State police union defends its president

Hartford - Leaders of the Connecticut State Police Union said Wednesday that they stand by their union president, Andrew Matthews, and decried recent statements by a top governor adviser that Matthews is untrustworthy.

The senior adviser, Roy Occhiogrosso, told The Day on Tuesday - shortly after the 1,016-member union announced its no-confidence votes in state police brass - that Matthews was incorrect in asserting that his members lacked "a seat at the table" on state police issues under Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's administration. He said Matthews was given full access to numerous meetings.

"When someone proves to be untrustworthy, when he misrepresents discussions he's had, and when he misinforms his members, the trust factor is gone," Occhiogrosso said.

In Wednesday's joint statement, the eight members of the union's executive committee chided Occhiogrosso for his "disparaging" remark. In a separate letter to Malloy, they wrote to "demand you caution Mr. Occhiogrosso from making any further personal attacks against President Matthews."

"Matthews has worked tirelessly to advance the interests of the union members and he brings transparency and integrity to the bargaining process," the letter read.

Occhiogrosso said Wednesday that he stands by his statement.

Union members voted this month to express no confidence in Reuben Bradford, commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, and against Deputy Commissioner Col. Danny Stebbins.

The union says it is angry about several issues, including a dispatch consolidation project and Malloy's successful legislative push this spring that eliminated the state's statutory minimum of 1,248 sworn troopers.

Malloy has said the union is simply upset over change.

j.rendl@theday.com