Court-Appointed Hearing Officer To Determine If East Haven Police Chief Keeps His Job

The Mayor of East Haven will allow a court-appointed hearing officer to determine whether the town’s police chief should keep his job.  

In April 2010, East Haven Mayor April Capone Almon placed Police Chief Leonard Gallo on paid administrative leave. That was just after the U.S. Department of Justice released early findings of its investigation into allegations of race-based violence, harassment and intimidation of Latinos by the town’s police. The DOJ cited the police department’s outdated policies on conduct and a lack of appropriate guidelines on the use of force.

Earlier this month, East Haven’s Board of Police Commissioners issued 15 charges against Gallo. The Board unanimously referred him to the Mayor for possible disciplinary action or termination.  But Gallo’s attorney told a Superior Court judge that the mayor should not act as hearing officer because she could not be impartial.  

This week Capone Almon announced that though she believed she could act in an independent manner, she’d step aside.  The Mayor is concerned that Gallo will focus attention away from the merits of the case, which he says are  politically motivated.  

The Superior Court will appoint a hearing officer.  No date has been set for Gallo’s disciplinary hearing.  

For WNPR, I’m Diane Orson.