Internal Affairs report cites 17 cops for misconduct

This photo released in the Bridgeport Police Department's Internal Affairs investigation shows Officer Daniel Faroni with Petez Diaz in a wheelchair after an incident on Colorado Ave. on Oct. 21, 2017. Photo: BPD less This photo released in the Bridgeport Police Department's Internal Affairs investigation shows Officer Daniel Faroni with Petez Diaz in a wheelchair after an incident on Colorado Ave. on Oct. 21, 2017. Photo: ... more Photo: BPD Photo: BPD Image 1 of / 27 Caption Close Internal Affairs report cites 17 cops for misconduct 1 / 27 Back to Gallery

BRIDGEPORT — Five city police officers and a civilian detention officer used excessive force and 10 officers lied about their actions in breaking up a 2017 house party, an internal investigation has determined.

In all, the report finds Bridgeport Police Department rule violations and possible criminal activity by 17 police officers and two civilian detention officers who responded to a “chaotic” situation after a noise complaint. Forty-six officers responded, and police shut down the party on Oct. 21, 2017.

The 405-page report by the city’s Office of Internal Affairs was released to Hearst Connecticut Media on Wednesday, following a Freedom of Information request in January. The report was completed on Nov. 16, 2018.

One of the officers accused in the report of using excessive force, Thomas Lattanzio, killed himself in Seaside Park in December 2017 while under investigation.

Sgt. Mark Belinkie, who killed himself in his Milford home on Saturday, was accused in the report of failing to supervise other officers involved in the incident and of failing to provide medical attention in the Police Department’s booking area to a man arrested in the incident.

Findings of failures, abuses

In addition to Lattanzio, the report accuses Sgt. Paul Scillia, detention officer Jose Figueroa and officers Michael Stanitis, Daniel Faroni and Joseph Cruz of using excessive force. The report states that Scillia, Stanitis, Lattanzio, Cruz, Adam Szeps, Detective Kenneth Fortes and officers Douglas Bepko, Joseph Pires, Linet Castillo and Natalie McLaughlin were not truthful in the information they provided on the incident.

Scillia, Lt. Robert Sapiro and Belinkie failed to supervise other officers under their command; Szeps, Belinkie and officer Steven Silva failed to provide medical attention, and Fortes and Pires provided inaccurate reporting of the incident, according to the report.

Officer Michael Mazzacco was cited for making a racial slur toward one of the people arrested while civilian detention officer Paul Humphrey swore at a prisoner, the report says.

It recommends the officers be referred to the Board of Police Commission and Chief Armando Perez for disciplinary action.

Mayoral spokeswoman Rowena White said in deference to the Belinkie family, the mayor and Perez would not make a statement on the release of the OIA report until later in the week. Belinkie’s funeral service was Wednesday. Police Union President Charles Paris could not be reached for comment.

On the night of the party, at about 10:20 p.m., McLaughlin was dispatched to the area of State Street and Colorado Avenue to investigate a noise complaint, the OIA report states. The report continues that the noise complaint led to the subsequent arrests of Carmelo Mendez on misdemeanor charges and Peter Diaz, Fernando Morales, Wanda Mendez, Sara Deida, Ramon Davila, Jose Alvarado and Jose Rosario on felony and misdemeanor charges, all which are pending in Superior Court.

“Multiple recordings of video footage surfaced which resulted in concerns over allegations of misconduct relative to physical force used by Sgt. Paul Scillia, Officer Michael Stanitis, Officer Thomas Lattanzio and Officer Joseph Cruz,” the report states. “The incident wherein Officer Natalie McLaughlin found herself on October 21, 2017 ultimately developed into a chaotic scene.”

‘Excessive, unnecessary’

Among the findings in the report:

Lattanzio violated case law, public trust and the basic tenets of policing by striking Jose Alvarado while attempting to handcuff him and by striking handcuffed prisoner Peter Diaz while in the booking area because Diaz spit in his face.

Scillia’s use of force was “excessive, unnecessary and unreasonable.” The report states that Scillia punched and stomped Mendez while Mendez was on the ground before and after Mendez was handcuffed. Asked in his statement to investigators if he used any force on Mendez, Scillia stated, “I do not recall, no.” Later in the booking area, the report states Scillia struck Diaz, who was secured in a wheelchair.

Video shows Stanitis struck Mendez multiple times in the side of the head with the butt of his flashlight as Mendez was held on the ground by other officers. “Officer Stanitis stated he did not see any injuries on Mr. Mendez, offering that he was unable to ‘even see him at all.’ ” The report states that Mendez had an “S” imprint on his face consistent with the butt end of the flashlight carried by the officer.

The report states that Faroni was aware Diaz was injured. “However, Officer Faroni, absent any exigency and while aided by at least one additional officer, based on the video, opted to drag Mr. Diaz up the booking ramp and into the sally port area.”

The report states that Detention Officer Sylvia Firpi told OIA investigators that when she came to work in the police department booking area at 11 p.m. on Oct. 21, the area was “very chaotic and that there was a lot of screaming and yelling and remembers questioning someone as to why there were so many people out and why, was the situation not controlled.”

Firpi said a supervisor was not on scene and medics were there for Mendez and they were waiting for a police escort to take him to the hospital. She said she saw Mendez had blood and abrasions on his face and he collapsed to the floor while in the holding cell, according to the report.