Dec. 21--STRATFORD -- A police officer accused of assaulting a town resident received a 15-day suspension without pay after an internal investigation found he violated the law.
Detective William Jennings, a veteran officer with 23 years on the force, was accused of assault April 18 by David Fredericks, a 39-year-old landscaping business owner, during a dispute outside Fredericks' home on Chapel Street.
The Police Department made no arrests following a criminal investigation of the incident after consulting State Inspector Frank Garr. After reviewing the case with assistance from Assistant State's Attorney John Smriga, Garr determined there was probable cause to arrest Jennings and Fredericks. Rather than arrest both men, the department decided to handle the incident internally by launching an investigation into Jennings.
The investigation found Jennings committed disorderly conduct and first-degree criminal trespass, violated two Stratford Police Department ethics policies and violated his oath of office.
On June 20, Jennings, who for the last nine years has worked on a regional U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration task force, was pulled off the task force and reassigned to town police work.
On Sept. 14, the department suspended Jennings for 15 working days without pay. Five of those days are being held in abeyance for a year. If Jennings does not commit any similar offenses during this period, the department will strike the five days from his record.
"It's an unfortunate step we had to take," Acting Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour said about the suspension. "I'm just glad it has been resolved and I hope we can all move forward."
A month after his suspension was imposed, Jennings filed a complaint against the Police Department and the town of Stratford with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.
In the 14-page grievance, Jennings details what he describes as a deep-seated culture of animosity among some members of the police department. He said his removal from the DEA task force and the investigation against him is retaliation for speaking out about unethical activity within the department and because he is paid at a higher rate than most other officers.
Ridenhour said the department had been planning to remove Jennings from the special DEA assignment prior to the incident with Fredericks. The suspension -- not Jennings' removal from the task force -- is the only intended disciplinary action, he said.
"He had been (on the task force) for quite some time and we felt we needed to open up training opportunities and special assignments to more personnel," Ridenhour said. "This just sort of sped up the timetable."
The investigation
Police determined Jennings drove an unmarked police car to the Chapel Street School parking lot across from Fredericks' house in April and waited for Fredericks to arrive. Jennings then drove his vehicle -- a silver Lexus SL 430 he described in a sworn statement as his "everyday" car, which he confiscated from a criminal -- into Fredericks' driveway. He got out of the car and questioned Fredericks about a damaged tree at the home of a fellow DEA agent.
Police said a co-worker had told Jennings at an earlier date that the co-worker was dissatisfied with the work performed by Fredericks' Paradise Landscaping at his home.
The internal investigation report determined Fredericks ordered Jennings to leave his property. Jennings did not comply, so Fredericks called 911.
Jennings attempted to leave the property when Fredericks walked behind his car to take down his license plate. The two engaged in a verbal confrontation. Then Fredericks dialed 911 a second time, and Jennings left the property. Jennings retreated to the school parking lot and called 911.
The report concluded that Jennings committed breach of peace and first-degree criminal trespass and displayed conduct unbecoming an officer, showed a lack of integrity and fell short of his employee responsibilities.
"Detective Jennings knew that Fredericks was arrested and convicted on drug charges but went to his house/business in a Department assigned undercover car without notifying (Stratford Police) or (the DEA)," the report states. Fredericks was charged with selling marijuana in December 2000, according to the report. "Detective Jennings said he identified himself as a police officer and showed Fredericks his police badge, now placing himself on-duty. He did not immediately call the police department when the situation with Fredericks escalated to the point of Breach of Peace. He did not leave Fredericks property the first time he was told to leave."
During a 44-minute interview July 28 at police headquarters, Jennings told the investigating officers he was doing a "simple favor" for a fellow cop who said he was dissatisfied with the landscaping work he hired Fredericks to do. "He said he may have used 'bad judgement' bringing an undercover car there but he did nothing wrong," according to a report based on the interview.
Ridenhour said the Police Department routinely receives cars through asset forfeiture programs. He said there is "nothing illegal or improper" about Jennings' use of the confiscated vehicle.
THE COMPLAINT
The CHRO complaint filed by Jennings on Nov. 14 states he has been the constant subject of retaliation by his superiors.
"The retaliation is ongoing ... and includes my being removed from the task force which I have been a part of for 9 years and there existing no basis for my removal, frivolous internal affairs investigations and my being denied overtime I am entitled to," according to the complaint.
Jennings, who did not return a request for comment, states in the complaint that he is targeted because he is outspoken about unethical activity he said he has witnessed within the department and because he's one of the oldest officers on the force and is compensated at a higher pay rate than most officers.
"I can say for certain that there's a lot of fighting going on within the department," said Rob Serafinowicz, Jennings' attorney, "and that's not good for the town."
He added, "When one looks at the Stratford Police Department, a number of its members were arrested. Bill never was. Bill was never in trouble with the law. ... The record speaks for itself."
Town Attorney Tim Bishop said the complaint filed by Jennings is without merit.
"It's unfortunate sometimes that good people find themselves on opposite sides in a courtroom, but we have faith in the system," he said in an email. "For the taxpayers' sake, we hope to reach the correct result as swiftly as possible."
The state has not yet made any decisions in response to Jennings' complaint, a CHRO spokesman said.
Reach Brittany Lyte at [email protected] or 203-330-6426. Follow at twitter.com/blyte.
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