Union Lawyer Questions Police Commission's Handling of Internal Affairs Investigations [VIDEO]

Updated at Thursday at 11 p.m.

East Haven's Board of Police Commissioners finally held their special meeting tonight at the Senior Center.

And although the meeting itself was short, only about two minutes, and consisted of only one item on the agenda, to accept reports from two separate internal affairs investigations, it was anything but uneventful.

Some 50 residents, police officers and other supporters of the East Haven Police Department attended this evening's meeting.

And only moments after the special meeting was called to order, Richard Gudis, the attorney for — the union that represents East Haven's police officers — stood up and approached commissioners, asking if he could be heard.

Police Commission Chairman Fred Brow said "No, you may not." And then asked Gudis to "please take your seat."

But the attorney persisted, repeatedly asking: "Why is this investigation being handled different than the others?" 

Commissioners, however, did not answer that question or those shouted out from members of the crowd who had attended tonight's meeting (see video that accompanies this article).

Instead, board members continued to move forward on their roll call vote to accept both reports, and then adjourn the meeting.

Afterwards, when asked by a reporter what had happened this evening, Gudis responded: "I don't know, that's why I was asking the question."

But at the beginning of the meeting, Police Commission Chairman Fred Brow read a letter from Acting Chief of Police Gaetano Nappi to Deputy Chief of Police John Mannion stating that Nappi must remove himself from oversight of the two internal affairs investigations and hand them over to the commission: "due to my involvement in the matters."

And Brow told East Haven Patch yesterday that the only purpose of tonight's special meeting was for the commission to publicly accept receipt of those reports.

According to the special meeting's agenda, the commission will review the reports and then take "action at a later time."

No public information has been released regarding which officer or officers are the subject of the police department's internal affairs investigations, or what incident or incidents prompted the investigations to take place.

Updated at 7:45 p.m.

In other police news, town officials are saying three Federal Bureau of Investigation officers visited the office of Chief of Police Leonard Gallo at the East Haven Police Department's headquarters on North High Street yesterday, according to a report in the New Haven Register.

In the article, Paul Huongo Jr., the town's director of administration and management, said it was the 28th time he has been requested to open the door since the locks were changed at the start of the federal probe into police department.

Gallo was put on paid administrative pending the outcome of into the department.

Updated at 7:15 p.m.

The East Haven Board of Police Commissioners has finally found a home for tomorrow's special meeting: the .

Fred Brow, chairman of the police commission, told East Haven Patch a short time ago the board will meet tomorrow, beginning at 7 p.m., at the 91 Taylor Ave. facility.

Earlier today, the commission had hoped to reschedule its meeting at the , but the building's community room was already in use for tomorrow night.

And so, Brow said the commission felt the Senior Center would be the best location, not only because it was available but also because it can accomodate the crowd that is once again expected to attend the rescheduled special meeting.

Brow added that the commission will not be taking any action at tomorrow night's meeting.

And that the purpose for the special meeting — as noted on the agenda — is singular in focus: only for commissioners to receive the two internal affairs investigation reports.

Brow noted that the agenda for Thursday is exactly the same as the one originally posted for Tuesday night.

That agenda is included in the gallery that accompanies this article.

Updated at 8:45 a.m. on Wednesday

In an emailed statement to East Haven Patch, Robert Hoff, chairman of the town's American Disabilities Act Committee, confirmed that his board will, indeed, hold their meeting tomorrow night in the Mario Giamo Room at Town Hall.

And that, at this time, he has no intention of relinquishing the room to the Board of Police Commissioners for their special meeting tomorrow night.

The following is Hoff's statement in full:

"As Chairman of The American Disabilities Act Committee,I am stating for the record that the ADA Committee has reserved the Mario Giamo room well in advance and therefore will not be relinquishing the Mario Giamo Room to the Police Commission or any other committee or body Thursday night as the needs and concerns of East Havens disabled residents are to be addressed Thursday and I hold the trust and respect of the residents of East Haven who are disabled very highly. The ADA Committee is committee is committed to serving our disabled residents and we shall do so Thursday night in the Mario Giamo Room."

Updated at 8:45 p.m.

It will be East Haven Board of Police Commissioners special meeting "take two" on Thursday night.

The police commission had scheduled a special meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in the Mario Giamo Room in the lower level of

But as East Haven Patch reported earlier this morning (see original story below), the School Building Committee had already staked its claim on the room for their regularly scheduled meeting this evening.

And so, with dozens of residents packing the lower level's hallway and lobby to attend tonight's special meeting, police commissioners and police officers held conference with Paul Huongo Jr., the town's director of administration and management, to pick a new date for the special meeting.

In their discussion in the middle of the hallway, Huongo told the commissioners and officers he was not aware the room has already been booked for tonight by the School Building Committee. And he apologized for the scheduling conflict.

Needing 24 hours to properly post notice for a special meeting, the group then settled on this Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Giamo Room.

A quick scan of the town's meeting schedule for boards and commissions (which is posted in the gallery with this article), however, shows that the American Disability Act Committee holds its regularly scheduled meetings the third Thursday of every month in the Giamo Room.

The ADA Committee has already posted its agenda for this Thursday night, which states it will meet in the Giamo Room at 7 p.m. (this agenda is also posted in the gallery that accompanies this article) — the same date, time and place as the police commission is hoping to hold its special meeting.

And so, it is unclear at this time if the police commission will still meet this Thursday. And if so, where the board will hold its special meeting.

East Haven Patch will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

Original Story (9 a.m.)

The East Haven Board of Police Commissioners has called a special meeting for tonight, beginning at 7 p.m., in the Mario Giamo Room in the lower level of .

Other than the roll call, there is only one other item on this evening's agenda (which is included in the gallery that accompanies this article):

Motion that Acting Chief Gaetano J. Nappi return the following internal affairs investigation to the Honorable Board of Police Commission for action at a later time.

1. I.A. 2011-09

2. I.A. 2011-10

There is no specific information included on the agenda regarding which employee or employees within the police department are the subject of the two investigations.

The East Haven Police Department currently is the subject of ongoing  into . It is unknown at this time if the local internal affairs reports are somehow related to the federal probe.

In response to tonight's special meeting, East Haven blogger and has called for residents to gather prior to and attend tonight's commission's meeting as a show of support for the police department's officers and their union head Sgt. John Miller, who is the president of .

Early last month, in Mayor April Capone, Nappi and the police commission. 

A occured in front of Town Hall earlier this year.

The police commission's meeting is set for the same time and place as this evening's regularly scheduled .

It is unclear at this time if the school committee will meet directly after the commission, or move their meeting to another location within Town Hall or elsewhere.

East Haven Patch will be at Town Hall tonight to report on both meetings, as well as any possible rally that may develop.

In addition, we will provide updates on tonight's events at Town Hall via our Facebook and Twitter pages. So be sure to check in often for the latest information.