By News Channel 8's Kent Pierce
Posted Oct. 10, 2007
Updated 11:51 AM

Madison (WTNH) Officer Bernard Durgin first got in trouble in August. He flashed his badge at New Haven officers who were arresting a friend of Durgin's. That friend is also a violent felon.

"What brought it to our attention was that Officer Durgin had booked off sick for his midnight to eight shift and then was involved in an altercation in the city of New Haven," said Chief Paul Jakubson, Madison Police Dept.

That got Durgin suspended, and Madison Police started an investigation. They say they found he repeatedly misused a law enforcement database.

"That's what police officers use on a day to day basis to access motor vehicle information, wanted persons information, they do research through that system," said Chief Jakubson.

When Officer Durgin is not working in Madison, he works as a security guard at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Apparently he meets a lot of women there and he used that database to look them up.

He also looked up his current girlfriend, his ex-wife... 17 people all told. That's a crime and he's charged with a felony.

It's not the first time a Madison officer has been arrested. Officer Joseph Gambardella was caught on tape last year allegedly stealing lobster and shrimp from a restaurant. Now a sergeant, Timothy Heiden, has been suspended for interfering with the Gambardella case.

"The answer is of course it is a troubling issue. We're going to have to continue to look into that," said Selectman Charles Walz, Madison.

"Whether or not these individuals are guilty of what they're charged with, you don't want to turn up in the papers every other day," said Bruce Joslyn, Madison resident.

"I think our police department is doing an excellent job. I think they are terrific at what they do and just because of one or two people it's a shame they're getting a bad rap," said Jana Siman, Madison resident.

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