Department of
Consumer Protection
At a
Glance
EDWIN R.
RODRIGUEZ, Commissioner
Ronald F.
Angelo, Deputy Commissioner
Established - 1959
Statutory authority - CGS Chapter 416, Section 21a-1
Central office - 165 Capitol Avenue,
Hartford, CT 06106
Average number of employees - 169 (All Funds)
Recurring operating expenses - $15,000,589
General
Fund Revenue $
26,277,917
Transportation Fund Receipts $ 635,704
Total
Revenue in Fiscal 2004: $ 26,913,621
Organizational
structure -
Business Office: Provides financial
and administrative support services such as budgeting, accounting, accounts
payable/receivable, payroll and procurement.
Consumer Education: Proactively provides
consumers with information helping them protect themselves and provides
educational programs on issues such as prevention of underage drinking and
playground safety.
Communications: Informs and alerts the
public to marketplace fraud, food and product recalls and the Agency's legal
actions by providing information to the media and on the agency website. Also provides support to the Commissioner
for research on emerging issues or problems.
Drug Control: Enforces laws concerning the manufacture, sale and distribution of
all controlled substances and the adulteration and/or misbranding of all drugs,
cosmetics and medical devices.
Food & Standards: Oversees food safety and labeling and ensures accuracy of all
weights and measures of food, fuels and other consumer commodities by regular
inspections as well as inspections of accidents and other emergency sites. Operates the Measurement Laboratory, the
only metrology certification laboratory in the state.
Human Resources: Administers all personnel, labor relations and affirmative
action activities.
Technical Systems Unit: Provides information technology support to the agency. The IT system also allows consumers to
obtain information on Connecticut laws, verify licenses, download complaint
forms and rosters and utilize many other services.
Legal Staff: Handles the Agency's legal and enforcement activities, drafts
legislative proposals and regulations, issues civil investigative demands and
subpoenas, and conducts compliance meetings and formal administrative hearings.
License Services: Processes 192,000 licenses, registrations and permits in 203
categories.
Liquor Control: Enforces laws concerning sale of alcoholic liquor in
Connecticut. Conducts inspections of licensed liquor establishments,
investigates new liquor applicants for suitability, conducts investigations
into complaints of violations of state liquor regulations and laws, works in a
collaborative manner with local, state and federal law enforcement officers,
provides training on state liquor laws and regulations.
Public Charities Unit: Registers professional
fund-raisers and profiles charitable organizations to protect the public from
charity fraud.
Trade Practices: Investigates violations of law involving Connecticut’s Unfair
Trade Practices Act, Itinerant Vendors, Health Clubs, Closing Out Sales,
Product Safety, Home Improvement and New Home Construction. Also, enforces the provisions of the New
Car Warranty Act, known as “Lemon Law.” Provides a consumer complaint center
that responds to written complaints and manages a consumer “hotline.”
Occupational and Professional Licensing: Oversees occupational, professional,
athletic, real estate and appraisal applications for licensure, investigates
violations and consumer complaints and assists sixteen State Licensing Boards
and Commissions.
Mission
The mission of the Department of Consumer Protection is to ensure a
fair and equitable marketplace, safe products and services for consumers
in the industries that we license, regulate and enforce.
Information Reported as Required by State Statute
The
Department of Consumer Protection is firmly committed to the principles and
objectives of equal employment opportunity for all individuals. The Department's full-time Affirmative
Action Officer coordinates and monitors the agency's programs and ensures
compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Fair Employment
Practices Act, state Affirmative Action regulations and Contract
Compliance laws.
In FY
2003-2004, 49 percent of the Agency's employees were female and 51 percent were
male, with the following composition: 73 percent white, 15 percent
black, 9 percent Hispanic, 2 percent Asian and 1 percent
Indian. The Department's Affirmative
Action plan has been approved by the CT Commission on Human Rights and
Opportunities.
Public Service
o
The agency provided
training to more than three hundred law enforcement officers on state liquor
laws and regulations, and in conjunction with local and state police officers,
conducted more than 260 alcohol compliance checks statewide, targeting sales to
minors.
o
The agency provided
training to hundreds of law enforcement officers regarding the identification
of narcotic drugs and signs and symptoms of drug abusers. In addition, the Division presented numerous
talks to over 1,000 pharmacists throughout the state with special emphasis on
new drug laws and the prevention of prescription errors.
o In its second year of operation, the Department’s e-commerce website renewed more than 9,600 licenses and credentials online, up 13 percent from the prior year. Total fees collected from online renewals were $1,282,482.
o
In April, the agency
concluded a major, three-month sting operation in Enfield that netted 143 home
improvement contractors found in violation of the law.
o
Through mediation and
direct orders by the Department, millions of dollars were returned to consumers
as a result of such programs as the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund 2003
($2,506,078) and the Health Club Guaranty Fund ($1,126).
o
The Department recovered
or returned hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation to Connecticut
consumers through administrative orders or litigation brought under the
Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.
o
The Lemon Law Program
returned over 3.2 million dollars to consumers through manufacturer’s
compliance of arbitration awards.
o
The Department responded
to thousands of consumer calls and nearly 8,000 written consumer
complaints.
o
In support of Public Act
00-118, “An Act Concerning Telephone Solicitation,” DCP registered and
transmitted to the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call Registry the
registration data on over one million Connecticut consumers.
Improvements/Achievements
2003-04
o
The Department continued to upgrade its computer
network and e-licensing and complaint handling software system by converting
from token ring to Ethernet, and from an Oracle-based database to a SQL
environment.
o
The agency launched a
major initiative to upgrade its public website and migrate it to the
Connecticut government portal.