State Treasurer Denise Nappier has been inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame.    The state’s longest serving constitutional officer said “on one hand I feel so grateful and overwhelmed by this prestigious honor, but on the other hand I feel I’m too young for it.”   Nappier is the first black woman in the country to be elected state treasurer, and is the highest ranking black woman in Connecticut political history.

The induction ceremony was held before a full house at the Connecticut Convention Center, and for many there it was the first time they had seen Nappier since the incident in Hartford’s North End that made headlines at the beginning of last month.   

Nappier was stopped by police and arrested at the scene when it turned out her state issued car was not properly registered.    Soon thereafter, there were suggestions of racial profiling.  Nappier gave a brief interview to Jon Lender of the Hartford Courant , but declined all requests for television interviews, including more than one for “Face the State.” 

Just before the induction ceremony, Eyewitness News has the opportunity to talk with Nappier.    Here’s what she had to say: 

“My mom and dad taught me the necessity of working hard being honest doing the right thing and being a law abiding citizen and that is the way I conduct myself throughout my career as state treasurer.

“It was an unfortunate incident depending on perspective it was unfortunate.”

” I didn’t say it was racial profiling,  it was a question asked of me and I said that is a good question and I don’t have the answer to that.”

The charges were dropped and Nappier considers the case over.