In the wake of the deaths of several individuals as a result of the use of force by police officers in the last few years, there has been an increased focus on how these cases are investigated and, in some cases, prosecuted. Historically, Connecticut has entrusted these investigations to the persons responsible for the investigation and prosecution of all criminal matters in the State of Connecticut, the State’s Attorneys. To combat concerns that the State’s Attorney in the Judicial District where the incident occurred might be too closely affiliated with the officers involved in the incident, the law was amended in 2015 to require that such investigations be conducted by a State’s Attorney from another jurisdiction.

Consistent with the statute, the State’s Attorneys have conducted a number of such investigations over the last several years and issued reports of their findings. Regardless of the thoroughness of the investigations or the detail of the reports, however, these continue to be some of the most highly scrutinized and potentially controversial investigations and prosecutions.