East Haven cop faces termination hearing

08/19/2006

E. Haven cop faces termination hearing

Mark Zaretsky , Register Staff

EAST HAVEN — Police Chief Leonard Gallo has ordered Sgt. Paul Liquori to appear before the Board of Police Commissioners for a termination hearing that police union President Troy Raccuia said could result in Liquori’s firing. The hearing initially was scheduled for Wednesday, but was postponed until Sept. 13 after the police union’s attorney left and was replaced, Raccuia said. It follows the initiation of three internal affairs investigations against Liquori over the past few months.

Liquori, the police union’s secretary, had a spotless disciplinary record over 21 years as an officer, Raccuia said.

Liquori was the top scorer last December on both the written and oral sections of a civil service examination for a promotion to lieutenant, but Gallo and the Board of Police Commissioners gave the promotion instead to then-Sgt. Jay Falcioni.

All three internal investigations were initiated after Liquori filed a union grievance and later a complaint with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, charging that the town discriminated against him because of his age by promoting a younger sergeant with less experience and lower scores.

Liquori wouldn’t comment on the termination hearing and Gallo said he could not comment because it is a personnel matter.

"Don’t ask me what I’m trying to do here. I’m running a police department," Gallo said. "All I can say is there were some improprieties made on his part and the town of East Haven is not going to tolerate it and neither am I. Read the charges."

The 18 charges from the three internal affairs investigations are contained in a confidential letter Gallo sent to Liquori. Raccuia summarized the details. The first investigation resulted from an incident in which Liquori led a team of officers in February to pick up a man wanted on a warrant by New Haven police.

After picking up the man following a chase, Liquori let him go because New Haven police were unable to find the warrant.

But Gallo, Raccuia said, believed Liquori should have checked further before letting the man go. It turned out to be a valid warrant.

The second internal investigation resulted from a disagreement Liquori got into with Gallo after an 88-year-old World War II veteran got into a minor "fender-bender" March 27 with the wife of Town Attorney Lawrence Sgrignari. Despite Gallo’s wishes, the officer on the scene didn’t think the man should be arrested and Liquori backed him up.

The man, Ralph Accurso, has since sued the town.

The third internal investigation, which prompted the termination hearing, resulted from Liquori’s failure to report comments allegedly made in a phone conversation by a night shift commander about a Dominican-American officer’s skin tone during the February incident, Raccuia said.

The supervisor who allegedly made the remarks, Lt. Frank Napolitano, was not disciplined and has since retired, Raccuia said.

"It’s very sad that the chief lets it go for five months, lets the guy who told the joke retire and then goes after Paul," Raccuia said. "He should be ashamed of himself."

When asked why he is taking disciplinary action against Liquori but did not against Napolitano, Gallo would say only, "The lieutenant is retired." Napolitano later apologized to the officer in person, other police said.

Mark Zaretsky can be reached at mzaretsky@nhregister.com or 789-5722.