By Guy Page

Windsor County Sheriff’s Deputy Kristinnah Adams was cited on June 12 by the Hartford Police Department – where she once worked as a detective – for domestic assault and interference with access to emergency services, according to a June 17 statement by the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputy Adams was arraigned the following day in Windsor County Court and was released under court-ordered conditions. In response, the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department placed Adams on administrative leave and requested the Bennington County Sheriff’s Department conduct an Internal Affairs administrative investigation.

The statement provided few details about the incident leading to the arrest. 

The criminal investigation remains under the jurisdiction of the Hartford Police Department, and the Windham County State’s Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. Windsor County law enforcement emphasized their commitment to accountability, stating: “The Windsor County Sheriff’s Department takes all allegations of domestic and family violence seriously. We are fully cooperating with the ongoing criminal proceedings.”

According to the WCSD website, Adams served both as a court security officer and patrol deputy prior to being placed on leave.

Prior incidents and public scrutiny

This is not Deputy Adams’ first encounter with legal or professional controversy.

In 2010, Adams was among several Hartford officers named in an ACLU lawsuit alleging excessive force during a mistaken police response in which officers entered a home under the false belief a burglary was occurring. The case was settled in 2017. 

Further scrutiny came in 2020, when Windsor County State’s Attorney Ward Goodenough issued an official “Brady” letter that detailed allegations that Adams, then a sergeant with the Hartford Police Department, falsified a medical excuse to avoid a scheduled work shift on February 6, 2018. The State’s Attorney reported receiving untruthful information about Adams’ whereabouts, noting inconsistencies in her account and flagging the matter as relevant for criminal case disclosures under Brady v. Maryland and related legal precedents.

Following the Brady V. Maryland Supreme Court decision, prosecutors are required to publicly reveal information about some police misbehavior if it may have a bearing on criminal cases. 

Career Highlights

According to a 2016 Hartford Police Department statement, Adams is a 2003 graduate of Hartford High School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Hesser College in 2007. She began her law enforcement career with the Hartford Police Department in 2008, serving in various roles including uniformed patrol, school resource officer, and later as a detective with the Windsor County Special Investigation Unit, focusing on sexual assault and serious child abuse.

Adams received the Unsung Hero Award for her work with vulnerable victims during her tenure as a detective.