Less than one week before Christmas, on Dec. 19, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released a report stating that the East Haven Police Department (EHPD) discriminates against members of the Latino community.

The New Year will undoubtedly be about implementing the changes and recommendations within the police department that are also outlined in the report-but it's what the report doesn't include that bothers Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr.

"This report makes a lot of accusations," he said, "but there's no meat. It says we're doing a lot of things wrong."

Maturo said he doesn't feel the report shows many examples of those things. Maturo notes that the report highlights the highly publicized arrest of Rev. James Manship of St. Rose of Lima Church while in the Latino-owned My Country Store in February 2009, but offers no other in-depth examples. In that arrest, the police report directly contradicts the video evidence of the arrest.

Maturo said he doesn't feel such discrimination exists, and regardless of a person's ethnic background, "if you come in our town, you have nothing to worry about, unless you break the law" he said. Lawbreakers, of course, should worry, added Maturo.

According to the report, the DOJ concluded that "EHPD engages in a pattern or practice of systematically discriminating against Latinos in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, Title VI, and the Safe Streets Act." The report noted that the police department treated Latino drivers "more harshly" than non-Latinos during traffic stops and did not have an internal system that could "identify, track, and prevent such misconduct."

The DOJ had serious concerns with the culture inside the department.

"The pattern or practice of discriminatory policing that we observed is deeply rooted in the department's culture and substantially interferes with the ability of EHPD to deliver services to the entire East Haven community." The DOJ began its investigation on Sept. 30, 2009.

While Maturo distanced himself from the issue ("When I was mayor from 1997 to 2007, I didn't have one complaint about discrimination in the police department," said Maturo. "I inherited these claims and this Department of Justice report."), former mayor April Capone said "this was similar to the preliminary report. There are no surprises in this report."

Capone placed Police Chief Leonard Gallo, who was appointed under an earlier Maturo administration, on paid administrative leave in April 2010 when the DOJ released its preliminary findings. Gaetano Nappi served as acting police chief until Maturo reinstated Gallo in November.

Calls for Change

The DOJ recommendations include updating policies "for conformity with generally accepted police practices, for internal consistency, and for ease of use within the department." The department must also create a non-discrimination policy that prevents officers from considering race, color, ethnicity, or national origin during stops or detentions.

The police department must also train officers on policies and practices and train deputies in areas including non-biased policing. Officers also need to document all traffic and pedestrian stops and include the race and ethnicity of the driver and passengers within the documentation.

The police department also needs to develop a language access program so individuals with limited proficiency in English can have "full access to the services that EHPD provides and that will enable EHPD officers to fully and effectively carry out their duties when encountering such persons."

Another recommendation involves the establishment of a comprehensive community outreach program. There are several other recommendations as well.

Maturo said some of the suggestions are good "and we will work with the Department of Justice to help implement some of those suggestions and have a better way of doing things" within the police department.

The DOJ seeks that collaborative effort.

"Going forward, we want to work collaboratively with the East Haven Police Department, town officials, and members of the community to develop a comprehensive blueprint for sustainable reform," said Roy L. Austin, Jr., deputy assistant attorney general. "We believe the community's voice in this process is critical and we look forward to engaging with the many people who rely and depend on EHPD for public safety."

In a statement, Manship expressed his thoughts about the DOJ findings.

"Two years ago this month, our congregation and others in the community joined together in a vigil recognizing the start of this investigation," he said. "The Department of Justice's announcement vindicates the complaints of racial profiling by Latinos that have devastated our community for years."

Manship added, "Systemic reforms will be necessary to make sure the police department respects all residents. During his time as police chief, Gallo failed to take steps to improve the culture of the department. The DOJ's report makes clear that Chief Gallo is a primary reason for the department's failure, although his leadership is not the only problem."

Gallo could not be reached for comment.

More to Come

The town and the police department will have more to address than this DOJ report going forward. In December 2010, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrived in East Haven to investigate individual members of the police department as part of a separate criminal investigation into alleged racial profiling. At the time, then-town attorney Patricia Cofrancesco said that the civil investigation "heightened into a criminal investigation."

A lawsuit filed in October 2010 by members of the Latino community has not yet been resolved. The suit was filed against the Town of East Haven and the police department, and names individual members of the department. It alleges that racial profiling and retaliation against those who question the alleged conduct.