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New London County resident Ryan O'Connell, age 42, of the city of Norwich, was arrested on Monday, Feb. 12 on an arrest warrant, the Connecticut State Police announced.
O’Connell, who is a Norwich Police Department officer, served as the president of the city’s Police Benevolent Association from 2015 until 2022.
As the president of the PBA, O’Connell had access to the association’s debit card, which he allegedly used for personal use dozens of times throughout his tenure.
His purported misuse was first discovered when the association learned that it would not be able to provide its usual Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, which it provides to officers working over the holidays, because there were insufficient funds.
When he was presented with questions about his personal use of the PBA debit card in January 2022, O’Connell resigned as president, though he continued to serve in the patrol division of the police department.
According to an in-depth investigation following his resignation, O’Connell is suspected by the PBA to have spent $3,556.70 of the association’s funds for his own use — though, due to the five-year statute of limitations for larceny, he is currently being prosecuted for the $3,168.92 that occurred since 2019.
His 92 fraudulent transactions include purchases at restaurants and coffee shops, personal cell phone bills, and a subscription to Amazon Prime.
O’Connell also is accused of withdrawing $500 cash for what he said would be a grill for the PBA, though he reportedly later said it was actually for the association’s podcast. Executive board members with the PBA claim that he did not explain this payment to the board and it was never reimbursed.
After a warrant was issued for his arrest, O’Connell turned himself in, where he was charged with larceny.
O’Connell is scheduled to be arraigned at Norwich Superior Court on Tuesday, Feb. 27.
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