Detectives on leave for their handling of 2 death investigations in Bridgeport

By ROB POLANSKY

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    BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut (WFSB) — Two Bridgeport police detectives were placed on administrative leave for how they handled two different death investigations, according to the city’s mayor.

One involved in the investigation into a woman’s overdose death last month.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim said on Sunday that he was extremely disappointed with the leadership of the city’s police department for how it handled the case of Lauren Smith-Fields.

“The Bridgeport Police Department has high standards for officer sensitivity especially in matters involving the death of a family member,” Ganim said. “It is an unacceptable failure if policies were not followed. To the families, friends and all who care about the human decency that should be shown in these situations in this case by members of the Bridgeport Police Department, I am very sorry.”

Smith-Fields was found dead in her apartment on Dec. 12, 2021.

Bridgeport police started a criminal investigation into her death last week, more than a month after her body was discovered.

The medical examiner ruled last week that she died from a combination of fentanyl, alcohol and other drugs.

Smith-Fields’ family, by way of their lawyer, has said they believe foul play was involved and that the police department failed to properly investigate her death.

Ganim said a second detective was also placed leave for the detective’s involvement in the death investigation of another woman, Brenda Rawls.

The detectives from both cases were identified as Det. Llanos and Det. Cronin.

Ganim directed the department to do this for what he called a “lack of sensitivity to the public and failure to follow police policy in the handling of these two matters.”

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