Derby Police Chief Gerald Narowksi sent a letter to the Board of Aldermen last week calling the William LaRovera case a routine police investigation.
“I can assure the board that this was a routine investigation by this department,” the chief said in a Sept. 22 letter.
LaRovera is the dean of students at Derby Middle School. He was arrested on a warrant signed by a judge Sept. 15, seven days after middle school principal Sally Bonina said she found 66 Roxicodone (generic oxycodone) in LaRovera’s computer bag.
Derby police charged LaRovera with narcotics possession, possession of narcotics near a school, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of drug paraphernalia near a school and failing to store narcotics in the original container.
He was scheduled to appear in court today (Sept. 28).
Narowski wrote the letter in response to a press release and comments made by attorney Robert Serafinowicz, who is representing LaRovera.
Serafinowicz has questioned the speed in which Derby police obtained a warrant and arrested LaRovera. It all happened too fast, according to the attorney.
Serafinowicz challenged Derby police to name another case where an investigation and arrest was handled in “four business days.”
Narowski said Serafinowicz is trying to “muddy the waters.”
“The department conducted a professional, thorough and impartial investigation into this incident and is being criticized for being too efficient (by) obtaining an arrest warrant in less than a week,” Narowski wrote.
The chief said the time it takes to receive an arrest warrant ranges from a few hours to a few weeks.
“The court has signed numerous arrest warrant applications provided by this agency in similar time frames,” Narowski said.
The chief also notes that Derby detectives attempted to talk to LaRovera about the incident but he declined to speak to them.
