HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Hamden’s acting police chief recommended Tuesday that Officer Devin Eaton, be fired.
Eaton was involved in the shooting of an unarmed couple in New Haven back in April. Police concluded that Eaton had fired his service weapon 13 times at the couple.
Eaton has been put on unpaid administrative leave until the criminal case against him is resolved. He has pleaded not guilty to assault and reckless endangerment charges.
In a letter to the Hamden Police Commission, Hamden’s Acting Police Chief John Cappiello wrote that the alleged violations of Hamden Police Rules and Regulations that are lodged against Officer Eaton include conduct unbecoming, neglect of duty, use of force and firearms discharge.
He added that “if these charges are sustained that Officer Eaton be terminated.”
In a statement Tuesday night, Eaton’s legal team called the police chief’s recommendation “cowardly and emblematic of a larger problem facing police officers throughout the country.”
“Police today experience a complete lack of support by their administration and the very community they serve. Therefore, I have little confidence in the legitimacy of these proceedings.”
– E. Gregory Cerritelli, Knight and Cerritelli, LLC, New Haven
Hamden’s Mayor Curt Balzano Leng said he is glad that the charges were brought forward in a timely manner, and explained that Eaton’s fate as an officer is now in the hands of the police commission and that he trusts “it will be handled professionally and with the level of seriousness it deserves.”
The Connecticut ACLU pointed out the will-of-the-people in a statement about the Acting Chief’s recommendation.
“Hamden residents have been recommending Devin Eaton’s termination since April, and it is unfortunate that it took months for the Board of Police Commissioners to accept their complaints.
The Town should not have disregarded residents to begin with, and it should not continue to ignore them now that the police department’s acting chief has also recommended termination.”
– Connecticut ACLU
One Councilman for the Town of Hamden, Brad MacDowall saying he’s glad that people stayed a part of the process and continued to put pressure on law enforcement.
“I’m glad that people continue to make sure that their voices were heard and made sure that town officials knew that they weren’t gunna go away until they knew there would be some accountability.”
– Brad MacDowall, 9th District Councilman for the Town of Hamden
