Cop caught in sex scandal offers an apology

Cop caught in sex scandal offers an apology

Stan Fisher , Register Correspondent

08/28/2003

CLINTON — The police officer whose sexual liaison with a 16-year-old female volunteer firefighter caused a town scandal apologized Wednesday for his actions.

"I’m extremely remorseful for what I did, and I’m extremely sorry for the embarrassment I’ve caused the Police and Fire departments," said Cpl. John Brymer, 38, speaking publicly for the first time about the affair.

"I will spend the rest of my career making it up to the community," he said.

Married and the father of two children, Brymer said the entire episode "has been very stressful for me and my family."

Brymer said he could not comment further about the case, on the advise of his lawyer.

Brymer filed a heart and hypertension claim with the state Worker’s Compensation Commission last month.

A heart and hypertension claim usually involves a heart condition caused by the stress of working as a police officer or a firefighter.

If the claim is approved, Brymer could retire and receive a disability pension. Brymer filed the heart and hypertension claim on July 7.

"I’m out (of work) because of my condition, and I’m not sure what the prognosis will be," he said.

Brymer is facing departmental discipline, should police officials find his actions warrant it. Disciplinary action could be forestalled by Brymer’s pending claim with the Worker’s Compensation Commission and a medical situation.

Brymer is a 16-year police veteran who also served as deputy chief for emergency medical services for the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department. Police said Brymer participated in a legal and consensual sexual relationship with a female, 16 years old at the time of the affair, enrolled in the junior fire service.

Middletown State’s Attorney Timothy Liston concluded, after a review of the massive report detailing the internal police investigation of the two-week relationship, that Brymer did not violate state laws in his involvement with the female.

Should Police Chief Joseph Faughnan and the Board of Police Commissioners find that Brymer violated police regulations addressing behavior detrimental to the department, town attorneys could rule that the actual discipline may not be applied while the officer is absent from work on medical leave, officials and police officers said.

Brymer is under treatment by department physician Edward Winokur, Faughnan said.

By law, personal health matters of a public employee are not subject to disclosure.

Officers are allowed 15 days of sick leave a year, with unused sick time accumulating over the years of service. With 16 years on the force, Brymer could have "banked" a maximum of 245 days of unused sick time, but the town’s personnel office reports he had 35.5 days available to him as of Aug. 17.