McNeill appears before Stratford panel

By RICHARD WEIZEL
Staff writer Article Last Updated: 10/02/2008 09:55:38 PM EDT

Police union supports its leader - Topix

STRATFORD -- More than 70 police officers converged on Town Hall Thursday afternoon to show support for their union president facing a disciplinary hearing behind closed doors.

Capt. Joseph McNeil, the union president, was called to the hearing by top police brass and town officials over the illegal leak earlier this year of the personal background file on former police applicant Christian Miron, the brother of Mayor James R. Miron.

Officials are investigating whether McNeil had a role in leaking the information to the press and Town Council members, or may know who did. He could face dismissal or termination.

But some union members, including McNeil's brother, police Detective David McNeil, indicated Thursday they believe the union president is being "railroaded" and "made a scapegoat" in the investigation into who leaked Christian Miron's background file.

Christian Miron, 29 at the time, was issued a conditional offer of employment as a police officer, although a detailed, nine-page background investigation raised questions about whether he is fit for police work.

The information leaked from Miron's personnel file shows while he scored well on the written and oral exams, as well as the recommendation by a psychologist who interviewed him that he be hired, while expressing "strong reservations.''

David McNeil claimed Thursday that top police officials have threatened to fire his brother.

"They have even tried to get him to implicate the former union president and a council member in the leak, and threatened his job if he didn't cooperate," David McNeil, a 19-year department veteran, said. "My brother has never even been cited for anything and has been an outstanding member of the department, and he doesn't deserve this. He doesn't know who leaked the file, and they are trying to get him to lie."

McNeil, who took over in May for former Union President Shawn Farmer after he resigned from the department, was questioned Thursday by Police Chief John Buturla and Deputy Chief Joseph LoSchiavo, as well as Chief Administrative Officer Suzanne McCauley and Human Services Director Edmund Winterbottom.

After more than an hour, McNeil, the union's lawyer, Richard P. Gudis, and town officials emerged, with the officials releasing a short statement and McNeil declining to comment.

"Serious charges of misconduct have been made against a Stratford police officer," the statement, released by McCauley, states. "As such in situations that might result in a substantial suspension or discharge, the employee is entitled under the United States Constitution to a hearing to present his or her side of the story before the employer makes a decision on discipline. Today, the police officer in question was provided with such a hearing. A decision on the matter will be forthcoming in the near future."

Buturla had a terse, "No comment," when asked about the hearing.

Meanwhile, the executive board for the union, Local 407, AFSCME Council 15, issued a statement to the media that its lawyer, Richard Gudis, later insisted should not have been released and was not endorsed by the executive board.

The statement says, in part, that in his capacity as union president, McNeil has become the subject of a "witch hunt" after he "quickly discovered irregular and highly improper conduct involving senior members of the Town of Stratford Police Department. Since he began questioning these improper activities, a deliberate campaign has been orchestrated against Capt. McNeil.

"With respect to the background investigation regarding the mayor's brother, Christian Miron, Capt. McNeil emphatically denies that he released said report to any member within the Police Department, to any member of the media, or any member of the general public," the statement says.

Union officials said they were advised that a decision in the McNeil case will be made within the next four or five days.