The New Haven Board of Police Commissioners has voted to fire two police officers involved in the Richard "Randy" Cox case.
Cox was left paralyzed after the police van he was in stopped short, and he was thrown forward into the van's wall.
Officers Jocelyn Lavandier and Louis Riviera are now out of a job after the board voted to terminate their employment with the police department.
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There are five officers who were there when Cox arrived at the detention center on June 19, 2022. One of those officers retired.
The fate of officers Betsy Segui and Oscar Diaz was not decided because of a scheduling conflict with their attorney.
Police Chief Karl Jacobson previously recommended that the four officers be fired following an internal affairs investigation.
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"What happened to Randy Cox was unacceptable and the Board of Police Commissioners' vote to accept Chief Jacobson's recommendations to terminate these officers was the right one," Mayor Justin Elicker said.
"When an individual enters the custody of the New Haven Police Department, there is an obligation to treat them with dignity and respect and in a manner that ensures their safety and well-being. In my judgment, the actions of these officers fell far short of that obligation, and they do not reflect the high standards to which I know our police officers hold themselves to everyday as they put their lives on the line to protect and serve our residents and keep our community safe," he continued.
The case fueled legislation that passed both the House and the Senate. It requires the police officer standards and training council to develop policies requiring seatbelts for anyone being transported in a municipal vehicle.
Cox was paralyzed from the chest down. The City of New Haven quickly initiated its own policies requiring seatbelt use shortly after the incident.
Last year, Cox's attorneys filed a $100 million lawsuit against the City of New Haven and the New Haven Police Department. The City of New Haven and Cox's legal team have since agreed to pursue settlement negotiations in the civil case.
The termination vote for Segui and Diaz will be held during a special meeting on June 28.
