CT police lieutenant posts racist Facebook videos

A screenshot from one of the two videos obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media that show Naugatuck, Conn., Police Lt. Bryan Cammarata saying racially-motivated statements. A screenshot from one of the two videos obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media that show Naugatuck, Conn., Police Lt. Bryan Cammarata saying racially-motivated statements. Photo: Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo Photo: Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close CT police lieutenant posts racist Facebook videos 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

NAUGATUCK — Two videos of a town police lieutenant making racially motivated statements “do not appear to be in line” with the department’s values, one police official said Friday.

The videos were obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media Friday afternoon and were sent to Naugatuck Deputy Police Chief Joshua Bernegger with a request for comment.

“It’s the first that these videos have been brought to our attention,” Bernegger said Friday night. “They do not appear to be in line with the core values of the police department.”

The subject of both videos is Lt. Bryan Cammarata, who serves at the public information officer and runs the social media accounts for the police department. The videos are undated.

In one video, which starts with Cammarata greeting his “Facebook friends and family,” he talks about having a lot of good luck recently, mentioning how he’s been able to get to the front of the line at a walk-in clinic, Department of Motor Vehicles office and a Walmart store, all in the city of Waterbury.

“Lately, no matter where I go, right to the front, I walk right to the front of the line,” Cammarata says in the video. “I’m seen, everything’s fine. I’m in, I’m out.”

“I’m getting ready to go in the store now, people,” he continued, putting on a hat with “ICE” written across the front, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “And I want to make sure that, you know, you all understand this. I don’t know what’s going on but it’s incredible.”

The second video begins with Cammarata saying, “Today is day without an immigrant or some crap but I gotta tell you, this thing is working out great.”

The video appears to be referring to Day Without Immigrants, which occurred Feb. 16, 2017, as a protest and boycott against President Donald Trump’s stance on immigrants and his plan to build a border wall.

As the video continues, Cammarata said he went to a coffee shop and, “spoke English, they understood in English.” He goes on to say he’s going to make phone calls to businesses and do “everything” to be able to speak to, and be understood, in English that day.

“We’re only a couple hours into it and I’m loving it,” Cammarata said.

An email sent to Cammarata’s department email address requesting comment was not returned Friday. A woman who answered the phone listed for Cammarata hung up Friday night when a reporter asked for the police lieutenant.

According to Bernegger, Cammarata has “an impeccable record” with the police department. Bernegger said he will discuss the videos with the chief and would comment further next week.

About a year and a half ago, a member of the Naugatuck Police Department was suspended for 10 days without pay for calling a woman a racial slur in a Facebook post while off-duty, according to a report from the Republican-American.

The complaint was filed by a woman on Aug. 21, 2017, the Rep-Am reported. Police Chief Christopher Edson told the Rep-Am the officer would undergo extra training and require additional supervision. The slur was posted following a discussion over whether Confederate statues should be removed, the Rep-Am reported.