Fired Norwich police officer fights for his job
A jury in New London this week continues to hear arguments from a former Norwich police officer who claims his firing in 2010 was discriminatory and based on his mental disability.
Douglas Morello, who worked for the department for 16 years, is suing the city for his job back along with back pay, compensatory damages and attorneys’ fees. A six-member jury is hearing arguments in New London Superior Court before Judge Leeland Cole-Chu.
Morello’s termination in 2010 followed an internal investigation into allegations he followed a local woman, in his police vehicle and on foot, and at one point used a police database to look up her personal information. He was never criminally charged but was suspended and cited for conduct unbecoming of an officer, erosion of public confidence, poor judgment and insubordination.
In January of 2010, Morello underwent a department-ordered “mental fitness for duty” evaluation by psychiatrist Dr. Catherine Lewis of the University of Connecticut Health Center and later treatment with licensed clinical social worker Ben LoCasto as part of the city’s employee assistance program.
Lewis determined Morello was unable to perform his job duties and “unlikely that Plaintiff would regain the capacity to do so,” according to the suit.
With his job in jeopardy, Morello sought an independent evaluation from Dr. Walid Jaziri, who diagnosed Morello with generalized anxiety disorder and symptoms of obsession and compulsion, according to his suit.
Jaziri’s opinion was that Morello was fit for duty and recommended medication and counseling.
Police Chief Louis J. Fusaro fired Morello on Sept. 13, 2010, and at the time said it was for “nondisciplinary” reasons with few other details released.
Morello claims in his suit that the city declined to allow Morello to undergo a third fitness-for-duty evaluation to reconcile differences between the previous two.
The suit argues that the department “failed to engage in an interactive good faith process to determine that reasonable accommodations could be made for Plaintiff’s disability.”
Because he was diagnosed with a mental disability and the department knew about it, his termination violated the state’s Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act, the suit claims.
The jury this week heard a portion of the actions that led to Morello’s initial suspension.
The woman Morello was accused of following first complained to police March 6, 2009, saying she believed she was followed "a few time,” and felt "very uncomfortable and vulnerable." She told police at that time that there had been previous incidents, but she at first had dismissed them as chance and later said she was afraid to report them.
On Nov. 21, 2009, the incident that led to Morello’s suspension, the woman reported that she noticed Morello driving away from her direction, but soon turned around and was following her.
Police said they later learned Morello had accessed the COLLECT system, (Connecticut On-Line Law Enforcement Communications Teleprocessing System) to access information about the woman.
Morello was charged by state police in October for impersonating a police officer and reckless driving, an arrest attorney Matthew E. Auger, who represents the city, has filed to introduce as evidence.
Morello was pulled over by a state trooper on May 2, 2014, and in an attempt to avoid arrest told the trooper he was a Norwich police officer and showed an old Norwich police identification card, according to a court motion.
Morello is represented by attorneys Jacques J. Parenteau and Magdalena B. Wiktor.
Twitter: @SmittyDay
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