Report: Trooper suspended for submitting false tickets; listing drivers as ‘Native American’

HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) - A longtime state trooper in Connecticut has been suspended for reportedly submitting multiple fake tickets while on duty.

WFSB reports that Trooper Chris Melanson had his police powers suspended this week and taken off the job indefinitely.

Melanson allegedly submitted 1,000 tickets where he listed many drivers as “Native American” even though most of the drivers were of other races and ethnicities.

His suspension comes weeks after an audit found a high likelihood that hundreds of Connecticut state police troopers had falsified tens of thousands of traffic tickets.

“Maybe they didn’t get the information to input it correctly, maybe a lot of mistakes were made,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “I also have a feeling some of the people there are doing this purposefully and they are going to be held accountable.”

Governor Lamont added that he is also hiring an outside firm to do an independent investigation.

“Maybe they are looking into criminally prosecuting somebody, not just the troopers who did it, but the supervisors who allowed this to happen or perhaps encouraged it,” said criminal justice expert Mike Lawlor.

State lawmakers have a scheduled hearing next week to find out what’s been happening at the agency.

Some of the troopers could be criminally charged.

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