Hearing to Remove Commissioners Cancelled

It appears that one week after the East Haven Board of Police Commissioners , the has followed suit with its of that board's commissioners.

The May 1 public hearing called by Assistant Town Attorney that sought the removal of the commissioners for "just cause" has been cancelled, according to a New Haven Register report.

No reason was given as to why the hearing will now not take place, as The Register's Jennifer Swift reported that both Kolb and Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. were unavailable for comment Monday.

The commission currently is engaged in a over control of the board as well as its decision to , former town attorney .

Removal for 'Just Cause'

sent a letter April 4 to Police Commission Chairman Joseph Civtello, Vice-Chairman Carl Perez and commissioner Frank Piergrossi notifying them a hearing would be held April 17 to determine whether or not they should be removed from the board "for just cause."

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All three men were members of the commission during the with former in the wake of the f into alleged civil rights abuses by East Haven Police officers.

Kolb, as the for former , was as the town's labor lawyer by Mayor Maturo after he returned to office last November.

The hearing was then for today, May 1, in order to give the "board time to self-correct" at its then next regularly meeting April 24, according to an April 17 press release from Mayor's Office.

Meeting Cancelled

That next meeting of the police commission, however, by Chairman Civitello.

No reason was given as to why the meeting — which had several personnel issues for the board's consideration and possible vote — was called off.

Civitello did not return calls placed by East Haven Patch at that time requesting comment on the cancelled meeting.

East Haven Interim Police Chief Brent Larrabee has since urging him to hold a commission meeting as soon as possible to allow the board to make much-needed personel decisions.

As of Tuesday morning, new police commission meeting has yet been set.

Mayor Requests Perez to Resign

In addition to the meeting and hearing's cancellation, Police Commission Vice Chairman Perez resign pending the by East Haven Police on a second-degree threatening charge.

Perez was after he allegedly threatened a male student while serving in his job as a security official at East Haven High School.

The mayor stated that upon receiving the vice chairman's resignation, he would appoint another "prominent" former Democratic town official to serve out the remainder of Perez's term.

"Upon the dismissal of your case or a finding of not-guilty, I will ask your replacement to step aside so that you may resume the unexpired portion of your term," the mayor wrote in a press release. "Any other resolution of your case would be evaluated upon its conclusion."