Nappe's Return Will Put Town To Decision

By Michael Dibiaso
Published on 3/3/2005

Former East Haven police officer Bob Nappe is returning home from Iraq after a tour training Iraqi police. Now the question is: Will he be able to return to his old job? Nappe was denied a request for a leave of absence by from the force last September by the Police Department Commission. A 19-year veteran of the force, Nappe resigned his position, officially retiring, so that he could take a position with DynCorps International Global Services, a company contracted by the United States State Department. Nappe was hired to work as a plainclothes training officer to Iraqi police. At the time Nappe's departure, his ability to return to the force after his year-long freelance position was concluded was contested by the Police commission, Police Chief Leonard Gallo, and Mayor Joseph Maturo. Among their concerns were the fact that Nappe was leaving the force to take a job for what they perceived to be in the private sector. Additionally there was concern over how Nappe's departure would effect the department financially. The potential costs to the department include overtime costs for covering shifts, hiring costs if an officer resigns, and potential rehiring costs. DynCorp is not responsible for compensating the town for its financial losses. Now the town is going to be put to a decision as Nappe returned home from Iraq last Friday and has made it plain that he intends to get his old job back. "I do not really know what the policy is for hiring back a police officer who has retired," said Maturo. "I suppose that when it comes up I would have to turn that decision over to the town's legal department." Legislation passed last June could make the town's wishes a non-issue. The legislation, introduced by State Representative Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven, in response to Nappe's circumstance and signed into law by former Governor Rowland in June, protects the rights of those who either resigned or took an approved leave of absence to assist the government in the war effort. "When the war was getting started it was obvious that it wasn't just going to be soldiers going over there. They were going to need people to rebuild the country, like nurses and teachers and the like. So it was a question of how we were going to protect their jobs," said Lawlor. There have long been laws on the books that protect the jobs of individuals called to jury duty, legislative positions, and National Guard service. Lawlor felt that the same protections should apply to police officers like Nappe who decide to participate in police training in Iraq. "I just can not see any reason why a mid-career police officer should have to lose his job for helping out the government," said Lawlor. The portion of the bill that may apply to Nappe is part of a larger act that entitles job protection and benefits to individuals who eave work to serve as volunteer canine search and rescue members. The sixth section of the act seeks specifically to protect the jobs of all police officers who either take a leave of absence, or, if a leave is not granted, resign to pursue a position in a State Department-contracted peacekeeping operation. It now remains to be seen whether or not the town will contest Nappe's return in the same fashion that they contested his departure. Nappe could sue the town to get his job back if put to it.