The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Lamont, Stefanowski debate list naming Conn. top state for cops
The latest subject of debate in Connecticut’s increasingly contentious gubernatorial election: a listicle from the website WalletHub.
Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont and his Republican challenger, Bob Stefanowski, have traded tweets in recent days about the personal finance site’s finding that Connecticut is the best state in the U.S. to be a police officer. Lamont has touted the study, while Stefanowski has crticized the governor over a measure passed in 2020 to increase police accountability.
“Our historic investments in police officers and crime reduction programs are paying off,” Lamont’s campaign account tweeted, along with a news story citing the study. “We are making our state a safer place to work and live.”
Quote-tweeting Lamont, Stefanowski questioned the finding.
“For you to take a victory lap on this is insulting to officers across our state,” he tweeted. “If law enforcement is so happy, why did [the Connecticut State Police union] vote ‘no confidence’ in you and your leadership? Why are police forces under staffed with more retirements and fewer recruits?”
Stefanowski then restated his pledge to bring back qualified immunity, the controversial legal provision that makes it exceedingly difficult to sue police officers. In Connecticut, the state legislature voted to curb qualified immunity in the wake of the George Floyd protests of 2020, with many Democrats viewing the measure as essential to preventing police violence, particularly against Black and Latino residents.
During the early stages of the gubernatorial campaign, Stefanowski has cited the bill, which Lamont signed, as an example of the governor demoralizing police officers and failing to prioritize public safety. Lamont has countered by pointing to his effort to include millions for state and local policing as part of this year’s state budget.
This dynamic got a shakeup last week when WalletHub, a site known primarily for personal finance tips, released a state-by-state analysis of the best places to be a cop, based on 30 “relevant metrics.” Connecticut ranked 18th among U.S. states in “opportunity and competition,” first in “law enforcement training requirements,” seventh in “job hazards and protections” and first overall.
WalletHub also cited Connecticut as the state with the fourth lowest violent crime rate.
When Lamont tweeted the story last week, he included a link to a Fox Business article with a subtitle the governor was more than happy to share: “Law enforcement officers might want to consider moving to Connecticut.”
Lamont wasn’t the only Democrat proud of the WalletHub finding. At a press conference Monday in Norwich, state Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, hailed the study, while noting that numerous Connecticut towns and cities are currently looking to hire officers.
“We set training standards and high expectations, and police officers live up to those expectations,” Osten said. “They get paid well to protect the public and work in a state with a relatively low violent crime rate.”
Osten was joined Monday by Patrick Daley, chief of the Norwich Police Department. While police unions have loudly objected to accountability measures, including the new limits on qualified immunity, Daley said Connecticut was “a great place to work as a police officer.”
“This study that was published the other day really hit on what some of us already knew: Connecticut police officers are highly trained, they are well compensated, they have good job protections, and violent crimes rates are good,” he said.