Empty The Bullpen

Robbileaks readers waited with bated breath and the announcement finally came:  Governor Sununu (based on the endorsement of Commissioner Quinn) has nominated Major Mark Hall to be the next Colonel/Director of the Division of State Police. 

 On the one hand, this is shocking since the Department of Safety supposedly engaged in a “nationwide” search for the next Colonel.  The position was posted on websites like “Glassdoor” and “Indeed.”  What are the odds that this “nationwide” search would result in the selection of a guy who literally works in the same building as Commissioner Quinn?  Who would have known that the absolute best candidate in all the USA, with the most experience and education, would already be in the Division’s employ?  This may be a dangerous sign of things to come:  Clearly, the New Hampshire Division of State Police is a hotbed of law enforcement managerial excellence.  How long will it be before the LAPD or NYPD start poaching all the command staff talent at NHSP?

At the same time, this is not quite as surprising as one might think.  When the job was originally posted (after Colonel Noyes’ departure in May of 2023), one of the requirements for the job seemed to have “changed.”  The educational prerequisite was lowered from a bachelor’s degree to an associate degree.  Of all the potential candidates who might apply, only one had just an associate degree: Major Mark Hall. This move by the Governor and Commissioner was akin to the time when Kim Kardashian wore mirrored sunglasses while holding her cards at a high-stakes poker table.  Not very stealthy, boys. Everyone saw your hand.

To be fair to Commissioner Quinn, the “bullpen” was damn thin as far as internal candidates are concerned.  His choices included Executive Major Shapiro, who should be a convicted felon after killing his girlfriend in a high-speed, reckless driving crash, (probably not a great pick) and Major Chad Lavoie, who shot and killed a woman at the end of a pursuit when he claimed she rammed him.  (He would later admit that he struck her car, so the justification for killing her went right down the drain.)  Quinn could have approached Captain Steve Sloper, who failed to hand in two reports in a double homicide investigation, which then contributed to the case ending in a mistrial.  (Sloper would subsequently lie about this in the internal investigation and should be on the EES.)  And the list goes on.  At the end of the day, Quinn opted not to go with any of the killers, liars or morons.  He picked Hall.

For those unfamiliar with Hall, you simply must read “Hall Pass,” which is attached here (“Hall Pass” FULL Leak and Receipts).  Long story short, Hall was the Commander of the MET (Mobile Enforcement Tactics) Team.  MET was the brainchild of Bob Quinn in response to the opioid epidemic.  It was a group of uniformed Troopers who would conduct pretextual stops to aggressively look for fentanyl and heroin.  Their tactics were so “aggressive,” (wildly unconstitutional) they routinely engaged in unlawful stops, as well as illegal searches and seizures. So egregious was their conduct that prosecutors all over the state were declining to take their cases to trial. 

Hall was supervising these Troopers and encouraging this behavior.  He directed them, signed off on their actions when they made arrests, and routinely threatened them when they weren’t aggressive enough.  He even approved of the actions of one Trooper when he jailed a woman for 2 weeks and subjected her to a body cavity search, searched her car and phone without a warrant and when nothing was found, released her with no charges.  When the woman sued three years after the incident, Hall blamed the Trooper and had him fired. 

Hall was also the supervisor of one, Trooper Michael Arteaga.  Trooper Arteaga left MET and went to Permits and Licensing.  While there, Trooper Arteaga was asked by Commissioner Quinn to illegally conduct a criminal background check for Quinn’s personal use.  Arteaga did just that.  When this information became public, Arteaga declined to be interviewed by the NH Department of Justice Public Integrity Unit.  One must wonder if Hall was still “coaching” Arteaga on how to do things.  Without Arteaga’s statement, Quinn was never prosecuted.  Arteaga was subsequently promoted for his silence.  Hall has likewise been rewarded with the Colonel’s job for keeping Arteaga in line and overseeing all of this.

A supposed “nationwide search” results in a nominee who already works in the same building as corrupt Commissioner Quinn, who blindly followed Quinn’s orders, and covered up for him for years.  Rumor has it, there was an external candidate with 25 years of law enforcement experience in both patrol and detectives, a bachelor’s degree, and multiple post graduate degrees…and that guy didn’t even qualify for an interview.

One thing is for certain. Under Hall and Quinn, the Troopers who work for the Division are going to experience some different “degrees.”  The Division will hand out even more B.S. (Bull Shit).  Then they will experience an M.S (More of the Same). And finally, they will all earn a Ph.D when it gets Piled High and Deep.

The Department of Safety’s Mission Statement includes the phrase: “Promotions will be based on merit.”  Whomever penned that drivel should be kicked squarely in the ass and then placed on the EES (Laurie List) with an integrity issue. 

Fairness, Professionalism, Integrity?  More like, “Fuck up, move up.”

*For #Receipts please refer to the link provided in paragraph five.