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17 Bridgeport Police Officers Cited For Misconduct In Internal Affairs Probe

A report released by the Bridgeport Police Department regarding actions taken by officers during a party in October 2017, has found that 17 officers were involved in some type of wrongdoing. 

An internal investigation found that 17 officers committed some type of wrongdoing during an incident.

An internal investigation found that 17 officers committed some type of wrongdoing during an incident.

Photo Credit: File

According to the Connecticut Post, five officers and a civilian detention officer used excessive force, and 10 officers lied about their actions while breaking up a house party, an internal investigation found.

Overall, the report found rule violations and possible criminal activity by 17 police officers and two civilian detention officers, the paper wrote.

Two of the officers accused have committed suicide since the incident, including Thomas Lattanzio, who was accused of excessive force in the report, killed himself in December 2017, and Sgt. Mark Belinkie, who killed himself on Saturday, March 2, was accused of failing to supervise other officers involved and failing to provide medical attention to a man arrested in the incident, the report said.

Other officers named of wrongdoing in the report obtained by the Post included the use of excessive force by Sgt. Paul Scillia, detention officer Jose Figueroa and officers Michael Stanitis, Daniel Faroni, and Joseph Cruz. 

The report also says Scillia, Stanitis, Lattanzio, Cruz, Adam Szeps, Det. Kenneth Fortes and officers Douglas Bepko, Joseph Pires, Linet Castillo, and Natalie McLaughlin were not truthful during the investigation, the Post said.

Other charges released by the Post included Scillia, Lt. Robert Sapiro and Belinkie failing to supervise officers; Szeps, Belinkie and Steven Silva failed to provide medical attention, and Fortes and Pires provided inaccurate incident reporting.

In addition, Officer Michael Mazzacco was reported to have made a racial slur to a person arrested, and civilian officer Paul Humphrey swore at a prisoner, the Post said.

The report recommends disciplinary action by the Board of Police Commission and Chief Armando Perez, the Post said.

The chief said he would not comment on the issue until the end of the week in deference to funeral proceedings this week for Belinkie. 

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