Union Seeks To Expel Two Officers
Union Seeks To Expel
Two Officers
By Andrew Gorosko
The lawyer who represents the Newtown Police Union said this week that the union has begun steps to expel both Patrol Officer Andrew Stinson and Sergeant Domenic Costello from the police union, a measure which, if successful, would prevent the two men from ever serving as Newtown police officers again.
Both Officer Stinson, who recently resigned as the union president, and Sgt Costello, who is the union treasurer, were placed on indefinite paid administrative leave from their law enforcement jobs on October 15 by Police Chief Michael Kehoe as a criminal investigation proceeds into their possible wrongdoing involving an unspecified but âsubstantialâ amount of money missing from the Newtown Police Unionâs financial accounts. Danbury police are conducting that investigation on behalf of Newtown police.
Police union lawyer Eric R. Brown said Wednesday that the union began steps on that day to remove both men from the union.
Both police officers have surrendered their police badges, police identification, and police-issued handguns, and will not have police powers while on paid administrative leave.
The town police union is known as Local #3153, Council #15, AFSCME, AFL-CIO. The union currently has 43 members. Every police officer at the police department, except the chief and the captain, is represented by the union. In the absence of Officer Stinson, Patrol Officer Scott Ruszczyk, the union vice president, will serve as the unionâs acting president.
Asked how Officer Stinson and Sgt Costello may have illegally diverted funds from police union accounts, Mr Brown said, âWe think that they wrote checks to themselves or to âcash.ââ A negotiable union-issued check would require both menâs signatures.
Mr Brown said that Officer Stinson and Sgt Costello apparently worked in unison in terms of diverting union funds.
Mr Brown said that the amount of money missing from the police union accounts is âsignificant,â but added that it is yet unclear how much money is missing.
Although the union has provisions requiring periodic audits of its books, such audits apparently were not being performed, Mr Brown said.
Mr Brown said he expects that it will take Danbury police one or two months, or possibly more time, to investigate the missing money.
The funds that the police union raises are generated by both an annual local fundraising campaign and by union membersâ dues. A portion of the unionâs assets is used for charitable purposes. Other funds are used for union legal expenses.
The union has not been able to determine any possible motives for a possible theft of funds, Mr Brown said. The two men did not display any lavish lifestyle, he added.
Attorney John R. Gulash, Jr, of Bridgeport represents Sgt Costello.
âIt would be inappropriate to comment on the pending investigation,â Mr Gulash said on behalf of his client. Notably, Sgt Costello holds a law degree from Quinnipiac University.
Attempts to reach Officer Stinson for comment were unsuccessful.
Of the criminal investigation regarding the missing union funds, Mr Brown said, âCertainly, this was a surprise to us.â
Mr Brown said the two officers were perceived as âtwo good men, two goods cops.â
Mr Brown said that a person would hope that there is some valid explanation, other than criminal activity, about why the unionâs money is missing.
Chief Kehoe on Wednesday had little to say about the ongoing criminal investigation, which started on October 15.
âI have very little comment to make since it is early in the investigation,â he said in a statement.
Newtown police are conducting an internal administrative investigation into the missing money from union accounts.
The police chief said that the police departmentâs German shepherd, known as Baro, continues living with Officer Stinson, who is the dogâs handler. Because Officer Stinson is not working, the dog is not working.
Officer Stinson had typically performed patrol duty with the dog in a specialized police cruiser. That patrol shift commonly ran from 4 pm to midnight. The dog was used for drug searches, searches for missing people, and to apprehend suspects.
Chief Kehoe said he does not believe that town police have needed to call in a police dog from elsewhere for police work since Officer Stinson was placed on leave.
In a recent statement, the police union said, âUnion leaders are working together with state union leaders and police investigators to recoup the missing funds, and will seek criminal prosecution of anyone believed to be involved in the missing money.
âUnion funds may have been misappropriated by former union officials over the last three years,â it added.
âAs police officers and members of the Newtown community, we are fully aware of how vital it is for the community to have trust in us. We are shocked and hurt by what looks like a terrible act of betrayal from our union brothers, but we will work with all authorities to recoup our losses and see that anyone who may have committed a crime be prosecuted,â that statement added.
Based on a preliminary investigation, only Officer Stinson and Sgt Costello are believed to be involved in the missing money situation, according to the union.
Both Officer Stinson and Sgt Costello have had prominent roles at the police department.
Officer Stinson, 34, joined the police department in July 2001. Officer Stinson often demonstrated the police dog Baroâs skills to various community groups. Officer Stinson received a bachelorâs degree in psychology from Western Connecticut State University in 1998.
Sgt Costello, 32, became a town police officer in October 2003. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in May 2009. A former school resource officer, Sgt Costello has conducted the police departmentâs Citizen Police Academy program. The free annual program provides the public with an overview of local enforcement as it relates to the criminal justice system.