Old Lyme — State labor officials have begun arbitration hearings on a grievance filed by a town police officer who alleges harassment by his state police supervisors, including alleged threats of physical violence.
The Department of Labor's Board of Mediation and Arbitration held its third hearing last week on a complaint filed in December 2004 by Salvatore Milardo, an officer who has worked in the town's police department for the last five years. The town contracts with the state for police services and its small department is overseen by a resident state trooper.
Milardo alleges in his complaint that his state police supervisors, assigned from the Troop F barracks in Westbrook, have singled him out for reproach and censure. He alleges that they have created a “toxic and hostile” work environment.
According to documents on file in Town Hall, Milardo has also alleged that David Todd, one of the resident state troopers who supervises the town's police department, has threatened to “beat him over the head with a radio” and tear his head off. Milardo alleges that other supervisors have engaged in profanity-laden tirades against him.
Milardo's original complaint did not contain such specific allegations, however, said First Selectman Timothy Griswold.
Griswold, who oversees the police department, said the complaint contained three “vague” allegations of harassment. Griswold in early 2005 investigated those allegations and determined there was no evidence of harassment.
After Griswold issued that decision, Milardo's attorney raised numerous allegations of harassment by Todd and other officers. Griswold sought additional evidence from Milardo, but said Milardo refused the town's request. The grievance was then taken up by the state labor department, which has held three closed-door hearings on the matter. A fourth hearing is scheduled for Dec. 5.
State labor officials declined to comment this week on the grievance, saying confidentiality rules bar it from discussing matters related to arbitration hearings.
Milardo and Todd could not be reached for comment.
Milardo's attorney, Kim Waisonovitz of New Haven, said supervisors and officers in the police department habitually singled out one officer for harassment, and Milardo decided not to remain quiet about the alleged abused.
“Officer Milardo had the courage to come forward,” she said.
In documents filed with Griswold in 2005, Milardo's supervisors at the time complained that Milardo is insubordinate, does not follow policies and procedures and sometimes acts as “a one-man police department.” They also said Milardo on at least one occasion would not answer a call to back up a fellow officer responding to a violent call and that he has a tendency to be “last to the scene” of emergency calls.
e.mcnamara@theday.com