Announcement Detail

TESTIMONY OF Florencio Cotto
President
Police Officers Association of Connecticut
BEFORE THE Judiciary Committee
REGARDING RAISED S.B. No. 1436
March 07, 2025

Chairpersons Winfield, and Stafstrom, Ranking Members, and Members of the Committee,
I submit this testimony today on behalf of the Police Officers Association of Connecticut
(POACT) , which represents thousands of police officers across Connecticut. We strongly
oppose Section 1 of Raised Bill No. 1436, as it unjustly singles out police officers and applies a
legal standard to them that no other profession is subjected to. At the same time, we recognize
and support Sections 3 and 4, which provide appropriate measures for accountability while
protecting due process and fairness.

SUPPORT FOR SECTIONS 3 & 4
Transparency and accountability are core principles of modern policing, and we acknowledge
the importance of ensuring integrity within law enforcement. We support Section 3’s requirement
for prompt notification to the appropriate state’s attorney regarding suspected criminal violations
by police officers, as this aligns with existing policies and best practices.
Additionally, we agree with the intent of Section 4, which establishes a necessary balance
between transparency and due process by creating an exception for the disclosure of a formal
complaint against a police officer that has not yet been adjudicated. This provision helps protect
officers from unwarranted character harm before the validity of allegations is determined.

STRONG OPPOSITION TO SECTION 1
However, we strenuously oppose Section 1, which proposes to establish as a crime the
making of a false statement in a law enforcement record. This provision unfairly isolates police
officers as a distinct class of employees subjected to additional criminal liability for errors in
documentation.

No other workforce—be it doctors, nurses, firefighters, prosecutors, or even legislators—is held
to this extreme standard. While deliberate falsification of records is already addressed under
existing laws, criminalizing administrative errors or inconsistencies in reports threatens to create
a chilling effect on policing. Officers will be forced to second-guess their reports, hesitate in
critical moments, and face undue legal exposure for minor documentation discrepancies that
could arise from the nature of high-stress policing.

This section does not enhance public trust—it undermines law enforcement by eroding morale,
discouraging proactive policing, and exacerbating existing recruitment and retention crises. With
departments already struggling to fill vacancies, imposing additional legal jeopardy on officers
will only drive more qualified professionals away from the field.

CONCLUSION
Policing is already one of the most scrutinized professions in America, with officers subjected to
rigorous oversight, internal affairs investigations, civilian review boards, and legal accountability.
Singling out police officers with a standalone criminal statute is not reform—it is targeted
punishment.

For these reasons, we urge this Committee to remove Section 1 from SB 1436 while advancing
Sections 3 and 4. If the legislature truly seeks fairness and accountability, it must apply legal
standards equitably across all professions rather than disproportionately targeting those who
serve and protect our communities.

Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully submitted,
Florencio Cotto
President
POACT