Officer amends police bias suit in promotion dispute

Tuesday, July 8, 2003 3:00 AM EDT
By Marissa Yaremich

BRANFORD — Police Lt. Thomas Grantland recently amended a bias suit he filed last year, claiming his candidacy for deputy chief was purposely overlooked because he supported union activities that allegedly defied the police chief’s policies and positions.

The original suit alleges that Police Chief Robert Gill, the Board of Police Commissioners and Lee Cogswell Associates Inc. demonstrated bias against Grantland during the interview process. The amended complaint marks the beginning of Gill’s alleged bias at an earlier date.

It appears that the suit will end up in court. "Although there have been settlement negotiations, nothing is concrete," said Grantland’s attorney, Frank P. Cannatelli of Shelton, noting he’d prefer to settle.

However, the Police Department’s refusal to provide him and his client with information related to training and assignment opportunities leads him to believe the case will go to trial instead.

"If they’re going to fight than we’re going to have to do depositions," he warned.

Grantland and the chosen deputy chief, John C. DeCarlo, were two of five eligible candidates who applied for the position in October 2002 after Deputy Chief Raymond Wiederhold retired earlier that year. DeCarlo was named deputy chief Nov. 18.

The revised suit, Cannatelli said, alleges that the odds against Grantland ever being promoted lengthened about three years ago.

The suit alleges that Gill retaliated against Grantland when he refused to honor the chief’s request to speak against the police union on a number of unidentified issues in 2000.

"That’s a no-no," Cannatelli said. "Union activity is protected by the First Amendment. If Lieutenant Grantland was involved in union activity and (if) because he was involved in union activity he is not promoted, that goes against his constitutional rights."

Grantland further alleges Gill hindered his career by denying him proper management training and special assignments that would have enhanced his career.

"The feeling I get is that Mr. Grantland’s a thorn in (Gill’s) side," and the chief "just wants him to remain stationary," according to Cannatelli.

Gill denied these claims, saying he does not misuse his authority over his staff.

"We both have been with this department for a long time and I’m sure Lieutenant Grantland knows that I never have asked, begged or encouraged anyone to support any position of mine. I would expect anyone who has a position to take that position," Gill said in his defense.

The suit also alleges that contract provisions were breached because a potential conflict of interest between DeCarlo and a member of the evaluating panel, Clinton Police Chief Joseph P. Faughnan, was not disclosed.

Grantland claims the interview process was "tainted" and its results invalidated because Faughnan failed to notify the other two examiners beforehand that there was a financial agreement between the Clinton Police Department and DeCarlo’s software company, NexGen Solutions.

However, Clinton First Selectman James M. McCusker Jr. wrote a letter to Gill on Nov. 15, 2002, stating that the department never signed a contract with NexGen Solutions.

Marissa Yaremich can be reached at myaremich@nhregister.com or at 789-5742.