Mustafa Salahuddin, the Ansonia police officer who was found not guilty of stealing a garden hose from the department, is considering early retirement.
If he doesn’t retire or resign from the department before Nov. 3, Salahuddin faces the possibility of getting fired.
The Ansonia Board of Police Commissioners held a hearing Wednesday to discuss whether to fire, discipline, or take no action against Salahuddin for his refusal to return to work after the trial for the garden hose charge.
Salahuddin has been out on unpaid leave since he was acquitted of sixth-degree larceny in March, citing post traumatic stress disorder. Click here to read all past stories on the issue.
The city has asked him to return to work, and scheduled Wednesday’s hearing to determine if he should be punished for refusing.
Retirement Is An Option
But another solution would be for Salahuddin to leave on his own.
The commission continued its hearing Wednesday until Nov. 3 without taking any action in order to give Salahuddin’s attorney, Rob Serafinowicz, time to evaluate whether it’s prudent for Salahuddin to take early retirement.
Salahuddin is 48, and has worked at the department for at least 10 years. Under the municipal employees retirement fund, he could be eligible for some payments.
He might opt to resign instead of retire in order to be able to continue racking up years toward his retirement at another job using the same retirement plan, according to the city’s labor counsel Fran Teodosio.
It’s not clear exactly how much Salahuddin would get in retirement benefits.
That’s what Serafinowicz wants time to research.
“I need to see what the numbers are and what he wants to do,” Serafinowicz said outside the short Board of Police Commissioners meeting Wednesday.
City counsel Kevin Blake told Serafinowicz that if Salahuddin decides to leave on his own, the city wants the notification before the Nov. 3 hearing.
Supporters
Salahuddin did not attend the hearing.
But several of his supporters were at the hearing, which was immediately closed to the public because Salahuddin requested it be held in executive session.
“The NAACP has stood steadfast in support of Officer Salahuddin,” said Greg Johnson, the president of the Ansonia NAACP. “We will continue to do so for his innocence.”
Johnson called the ordeal a “colossal waste of tax payers’ money” and said his heart goes out to Salahuddin’s family.
If Salahuddin submits a letter of resignation or retirement to the city before Nov. 3, the hearing likely will be canceled, Teodosio said.
