Independent review of Meriden police finished

MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) --  Authorities released a report on Friday that said no preferential treatment was going on after the son of the police chief was hardly reprimanded after he was accused of brutality.

"I know that our entire department is relieved that this process has come to an end," said Meriden Police Chief Jeffry Cossette.

An independent internal investigation say he's off the hook.

"That evidence does not establish the existence of improper nepotism, favoritism, or disparate treatment in the rendering of discipline by the Meriden Police Department," said Meriden City Manager Lawrence Kendzior.

• Click here to read the full report.

The year-long probe by former federal prosecutor Thomas Daily of Hartford responding to allegations by two Meriden officers that Chief Jeffry Cossette coddled his son Evan, a veteran of five-and-a-half years on the force and with a history of brutality.

"Attorney Daily concluded that as to previously unreported incidents, which were contained in the Huston and Sullivan document, there was no excessive force used," Kendzior said.

As well as two very publicized reported incidents, one which says the younger Cossette cracked the skull of a combative suspect with a blood alcohol content of .312.

"It has been very wildly reported as fact. It is not fact," Kendzior said. "Mr. Temich's injury was limited to a broken skin flap in the back of his head."

The investigator found that in this and the other ballyhooed incident, Cossette was threatened and did what he had to do.

"As chief, and with the facts before us, it is now time to move on," Jeffry Cossette said.

Despite the findings there could be some changes to policy at Meriden police disallowing the hiring of any officers who already have family within the department. It'll definitely bring a change of pace for Officer Evan Cossette, who'll return to regular duty this Sunday, after being on administrative duty since the scandal broke last year.