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Latino business leaders and residents spoke out on Thursday about what they describe as a pattern of racial profiling, harassment and intimidation by police officers in the town of East Haven.

"Mi nombre is Marcia Chacon y soy propietaria de un negocio que encuentra ubicada in East Haven por mas de diez anos..."
Marcia Chacon has owned a small business in East Haven for more than ten years.  She was among the more than 30 Latino business leaders and residents who met at St. Rose of Lima Church in New Haven to talk about alleged misconduct by East Haven police.  Chacon says she’s watched police officers harass customers who come to her Hispanic grocery store. Last week was the first time she talked publically about it.  One day after speaking to the press,  Chacon says she paid the price.  

"El dia despues de la conferencia de la prensa, mi esposo y yo." She and her husband saw two police cars waiting outside their store in the middle of the night.   As they walked outside, the cars passed them, made a u-turn and stopped them.  The officers accused her husband of driving with a suspended license, which she says was untrue.  The police then checked their documents and registration, and told them they could go .  

"Hace unos dias atras, algien rompio la ventana de mi casa.." A few days ago, someone threw two bricks through the window of her Branford home.  Chacon says she doesn’t know what to think. She believes the racial harassment is worsening. She and other members of East Haven’s Latino community say city officials must take action to end racial profiling by East Haven police. 

WNPR was unable to reach East Haven Mayor April Capone Almon for comment.  But in an e-mail, her office announced an open meeting later this month to discuss the relationship between the Latino community and the town’s Police Department.