Stamford Police Failed Safety Policies Before Inmate Suicide, IG Finds

The tragic death of 27-year-old Jamal Linton inside the Stamford Police Department in January 2025 has sparked urgent questions about jail safety, mental health screening, and officer accountability in Connecticut.

A new report from the state’s Inspector General says that while Linton’s death by hanging was a confirmed suicide—not the result of police use of force—multiple policy failures made the outcome both predictable and preventable.

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Inspector General Confirms Suicide, Clears Police of Criminal Misconduct

The Inspector General’s office launched a review after Linton’s death in Stamford. The case quickly drew attention in Fairfield County and across Connecticut, from Bridgeport and New Haven to Hartford and Waterbury.

The big legal question: did officers contribute to Linton’s death through force or criminal behavior?

According to the report, they didn’t. The Inspector General found that Linton died by suicide and that police didn’t use force against him.

No criminal charges will be filed against Stamford officers or the department.

Arrest Followed Domestic Incident with Protective Order

Linton, a New York resident, was taken into custody after a domestic incident involving his girlfriend in Stamford.

Investigators say the woman had visible injuries and a protective order against Linton. Those factors led to his arrest and booking at Stamford Police headquarters.

Incidents like this echo daily across Connecticut, in places like Norwalk, Danbury, New Britain, and West Hartford, where protective orders are supposed to shield victims from further harm.

But here, attention quickly shifted from the original charges to what happened once Linton was locked up.

Policy Breakdowns: Missed Belt, Missed Checks, Missed Warning Signs

The Inspector General didn’t find criminal conduct, but the report delivers sharp criticism of Stamford Police’s adherence to safety protocols.

The findings paint a troubling picture of missed opportunities to prevent self-harm.

Failure to Discover the Belt Used in the Hanging

Department policy says officers must thoroughly search prisoners, removing belts, shoelaces, and anything that could be used as a ligature.

The report says Linton was searched twice—once during the arrest and again at the station.

Despite those searches, officers didn’t find or remove the belt Linton used to hang himself in his cell.

The Inspector General called this a clear breakdown in basic custodial procedures meant to protect detainees, whether in Stamford, Milford, New London, or anywhere else in Connecticut.

Suicide Risk Screening Tool Deemed Insufficient Alone

Linton was evaluated with a standard Prisoner Safety Screening Form, used in many Connecticut departments to flag potential suicide risk.

Based on his responses, he was classified as low risk.

The report warns that these forms depend heavily on detainees being honest.

The Inspector General stressed that a check-box form can’t replace officer vigilance, observation, and just plain common sense when evaluating self-harm risk.

Officers should watch for nonverbal cues, agitation, or changes in behavior—things a form might miss.

Monitoring Lapses: Only One Check Logged

The report also says officers assigned to monitor prisoners that evening didn’t conduct the required 30-minute in-person checks.

Only one physical cell check was logged at 5:42 p.m.—the moment Linton was found unresponsive.

Surveillance footage showed Linton’s suicide attempt unfolded over almost 10 minutes before anyone found him, even though officers were supposed to watch the cameras.

No one noticed what was happening on the live video feed during that critical window.

“Predictable and Preventable” – Strong Words from the Inspector General

The Inspector General’s language is blunt. The report says Linton’s death was both “predictable and preventable” if department policies had been followed.

That’s likely to echo in police departments from Stamford to Newington and Middletown, where similar policies are supposed to guard against in-custody suicides.

Inadequate searches allowed a dangerous ligature—the belt—to remain with the prisoner.

Overreliance on a screening form without paying enough attention to behavioral warning signs.

Deficient monitoring, including missed 30-minute checks and unobserved camera footage during the suicide attempt.

No Criminal Charges, but Serious Policy Concerns Ahead

Legally, the case is closed. Linton’s death didn’t result from excessive force or criminal conduct, so the Inspector General isn’t taking further action.

Still, the report puts Stamford Police on notice. Their current practices failed when it mattered most.

If you live in Stamford or anywhere in Connecticut—from the shoreline in Groton and Norwich to the busier streets of Hartford, Bridgeport, or New Haven—the bigger issue is hard to ignore. When someone’s in police custody, the state takes on a duty to keep them safe, even from themselves.

This case shows how fast that responsibility can fall apart. Sometimes, safeguards become just paperwork instead of real, life-or-death rules.

In the coming weeks, I’m guessing local officials, advocates, and police leaders will call for tighter compliance and more training. Jail procedures could see closer oversight, too.

Here is the source article for this story: A man hanged himself in a CT jail cell. Why police are accused of not adhering to their policies.

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