[UPDATED] Police Commission Hires Attorney (VIDEO)

Updated at 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday

A video of last night's Board of Police Commissioners special meeting has been added to this article. The video was taken last night by East Haven blogger Ed Foley, and originally posted on his site East Haven Politics and Vimeo.

East Haven Chief of Police Leonard Gallo's order banning police commissioners from "the interior and exterior" of the department's North High Street headquarters — as well as banning police officer's from speaking with commissioners — is read aloud and in full beginning at the 4-minute mark of the video.

At the 7-minute mark, the Department of Justice's letter to Town Attorney Joseph Zullo is read aloud and in full. The letter addresses the federal department's investigation into the East Haven Police Department and warns against "taking retalitory action" against those who are participating in the ongoing federal investigation or attempting to intimidate witnesses in the case.

The letter from the justice department also instructs the town, police department and police commission to "provide information on steps they have taken — or will take — to prevent and prohibit retaliation, intimidation or harassment of persons who cooperate or wish to cooperate with our investigation... at your earliest convenience."

Board of Police Commission Chairman Fred Brow's prepared comments regarding the commission's ban from police headquarters begins just before the 12-minute mark in the East Haven Politics video of last night's special meeting.

And the motion, discussion and vote regarding the commission hiring former Town Attorney Patricia Cofrancesco begins just after the 19-minute mark.

Brow told East Haven Patch earlier this afternoon that the police commission is given access rights to the East Haven Police Department through the Town Charter, as well as through Connecticut state statute. And that members require that access to properly carry out their duties and obligations as commissioners.

Gallo, who is reportedly out of his office today and away at a conference, did not immediately return a phone call requesting comment for this story.

East Haven Patch will continue to update this story as additional information and/or developments occur.

Original Story (Tuesday at 5:45 a.m.)

The East Haven Board of Police Commissioners apparently do not take kindly to being banned from the grounds of the .

Last night, the commission unanimously approved hiring former Town Attorney Patricia Cofrancesco to represent them after  reportedly banned board members from setting foot both inside and outside of the department's North High Street headquarters, according to a New Haven Register report.

Gallo, who apparently issued the ban last Wednesday, did not attend last night's police commission meeting (The meeting's agenda is included in the gallery that accompanies this article).

Prior to his reinstatement last week, Gallo had been on on paid administrative leave since April 2010. Gallo was placed on administrative leave by prior Mayor April Capone following the receipt of a .

The terms of the leave prohibited him from being on police property without supervision, and from working for the Town of East Haven. 

Over a year later at the June 2011 meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners, the commission  for “possible discipline, up to and including termination.” 

Following the meeting,  to consider the charges against Gallo. However, the hearing was never held because an impartial arbiter.  

It is unclear at this time if the police commission intends to file suit to rescind Gallo's ban, and regain access to the headquarter's grounds.

East Haven Patch will continue to provide updates on this story as more information becomes available.