Police Commission Regains Access to Headquarters [DOCUMENTS]

Updated at 9:15 p.m.

The East Haven Board of Police Commissioners unanimously approved the adoption of a new policy that "revokes" Police Chief Leonard Gallo's that barred commission members from the interior and exterior of the East Haven Police Department.

During tonight's special meeting, which lasted only a few minutes, Police Commission Chairman Fred Brow read a prepared statement, which included the proposed new policy regarding commission access to police headquarters.

The following is Brow's statement, in full:

"Pursuant to the Chapter VI, Section 7 of the Charter of the Town of East Haven, 'The Board of Police Commissioners has the jurisdiction and general control of the Department and they make such rules and regulations that are not inconsistent with this section.'

On Nov. 30, 2011, the Chief of Police issued a directive to the Board of Police Commissioners barring them from the interior and exterior of Police Headquarters without invitation or appointment from him. The same was 'clarified' on December 7, 2011.

Said directive from the Chief is hereby revoked, and is replaced with the following:

All members of the Board of Police Commissioners shall have free access to the Police Department, both interior, as well as its exterior, nor is there any prohibition upon them, or sworn personnel, from discussing any matter with the members of the U.S, Attorney's Office, the FBI, or any other law enforcement officials, concerning the Police Department. In this latter regard, they are to be afforded all of the protections allowed pursuant to the United States Constitution, as well as the Connecticut General Statutes. Additional, they are free to exercise all rights and privileges previously enjoyed by them, which are not inconsistent with the above-referenced Charter Section."

Members then voted on the proposed new policy, unanimously approving it. The meeting was adjourned.

However, following tonight's meeting at the East Haven Beachhouse on Cosey Avenue, Brow told reporters that Gallo had issued a memorandum the day before rescinding his Nov. 30 directive.

An image of that Dec. 13 memorandum is included in the gallery that accompanies this article, as well as the original Nov. 30 directive and the Dec. 7 memo.

"There's no ownership of that building," Brow said of the North High Street police headquarters. "The town of East Haven owns it."

And although the new policy has been adopted and Gallo's Nov. 30 directive has been rescinded, Brow said the matter may not yet be settled.

"We're still exploring any and all legal options," he said.

Gallo did not attend tonight's special meeting.

Original Story

The East Haven Board of Police Commissioners have called a special meeting tonight at the , 150 Cosey Beach Ave, beginning at 7 p.m. to discuss and possibly adopt a new board policy.

There is only one actionable item on the agenda, which is included in the gallery that accompanies this article, and that is the "Discussion/Possible Action Re: Policy #2011-4."

Board of Police Commission Chairman Fred Brow told East Haven Patch this morning the specific policy that is the subject of tonight's special meeting is a new policy that has not been previously discussed by the board.

Brow said the item would be the fourth new policy the board is considering adopting this calendar year.

He added that commissioners cannot discuss the specific area the new proposed policy addresses until a motion is approved to bring it up for public discussion amongst the board members at tonight's meeting.

Although the police commission did consider and adopt "General Order 2011-4" — which sets the 's “Motor vehicle inventory policy” — at its Jan. 25 meeting earlier this year (the minutes are also posted in this article's gallery), Brow said that that policy and the new one that will be discussed tonight are not related.

He said that a typo may be to blame for the numbers being the same on the two policies.

At the commission's , members unanimously voted to hire former Town Attorney Patricia Cofrancesco, after the board was banned from the department's grounds by .

There is no indication yet if this new proposed policy will be related to the board's newest battle with Gallo.