EAST HAVEN, Conn. -- Four brief votes regarding police Chief Leonard Gallo and Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. at Tuesday's police commission meeting set a packed audience abuzz and left commissioners fending off fierce complaints from riled-up residents.
A crowd of about 70 people at the senior center watched more drama regarding recent town turmoil unfold at the hands of the Board of Police Commissioners during a meeting that was to be the last for Chairman Fred Brow and Commissioner James Krebs, whose membership terms expired Tuesday and who are vocal critics of Maturo and Gallo.
The already-tense meeting grew livelier when the board voted to form its own advisory committee and allow Krebs and Brow to serve as members, with some attendees yelling, "You guys don't wanna stop," "You must be kidding" and "You are out of control, I tell ya. Knock it off. Take your plaques and go home."
The meeting drew an unusually large amount of spectators and media, as it followed Monday's announcement of Gallo's retirement, last week's arrest of four town police officers on charges of mistreating Latinos and Maturo's controversial culinary quip about having tacos for dinner.
The commission Tuesday night unanimously passed four motions: Members voted to recommend that Maturo fire Gallo; recommend that Maturo disband a recently formed police oversight committee; request the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities investigate Maturo for any questionable actions or remarks made in office; and create an advisory committee for the commission.
Since Gallo told Maturo his retirement will be effective Friday, Maturo has the chance over the next few days to terminate Gallo instead, Brow said. He added that firing Gallo could prevent taxpayers' money from paying the outgoing chief a full retirement package, which may be worth around $95,000.
"Putting this kind of money in the hands of an individual we feel has not properly run this department for years is just not right. It's a bad indicator of what is tolerated," Brow said, adding that he thinks there should also be an audit of sick, vacation and holiday time for which Gallo is seeking compensation because it doesn't seem "consistent with his time in service."
Commissioners prepared a list of reasons Gallo should be fired, including allegedly failing to: work with commissioners in updating old policies and procedures; ensure all police officers "report all uses of force" and that all supervisors "review, justify and sign off on" such occasions; investigate complaints; and employ a Risk Management Early Warning System for finding patterns or practices of "at-risk conduct or behavior."
Before the vote, Commissioner Frank Piergrossi said, "This is a very sad day for this community and every citizen within this community. There is no joy in this room tonight."
A message left for Maturo was not returned Tuesday night.
Gallo, who did not attend the meeting, declined to speak about the situation when reached by phone Tuesday night, referring any comments to his attorney, Jonathan Einhorn. According to Einhorn, who attended the meeting, the commission has no jurisdiction in the area of Gallo's employment because of policies in the town charter.
"It's clearly outside their jurisdiction. It (a recommendation) carries as much weight as the guy selling coffee on the corner. But it's America, and anyone can make a recommendation," Einhorn said.
He added, "It's all political exercise tonight," and that Gallo is "upset about being dragged into a political hailstorm when he's not a politician."
Concerning any retirement package afforded to Gallo, Einhorn said Gallo will receive a pension payment, money for vacation or overtime owed to him and lifetime health benefits for him and his wife. He said he is not yet sure of the amount of money those are worth.
Police commissioners also chose to recommend that Maturo disband his recently formed police oversight committee, the Law Enforcement Advisory Resource Network, because Gallo had been named as a part of the group, as well as Maturo and former town attorney Lawrence Sgrignari. The commission considers all three men "as part of the problem because they were all here when it started," Brow said.
The creation of LEARN "usurped" the board's authority and duplicated efforts, according to Brow.
So commissioners voted to form their own advisory committee, with Krebs and Brow -- both appointees of former Mayor April Capone -- as members and other participants yet to be determined. After the meeting, Vice Chairman Joseph Civitello said the commission wanted to form the committee to keep Kreb and Brow involved "for continuity's sake."
Commissioners insisted after the meeting that any actions taken were not meant to be "political."
But Angelo Santomassimo, who spoke before the votes during a public comment portion of the meeting, begged to differ. Santomassimo questioned what could happen if Gallo is indeed terminated, saying, "Any commonsense person would tell you we're going to have another lawsuit. Who is that going to benefit in this town? Not the taxpayers of East Haven, thank you!"
During public comments, Town Attorney Joseph Zullo expressed his opposition to the commission's recommendation of disbanding the LEARN group, calling the committee "a highly valuable tool" that "the town is using to move forward and begin the healing process."
Resident Milena Quinto addressed the audience and board as a member of the Latino community, criticizing Maturo's taco comment. "We don't all eat tacos. ... I ask the mayor for a little more respect for the Latino community."
Town Council member Paul Carbo, R-5, also offered a comment, saying that if the chief gets fired, the police commission should be let go as well, because, "together, the chief and Board of Police Commissioners is supposed to run the Police Department."
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
