Former New Haven assistant police chief faces domestic violence probe in New Hampshire

In this Feb. 20, 2014 photo, Police Chief John Velleca sits in his office in Weare, N.H. Velleca took the helm in November 2013, several months after several Weare officers fatally shot a suspected drug dealer. Velleca, 44, made his mark cleaning up corruption at the New Haven, Conn., police department. less In this Feb. 20, 2014 photo, Police Chief John Velleca sits in his office in Weare, N.H. Velleca took the helm in November 2013, several months after several Weare officers fatally shot a suspected drug dealer. ... more Photo: AP Photo/Lynnne Tuohy Photo: AP Photo/Lynnne Tuohy Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Former New Haven assistant police chief faces domestic violence probe in New Hampshire 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

NEW HAVEN >> Former city Asst. Police Chief John Velleca is on administrative leave from his post as chief of the Weare, New Hampshire police department. A restraining order was issued against him in the wake of domestic violence allegations filed by a female employee of the department.

Velleca retired as New Haven’s assistant chief in November 2011. Subsequently in 2012, the city settled a federal gender discrimination lawsuit filed by Officer Jodianne Novella for $20,000. The case stemmed from harassment complaints beginning in 2008.

After Novella filed an Internal Affairs complaint, she alleged that certain supervisors, including then-Lt. John Velleca, engaged in a pattern of retaliation and “degraded and made fun of her” and “ostracized her.”

In the current matter, The New Hampshire Union Leader quotes Weare Board of Selectmen Chairman Tom Clow as saying the town was informed Saturday that Hillsborough County Circuit Court had issued the order against Velleca. The allegations are being investigated by the Hillsborough Police Department, he said.

“Chief Velleca is aware of the court order,” Clow said in a written statement Monday night, according to the Union Leader. “While he denies any wrongdoing, he does not want to be a distraction from the ongoing efforts to remake and rebuild the Weare Police Department into a agency which the community, the officers, and the entire law enforcement community can take pride. Accordingly, Chief Velleca has requested that the Board of Selectmen place him on administrative leave while the investigation proceeds so that the Weare Police Department can focus on its mission and so that he has adequate time to clear his name.”

Velleca had not been arrested as of Tuesday morning.