We’re learning more about the firing of a Waterbury police officer in January, related to his behavior during a traffic stop in December 2022.
Documents released by Waterbury Police show an internal investigation determined he was not only in the wrong for his behavior, but it was a big reason for his dismissal.
Officer James Hinkle initiated a traffic stop on foot after a car drove through an intersection while he was directing traffic on Dec. 13. That led to a heated exchange captured on bodycam video released by the Waterbury Police Department.
Hinkle: “Did you not see this bright yellow vest standing in the middle of the street?”
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Woman: “No I didn’t. I thought you were waving me forward."
Hinkle: “This means stop! This means stop!”
Woman: “I didn’t see that until I was already past …”
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Hinkle: “And then you still drove by me!”
Woman: “I’m so sorry sir.”
The interaction resulted in an internal investigation after a supervising officer made a complaint.
NBC Connecticut obtained documents related to that probe. After conducting interviews and reviewing bodycam video, investigators wrote that Hinkle’s behavior was “willful and reckless” and “conduct unbecoming of an officer."
They also found Hinkle provided “conflicting information” about a hand injury. Documents show he told superior officers at the scene he was “struck by the vehicle’s mirror," but dash cam footage shows him hitting the car.
In his patrol activity report that same day, he wrote that he “slapped” the mirror. Then in a follow-up medical visit, he claimed he sustained a work-related injury after being struck by the vehicle.
Investigators noted he told another officer he was only hurt “emotionally” and told the driver, “If I had been injured, it would have been an arrestable offense.”
Investigators concluded that Hinkle falsified records and feigned illness.
In an administrative interview with union lawyers present, Hinkle said he was in “a heightened emotional state.”
He went on to say, “I had two tours in Iraq and when a car come at you like that, it freaked me out.”
Hinkle was fired on Jan. 9 with the police chief saying he undermined public trust.
“This is what our officers take the responsibility of, especially our supervising officers take the responsibility of, policing ourselves and keeping ourselves in check,” Chief Fernando Spagnolo said in a Jan. 10 news conference.
We reached out to the Waterbury police union and the woman that was involved in this traffic stop, but haven't heard back from either.
