Should city police officers be allowed to drink alcohol while in uniform?
One Shelton cop says no.
Officer Edward Dobbins renewed a complaint Wednesday night about a department policy that he said appears to allow the practice.
The original complaint was sparked by an incident after the 2009 Memorial Day Parade, where officers were allegedly seen drinking beers in uniform.
Dobbins presented a 155-page report to the Board of Aldermen’s Public Health and Safety subcommittee Wednesday that outlined his concerns about the department’s drinking policy — and the particular incident after the Memorial Day Parade.
Dobbins had previously filed a similar complaint with Mayor Mark A. Lauretti’s office on May 26, 2009 — a day after the parade — claiming that Shelton officers in uniform were seen with beers.
Chief Joel Hurliman declined to comment on the specific complaint, saying ​“I don’t know the results of the investigation so I can’t comment on it.”
But, Hurliman said, the incident in question did not involve an officer who was on-duty.
“Regulations are in place that you can’t drink on duty,” Hurliman said.
Dobbin’s 155-page report was not immediately made available.
Lauretti’s administrative assistant, Thomas Taylor, said he wanted to make sure there wasn’t any personnel information in the report before releasing it.
The department’s policy that Dobbins refers to was also not available Wednesday evening.
The Concerns
Dobbins said he was concerned about public safety because uniformed officers carry firearms.
Dobbins also claimed that the city has changed the department policy to let the practice continue.
On Wednesday, Dobbins also said he was concerned that he was not allowed to see the findings of the city investigation into his concerns.
Background
Dobbins is no stranger to controversy within the department.
Dobbins was suspended for 30 days in April 2009 for refusing to answer questions during an internal affairs investigation the department was conducting, according to archived articles in the New Haven Register.
Dobbins was being questioned about whether he conducted unauthorized investigations into asphalt millings that were moved by city workers in the middle of the night and contaminated soil that was allegedly moved to city and private properties.
The Public Health and Safety Committee accepted Dobbin’s report, but did not address it during the meeting.