Mayor Shari Cantor has provided the following information in response to the use of deadly force by a West Hartford Police officer on Aug. 8, 2023.

By Mayor Shari Cantor

I know that many people have questions about the police-involved deadly use of force incident that occurred near Town Fair Tire on New Britain Avenue on Aug. 8. As mayor, I take nothing more seriously than the deadly use of force by police. The loss of life under any circumstance is tragic, and the Town Council is committed to the principles of police accountability and transparency.

Fortunately, both the state of Connecticut and the Town of West Hartford have been leaders in developing robust systems of police oversight. In 2020, following national protests against racial injustice and police brutality, Connecticut adopted landmark police accountability legislation that provides for the independent review by a state Office of Inspector General of any police use of deadly force. This office is independent from local police and local prosecutors, and it is charged with conducting investigations, making findings and issuing reports, and prosecuting cases when there is probable cause that the use of deadly force was not justified.

At the local level, West Hartford was one of the first municipalities in Connecticut to establish a Civilian Police Review Board using new authority granted to towns under the police accountability law. This Board is comprised of civilian members appointed by the Town Council, who are responsible for evaluating internal police investigations of alleged misconduct.

There is no question that law enforcement can be a dangerous job – police routinely put their lives on the line for the public they serve, and they deserve our support. Like everyone else, police are entitled to due process and a fair and impartial review of their actions. At the same time, we must ensure the constitutional rights of all people and protect against instances of misconduct.

Moving forward, it is critical that we allow the independent review process set forth in the state police accountability law to play out and avoid any rush to judgment.  For now, the Office of Inspector General has the exclusive jurisdiction to investigate this incident, and I encourage every person to review the Preliminary Report issued by the Office of Inspector General, which is available HERE. Once the investigation of the Office of Inspector General is complete, there will be additional local review with regard to police procedures. I have full confidence in the process that has been put in place, and for now we must trust it to work the way it is supposed to.

My prayers are with the surviving family of Mike Alexander-Garcia – the man who died in this incident – as well as K-9 Officer Andrew Teeter and the men and women of the West Hartford Police Department. There is no question that this was a highly dangerous situation, and I am grateful there was no further loss of life or serious injuries.

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