By Jonathan Dienst, Joe Valiquette and Shimon Prokupecz, NBCNewYork.com
Updated at 1:13 p.m. ET:
The three officers and one sergeant on the East Haven Police Department accused of assaulting Latino suspects and residents while on patrol ?behaved like bullies with badges,? an FBI investigator told NBC News on Tuesday.
FBI agents arrested the four men, including the president of the local police union, on charges they terrorized individuals and drummed up false reports to cover up abuses in a Connecticut suburb where a federal probe uncovered episodes of misery inflicted on the Latino community.?
?The four police officers charged today allegedly formed a cancerous cadre that routinely deprived East Haven residents of their civil rights,? FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Janice K. Fedarcyk told NBC News.? ?The public should not need protection from those sworn to protect and serve.? In simple terms, these defendants behaved like bullies with badges.?
Read complete coverage at NBCConnecticut.com
The East Haven Police Department has been under scrutiny for months amid allegations some officers mistreat people of color.
?The serious crimes alleged in the indictment undermine the public?s trust in the fine men and women of law enforcement who serve the people bravely and with integrity every day,? U.S. Attorney David Fein told NBC News.??
The indictment alleges more than 30 overt acts by the four defendants ? Dennis Spaulding, David Cari, Jason Zullo and Sgt. John Miller -- and others in furtherance of the conspiracy, including:
- A July 2007 incident during which Miller and another officer used unreasonable force against a victim in the vicinity of the Saltonstall Parkway;???
- A November 2008 incident during which Spaulding used excessive force against an individual in the parking lot of a Latino-owned restaurant and bar. Spaulding then arrested the individual under false pretenses to cover-up the assault and prepared a false report to justify the false arrest;
- A January 2009 incident in the same parking lot during which Spaulding and Zullo arrested three individuals under false pretenses and with Miller and Cari present. Zullo then used excessive force against two of the individuals in the EHPD station, and Spaulding prepared a false report to justify the arrests;
- A February 2009 incident during which Spaulding, Cari and other officers illegally searched a vehicle parked outside of a Latino-owned grocery store. Inside the store, Cari and Spaulding, under Miller?s supervision, then arrested a religious leader, who is also an advocate for Latinos, on false pretenses. At Miller?s direction, Cari, Spaulding, Zullo and others conducted an illegal search of the back room of the store in an effort to unlawfully seize the store?s video recording equipment. In the days following the arrest, Cari drafted various false versions of an arrest report to cover up the false arrest of the religious leader. In the months following the incident, Spaulding engaged in behavior intended to intimidate the religious leader and others;
- A January 2010 incident during which Miller used excessive force against an individual in the vicinity of Thompson Avenue, and then reprimanded a fellow officer who witnessed the assault and reported it to a supervisory sergeant;
- Intimidation and harassment of East Haven Police Commissioners who were attempting to investigate the arrest of the religious leader and other alleged misconduct involving Miller; Intimidation of EHPD personnel, including threatening statements about an EHPD officer who was believed to be cooperating in an investigation of EHPD.
Earlier:
The FBI arrested three police officers and one sergeant in Connecticut for allegedly mistreating Hispanic suspects and residents while on patrol, law enforcement officials said.?
Three East Haven police officers and the sergeant were taken into custody early Tuesday and are expected to be arraigned in federal court in Bridgeport later on the civil rights-related charges, the officials said.
The officers were?identified as Dennis Spaulding, David Cari, Jason Zullo and Sgt. John Miller.
Connecticut U.S. Attorney spokesman Tom Carson confirmed the arrests and said the charges would be outlined at a news conference in Bridgeport later Tuesday morning.
The East Haven Police Department has been under scrutiny for months amid allegations some officers mistreat people of color.
The arrests come weeks after the Justice Department issued a report saying some members of the department intentionally targeted Latinos for enforcement and traffic stops, and that there may have been efforts to cover up the alleged misconduct.
The Justice Department also found "serious deficiencies" in how the department is managed, officials told NBC New York.
Rev. James Manship is among those who worked to document what he said was harassment of Latino businesses by police for no apparent reason. Manship was arrested and locked up while videotaping one arrest. He was later released.?
Click here to read the original story on NBCNewYork.com
The former chief of the East Haven Police has denied his department systematically engaged in any wrongdoing. But he acknowledged certain members of the department were being investigated.
The New York FBI joined in the investigation to avoid any appearance of a conflict by the FBI Connecticut, which works closely with local police departments. An FBI New York spokesman declined to comment.?
There was no immediate comment from an East Haven police department spokesperson either.
Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy commented on the allegations of racial profiling last week, saying, "As governor, I will continue to insist that every effort is taken to protect individual rights in every community,and that racial profiling is eliminated.?
Some residents and civil rights groups have held vigils and rallies to protest the alleged police misconduct. Previous news reports suggested as many as 15 officers were under scrutiny for alleged misconduct.
Connecticut U.S. Attorney spokesman Tom Carson confirmed the arrests and said the charges would be outlined at a news conference in Bridgeport later Tuesday morning.
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