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. The CSP currently has about 875 troopers as of June 28, 2022, and is headquartered in Middletown, Connecticut. The Connecticut State Police is also responsible for protecting the Governor of Connecticut, Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut, and their families.
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History
Early history
The Connecticut State Police was created under House Bill #247 on May 29, 1903. Initially, five men, paid three dollars a day, were hired to enforce state liquor and vice laws, making it one of the oldest State Police forces in the nation. It was originally composed of five troopers primarily responsible for interdicting the production of moonshine. Early troopers traveled the state by railroad until automobile and motorcycle patrols were instituted, and troopers would often spend five to six days working, eating, and sleeping in the barracks constructed around the state. By 1924, seven such barracks had been built. The organization was heavily militaristic, and its internal culture was similar in this regard to other state police agencies in New England.
Modern history
In 1968 Louise Smith graduated from the State Police Academy becoming the first black woman to join a state police force in the United States.
In 1984 a federal judge found that the State Police systematically discriminated against minorities and ordered the State Police to increase the number of minorities in specialist positions as well as increase minority promotion rates.
In 1987 the Connecticut State Police were sued by the Connecticut chapter of Men and Women for Justice for discriminating against Black and Hispanic officers and officer candidates as well as other Civil Rights Act violations. The State Police chose to settle the case and made an agreement that the State Police would hire at least 10% Black and Hispanic officers, an accurate reflection of the State’s demographics in the early 1980s. In 2018 the hiring practices of the State Police remained the minimum allowed under their legally binding agreement with 5% of officers being Black and 5% being Hispanic despite Black and Hispanic Americans constituting over 25% of Connecticut's citizens in 2018.
In 1997 the Connecticut State Police was at the center of Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland’s Geargate scandal Surplus military equipment intended for the State Police was diverted by Rowland and close associates for their personal use. Equipment and apparel including sleeping bags, camouflage jackets, helmets, and a bayonet made their way into the hands of Rowland’s children, his staff, his security detail, and the husband of then Lt. Gov. Jodi Rell. The diversion was organized by State Trooper Eugene D’Angelo and was uncovered through a joint State Police and Department of Defense investigation.
In 2015 State Police Troop H and Troop C were among six Connecticut police departments singled out in a state report on racial bias in policing for having the most "significant disparities in their traffic stops data,” in particular traffic stop rates for Black and Hispanic drivers were much higher during the day when officers can easily visually establish the ethnicity of a driver before a stop than at night. The report was the most comprehensive report of its kind ever compiled by a state at the time of its release.
On December 31, 2018, Stavros Mellekas took over as the commander of the Connecticut State Police, replacing George F. Battle.
Weapons
In 2012, CSP transitioned to the SIG Sauer P220R .45 ACP pistol. Prior to this, the SIG Sauer P229 had been issued since 1996.
In June 2022, CSP began transitioning to the Glock 45 9mm fitted with a tactical light and night sights. Troopers also began carrying only two spare magazines as opposed to the three issued with the SIG P220R.
Organization
The Connecticut State Police is headquartered in Middletown, Connecticut.
Troops
The CSP is divided into 11 troops, each of which has a lieutenant troop commander, a master sergeant executive officer, several patrol sergeants, a detective unit, and a full complement of personnel for patrol. The "resident troopers" in that troop area are also assigned to the troop. Additionally, each troop has its own dispatchers and clerical unit, and most have one or more mechanics to service the fleet.
Some troops, because of their location, are tasked primarily with highway patrol functions while other troops in more rural areas serve as rural police, i.e.: response to crimes, patrol of towns and neighborhoods, and providing police services to many Connecticut towns that do not have police departments of their own. (Connecticut has no County Sheriff Departments).
Troop A – Southbury
Troop B – Canaan
Troop C – Tolland
Troop D – Danielson
Troop E – Montville
Troop F – Westbrook
Troop G – Bridgeport
Troop H – Hartford
Troop I – Bethany
Troop K – Colchester
Troop L – Litchfield
Troop H – BDL – Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Troop H – Hartford at BIA supports Airport security functions as airport police, incident investigation, and backs up the airport management. Troop H also works with the Customs and Border Protection and the DEA.
Other units
Other units organized by the CSP that are not divided by troops include:
Statewide Organized Crime Investigative Task Force
Statewide Narcotics Task Force
Welfare Fraud Unit
Criminal Intelligence Unit
Fire Marshal Division
Training Division
Licensing and Permits Section
Forensics Laboratory
Photography and Identification unit
Polygraph Unit
Fleet management & Purchasing
Emergency Services Unit, including the following subunits:
Aviation
Bomb Squad
SCUBA (Dive Team)
K-9
Tactical Units (SWAT)
Mass Transit Security Explosive Detection Unit
The CSP also has a contingent of volunteer surgeons and volunteer chaplains.
Vehicles
Uniquely, the CSP uses a fleet consisting almost entirely of unmarked police cars, most commonly in grey, with or without custom-marked detachable roof-mounted lightbars. The reason for their use of unmarked cars is ascribed to officers’ ability to take cars home and use them in a personal capacity where markings may not be desired. The models used by the CSP are most commonly typical police vehicles such as the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, Ford Police Interceptor Sedan, Ford Police Interceptor Utility, Chevrolet Caprice, and Dodge Charger, but the CSP sometimes also uses vehicles not traditionally used by law enforcement, such as various assorted models from Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Buick, Toyota, and Mazda.
Though most of the CSP's fleet is unmarked, there are still vehicles that do have markings. Each troop is issued one marked car featuring a livery consisting of white with CSP badging on the doors and blue-and-yellow pinstripes running along the length of the car; these are typically used for ceremonial purposes, parades, or community patrols. CSP police motorcycles are painted black with text identifying them as state trooper units on the sides and front windshield. CSP police helicopters use a livery of navy blue, black, maroon, and dark brown.
The CSP uses radar, lidar, and VASCAR systems for speed enforcement.
In September 2022, the CSP used a helicopter from the Massachusetts National Guard to locate illegal cannabis cultivation sites.
Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Connecticut State Police, 26 troopers, and 1 K9 have died in the line of duty.