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STAMFORD, Conn. The Stamford Police Association wants to have a good relationship with the citys Board of Finance. With three seats open this Election Day, the union Wednesday backed the three Democrat candidates: incumbent Mary Lou Rinaldi, David Martin and John Louizos.
Sgt. Joseph Kennedy, the president of the union, has worked with six of the seven candidates all but Independent Cynthia Reeder and said he was able to communicate with the board the best when both Rinaldi and Louizos were on the board several years ago. Republican candidates Bob Kolenberg and Joseph Tarzia have not supported the police departments hiring strategy, he said.
There is nothing wrong with asking tough questions and doing investigations to see where taxpayer money is going, but it should be done with a decorum and purpose, Kennedy said during Wednesdays press conference announcing the endorsement.
A major conflict between the police association and the finance board in recent years has been the growing overtime rate the department has racked up, Kennedy said. The overtime cost has come in over budget because the department is short officers, and the projected cost by police chiefs have been cut, he explained.
The three candidates all expressed a need to keep the city safe, and support the police in order to do so. Martin said that does not mean the department and union will get whatever they want, but he will work with them so both sides can benefit.
Were going to behave in good faith and expect them to do the same, said Martin, the former president of Stamford's Board of Representatives.
About 30 percent of Stamford police officers live in the city, which is about 80 of 268 officers, Kennedy said.
Election Day is Nov. 8.
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