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C I T Y OF H A R T F O R D
I N T R A D E P A R T M E N T A L M E M O R A N D U M
TO:
 Cherese Chery, Human Resources Director
FROM:
 Officer Mirella Gentry
DATE:
 February 26, 2019 I, Officer Mirella Gentry, am an 18-year veteran of the Hartford Police Department. I am currently assigned to the patrol division unit 17- A squad. Before that assignment, I was the Northeast Community Service Officer (CSO) for approximately two years before I was suddenly, unexpectedly and involuntarily transferred to the Patrol Division on December 23, 2018. I was never given a documented reason for my transfer. I am making this hostile work environment and sexual harassment complaint regarding my involuntary transfer from an assignment as the  Northeast Community Service Officer to the Patrol Division. On December 20, 2018, I was at home and received a text message from Lieutenant Lauren Cox who directed me to meet with Captain Gabriel Laureano at 1615 hours inside his office. I responded to Captain Laureano
’s
 office and met with Lt. Cox and Captain Laureano. Captain Laureano proceeded to state that we have been friends for a long time, and he wanted to take the opportunity to tell me that due to my low productivity, I was having my position taken from me and I would be placed in a patrol unit effective December 23, 2018. During this meeting, Captain Laureano presented me with a form to sign, a Voluntary Transfer Request Form. He attempted to convince me to sign the voluntary transfer form at which time I refused, being that I was not voluntarily leaving my assignment that I worked extremely hard in for the last two years. Captain Laureano threatened that it would be in my best interest to sign the voluntary transfer form because it would look better in my work history and personnel file. Captain Laureano continued to warn that if I refused to sign the voluntary transfer and if I signed the involuntary transfer form, then it would affect my opportunity for any future advances, assignments and or promotions. I was alone with a lieutenant and a captain and felt as if I was being threatened and bullied into signing a voluntary transfer form when it was not a voluntary transfer. I advised Captain Laureano that I would take both voluntary and involuntary forms and will return one to him at a later time after I consulted with the union. After reviewing the forms, there was no explanation for my removal on the involuntary transfer form. Throughout the evening Lt. Cox called me several times over the HPD radio I-call and requested the signed paperwork as Captain Laureano was requesting it. At approximately 1830 hours, I saw Lt. Cox at 85 Edwards Street and advised her I would be signing the involuntary transfer form, but I needed the form to be filled out completely (reason for involuntary transfer and signatures, etc.) Lt. Cox stated to me that she was directed by Captain Laureano to leave the reason for the involuntary transfer blank. I advised Lt. Cox I would not be signing the involuntary transfer form without a reason for my transfer being filled out. Lt. Cox stepped away and stated she would need to place a call and contacted Captain Laureano. When
 
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Lt. Cox returned from her phone call, she handed the form back to me and stated that Captain Laureano told her to hand write the reason for my transfer which stated,
“per the request of the
 patrol captain.
 I found the explanation to be unacceptable and very personal. I took the involuntary form to make copies for my personal records. A short while later, Lt. Cox once again contacted me and directed me to sign the paperwork as Captain Laureano was demanding them again. I once again advised Lt. Cox I needed appropriate signatures on the transfer form. Lt. Cox told me that Captain Laureano was not available at the time to sign the form and they would get me a copy with their signatures back to me. I never received a copy from Lt. Cox or Captain Laureano. On January 8, 2019, at 1545 hours, I made an appointment with HPD Personnel to review the involuntary transfer paperwork and to my surprise and further disappointment, the involuntary form was not in my personnel file. I spoke to Ms. Jalynn Adams-White in Personnel, who stated that she gets notifications of such transfers; voluntary and involuntary but did not receive anything  pertaining to me. Ms. Adams-White double checked and reviewed her emails and stated she could not locate anything regarding me and my transfer back to patrol. Ms. Adams-White stated transfer  paperwork usually takes about 3 to 5 days to get filed
to an officer’s
 personnel file. On January 21, 2019 at 2010 hours, I sent Chief Rosado an email requesting the fully endorsed involuntary transfer form I was directed to sign to be put in my personnel file. Seeing that I received no reply from Chief Rosado, on February 5, 2019 at 1315 hours, I called HPD Personnel to check if the involuntary transfer form had been put in my file. Ms. Adams-White stated she had not received anything. It is now February 26, 2019, and I have not yet received a response from Lieutenant Cox, Captain Laureano, Chief Rosado or any other member of his command staff. Although I am extremely disappointed, hurt and feel embarrassed I was moved back to the patrol division, unfortunately, I am not surprised. When I was hired to work for the City of Hartford as a dispatcher and eventually as an officer, I have been subjected to unwanted and repeated sexual advances and harassment from Captain Laureano. When we both were assigned to the ATF detail, and he was my supervisor he made numerous sexual comments and advances to me and made my working conditions uncomfortable and very stressful. I always told him no, but he would continue to harass me. I confided in a couple of close female friends, who helped me through it. Throughout the years, he has repeatedly made inappropriate sexual comments to me, but each time I would ignore and or refuse him. My removal from my position as the Northeast Community Service Officer was strictly retaliation  by Captain Laureano, just like Lt. Cox documented
on the involuntary request form, “per the request of the patrol captain.” It is not a coincidence that I was
removed the same day Deputy Chief Buyak retired and Captain Laureano assumed his responsibilities. I was the only female CSO in the entire city and was the only CSO who was involuntarily moved back to patrol and replaced by a white male. This is in par with the culture and ongoing mistreatment of female officers, of all ranks, in this current administration. My attempt to bring the matter to Chief Rosado  by requesting a copy of the involuntary transfer form, which should have been fully endorsed by him, went unanswered. Chief Rosado has ignored me and never responded to my email and for
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