Ken Plavnicky was kicked out of the Board of Police Commissioners meeting Wednesday night after loudly expressing several concerns about the police department.
But he made sure to get in two fist bumps — to Frank Heusser Jr. and Frank Heusser Sr. — before he left.
The three men spoke during public comment, complaining about various topics, such as parking issues on Wakelee Avenue and the recent trial of Ansonia Police Officer Mustafa Salahuddin.
Salahuddin was found not guilty of sixth-degree larceny, after police charged him with stealing a department garden hose.
Salahuddin’s attorney said he was going to bill the city for his $100,000 in legal fees. Wednesday’s police commission meeting was the first since the trial ended.
At the meeting, Plavnicky and the Heussers complained that taxpayers should not have to foot that bill.
“I’m disgusted with the garden hose case,” Plavnicky said. “Where is all that money going to come from?”
Things got heated when Commissioner Nick Amico fired back: “Are you condoning a theft then?”
The three men jumped out of their seats, shouting at the same time: “It wasn’t proven!”, “He was found innocent!” and “It’s not a theft!”
After Plavnicky aggressively complained about several other items — including the presence of a police officer at the meeting — Amico told Plavnicky his time was up and asked a police officer to escort him out of the building.
Plavnicky appeared to leave without any problems.
Amico then turned to Frank Heusser Jr. as he prepared to speak.
“You’ve got to be a gentleman or you’ve got to leave too,” Amico said.
Police Chief Kevin Hale didn’t address any of the complaints at the meeting, but afterward, said the commission takes issue with the manner in which Heusser and Plavnicky presented their comments.
“The problem is the lack of civility and the complete lack of respect. Meetings have to be run with a certain amount of decorum,” Hale said after the meeting. “What you saw here was minor in comparison to what some of the officers have experienced on the streets dealing with them.”
After the meeting, Heusser’s attorney, Rob Serafinowicz, who wasn’t at the meeting, sent the Valley Indy an e‑mail responding to the incident, calling Amico a “simpleton.”
Heusser Jr. is a regular at the police commission meetings, and has had several run-ins with the police department over parking issues on Wakelee Avenue.
Heusser has been arrested more than once for fights that break out over the parking, but claims the arrests are retaliation for accusations he brings before the board and for a civil complaint his family has filed against the chief.
Serafinowicz also represented Salahuddin during the officer’s trial. He has been highly critical of Hale and members of the Police Commission, saying they allow Hale to favor some officers over others.
