But Officer Brian Parker has been cleared of 20 of those allegations, which range from swearing to excessive force and false arrest.

The other patrolman accused of drinking on the job, Hugo Stern, has had five civilian complaints filed against him since becoming an officer in 2002. He has been cleared in all of them, the personnel records show. The most serious charge was swearing and rudeness.

Neither officer has been internally disciplined by the chief's office, which can issue anything from reprimand and loss of vacation time to a 30-day, unpaid suspension. The Board of Police Commissioners issues any discipline based on civilian complaints.

The number of civilian complaints against each officer — particularly those involving Parker — is at issue as they fight for their jobs. Both men, according to a civilian complaint filed in late February, were drinking while on duty and in uniform at a Madison Avenue bar.

The officers are charged with numerous departmental violations, and Police Chief Bryan T. Norwood wants both fired. He particularly wants Parker dismissed because of the large number of complaints against him.

A Connecticut Post review of Parker's discipline records, released after a request filed under the Freedom of Information Act, shows that despite the number of complaints against him, he was cleared in 20 of those cases. In a 2003 case, the disposition was unavailable.

Internal investigators were unable to find evidence substantiating any of the five complaints brought against Stern, the records show.

Parker has four cases pending from 2006 and this year, two charging excessive force and two with undisclosed charges, according to the documents.

Norwood apparently feels the large number of complaints indicates a larger problem. Last month, the chief cut off direct contact with the city's Board of Police Commissioners after the panel declined to fire another officer who had drawn numerous civilian complaints, some for excessive force.

The latest complaints against Parker and Stern were filed by Fairfield County Weekly Editor Tom Gogola, who said he saw them drinking rum and cokes at La Strada on Madison Avenue in early February.

In civilian complaints against the officers that were not upheld, the Police Department's Office of Internal Affairs ruled there was no evidence supporting the claims because the complainant withdrew the allegation or was not available or cooperative.

Over the years, allegations by civilians against Parker include six complaints of excessive force; seven allege conduct violations of department policy; three with abuse of power; three with illegal search-and-seizure; two with unjustified action; one with false arrest; and one with inaccurate reporting. Charges were not identified in two cases.

In one case, although he was cleared, Parker was ordered to retake an accident-investigation class.

Two cases were referred to the Board of Police Commissioners, which can issue any form of discipline. The panel referred one back to the OIA, which cleared Parker.

The disposition of the other, in which Parker was accused of swearing at a man while investigating a domestic dispute, was not listed in the documents.

Over the course of his career, Parker has been praised, too. In 2003, he was honored with eight other officers by then-Chief Wilbur L. Chapman for his work in drug investigations.

A three-member committee of the police board was supposed to begin hearing testimony in the drinking case March 21, but Gogola did not show, sending a note from a lawyer.

Previously, Gogola testified before the committee, but the proceedings took place behind closed doors. That hearing was held in executive session, as is the usual practice in disciplinary matters. An officer, however, can choose to have the hearing open to the public, but none have done so in the recent past.

The next hearing is at 7 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall Annex.

The board has not fired an officer in several years, but has suspended three without pay for as long as seven months. One appealed to the State Labor Board and lost; another chose not to appeal.

An appeal by the most recently suspended officer, Douglas Bepko, is pending. Bepko was handed a seven-month, unpaid suspension March 16 on departmental charges, after he was arrested on domestic violence charges in November. He also faces criminal charges, and will be fired if convicted in Superior Court, the board ruled.

Aaron Leo, who covers regional issues, can be reached at 330-6222.