Community Corner

Fmr Deputy Police Chief's Suit: Politics, Ambition Led to Firing [WITH DOCS]

Patrick T. McMahon is suing the city of Middletown and independent investigator Eric P. Daigle for unjust termination, seeking his reinstatement and monetary and punitive damages.

 

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part story detailing the lawsuit filed this week by former Acting Chief of Police Patrick T. McMahon charging his unjust termination. Sunday morning’s article will delve deeper into the complaint and feature reaction from McMahon’s attorney and counselor Daigle.

A complaint served Thursday in New London Superior Court by the former acting deputy police chief charges a convergence of motives by a former mayor vying for crucial police union support in a re-election bid and an ambitious acting chief of police seeking to clear the way to advancement led to his unjust termination by the city’s current mayor.

Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

(see the full complaint text in a pdf at right)

Former chief Patrick T. McMahon of Norwalk, who was fired by Middletown Mayor Dan Drew on Feb. 23 for conduct unbecoming a police officer following a legal investigation into his alleged consumption of alcohol in September 2011 while in uniform, is suing the city of Middletown and Southington attorney Eric P. Daigle for reinstatement of his job, punitive and monetary damages.

Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

McMahon was hired in 2007 and promoted to acting chief in 2009 after former Chief Lynn Baldoni retired.

McMahon’s complaint, filed Dec. 3 by his counsel, West Hartford attorney Leon M. Rosenblatt, says former Mayor Sebastian N. Giuliano placed McMahon on an administrative leave of absence Oct. 17, 2011, then named Willam McKenna acting chief of police to “gain political support.”

On Oct. 26, 2011, the suit alleges, Giuliano, upon McKenna’s suggestion, retained Daigle as an independent investigator to look into the charges made by an individual called “Packin Heat” on a Middletown Press article that McMahon drank alcohol at Mezzo Grill on Sept. 11, 2011, while in uniform and carrying a badge and gun.

The complaint charges that Giuliano had been elected with the help of the AFSCME Council 15, Local 1561, police union, and McMahon “incurred the enmity of members and leaders” of the union after he insisted police officers should not incur overtime pay at the expense of taxpayers for work they could do within a regular shift.

It also says McKenna was “closely aligned” with union leadership and “influential” politicians and public figures, some of whom were “political opponents” of the then-mayor.

The suit further charges that Democrats blocked McMahon’s appointment to permanent police chief, however a “citizen-initiated” referendum was on the election ballot to do just that. It claims McKenna, the police union and Democratic Party leaders were against the referendum’s passage.

“McKenna coveted the position of chief of police and considered [McMahon] a roadblock to achieving that position,” according to the suit, and when Giuliano confronted McMahon about his alleged drinking while in uniform, Giuliano told McMahon he “‘needed’ him ‘gone’ until after the election.”

"These are baseless accusations and an unfortunate waste of taxpayer money,” Drew said in a statement Thursday. “I remain firm in my belief that separating Mr. McMahon from city service was a sound decision. The city recently prevailed against Mr. McMahon in another lawsuit he had filed against us, and we will defend this one with as much vigor."

Another lawsuit McMahon filed against the city last year was dismissed in October after a judge found that McMahon lacked legal protections against being fired that he had claimed in the lawsuit.

Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook. Get Middletown Patch breaking and daily newsletters here.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here