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Robles Under Investigation

Jenna Carlesso

July 15, 2010

Hartford Police Sgt. Christene Mertes said this afternoon that the police department is investigating one of its own -- Officer Hector Robles, who's also a state representative for the 6th House District (South Hartford).

Mertes declined to discuss the grounds of the investigation, but she stressed that it is "administrative in nature" rather than criminal. The investigation is ongoing, she said, and details will come out once it's finished.

Word of the investigation began to spread after Robles' challenger in the upcoming primary, Alyssa Peterson, announced it at a candidate forum Tuesday at Hartford Public Library. She also pointed out that Robles had several harassment-related civilian complaints filed against him over a 10-year span. All of those complaints have been dismissed.

"I've been cleared of all those allegations, which have been open public documents for years," Robles said when reached by phone Tuesday night. "It's not as if I was hiding anything."

Robles, who works the overnight shift at the police department, said today that the internal investigation started in September and that he has not been placed on administrative leave. He declined to discuss specifics of the probe.

"It's an administrative issue. I'm sure the chief will handle the situation properly," he said.

Peterson said today she is getting ready to knock on doors and talk to residents about the issue.