Mayoral candidate says he has no plans to leave Hartford job after police union’s criticism

HARTFORD — The police union on Wednesday afternoon called for Inspector General Liam Brennan to be removed, arguing that he “is destroying our reputation within the community that we serve.” The union’s criticism came the same day Brennan formally announced his candidacy for mayor of New Haven.

Brennan, who has served as inspector general of Hartford since January 2022, told Hearst Connecticut Media on Wednesday that he had no plans to resign in response to the statement.

The police union has called for Brennan to be removed in the past. In Wednesday’s statement, the police union’s president, James Rutkauski, referred to two cases the Civilian Police Review Board considered during its Jan. 25 meeting, saying the board found allegations against police officers valid because of Brennan’s “omission of critical facts and biased explanation of law.”

“Attorney Brennan is destroying our reputation within the community that we serve,” the statement says. “His actions have eroded and undermined our community’s trust in the hard-working men and women of the Hartford Police Union.”

The first case dealt with a search warrant executed by the department. The second dealt with a sergeant’s possible use of excessive force. That case, involving Sgt. James Guzie, resulted in the board sustaining a number of allegations against several officers. Guzie was initially arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault after allegedly striking a woman who was in custody in 2021, but a report from the department late last year found his actions were “not excessive.”

Rutkauski said Brennan had used an outdated use-of-force standard.

“I stand by the investigations in both of these cases,” Brennan told Hearst Connecticut Media in a text. “In each instance, police officers violated the constitutional rights of

Hartford residents — once by conducting an unconstitutional search and another time by using excessive force. Such errors have real consequences for the citizens involved. They should have consequences for the officers involved as well.”

In the statement, Rutkausi said the police union supported the CPRB but wanted someone else to serve as inspector general.

The statement came just hours after Brennan formally entered the New Haven mayoral race.

“Independent oversight is a cornerstone of effective governance, and I’m proud of the work the Office of Inspector General and the Civilian Police Review Board have done and will continue to do to make Hartford safer and better governed,” Brennan said.

Brennan was appointed to the inspector general role by Mayor Luke Bronin, City Council President Maly Rosado and CPRB Chairman Eric Crawford. The board meets monthly and investigates complaints from community members related to specific Hartford police cases.

“I stand by the investigations in both of these cases. In each instance, police officers violated the constitutional rights of Hartford residents — once by conducting an unconstitutional search and another time by using excessive force. Such errors have real consequences for the citizens involved. They should have consequences for the officers involved as well.” Liam Brennan, in a text to Hearst Connecticut Media

Liam Brennan / Contributed photo Liam Brennan, who has served as inspector general of Hartford since January 2022, told Hearst Connecticut Media on Wednesday that he had no plans to resign in response to the Hartford Police Union's criticism.