BRIDGEPORT, CT- A Bridgeport, Connecticut police captain finds himself under investigation after he allegedly used a gay slur directed at a fellow captain during a lineup on July 12, the CT Post reports. It appears to be a battle of the police captains in Bridgeport, a city which is no stranger to controversy and is headed by a mayor who is a convicted felon.
The outlet reports that Capt. Kevin Gilleran was accused by Capt. Lonnie Blackwell of uttering a curse word followed by a “derogatory homophobic slur” directed at Capt. John Cummings, according to an email account obtained by the CT Post which Blackwell sent to City Attorney Tyisha Toms.
On Tuesday, Toms said she notified Blackwell that employee discipline matters are not handled through the municipal law department and instead are taken care of by department heads.
The CT Post reached out to police chief Roderick Porter’s office for comment, however his office said that it was a pending investigation and declined to comment. The outlet asked if Gilleran has been placed on administrative leave, which is typical during an internal investigation and received the same response
“There is a pending investigation,” said Michael Salemme III, police union president when asked for comment and declining to do so.
In his email to Toms, Blackwell said it was prompted after he received a phone call from Salemme, who said “several” officers had reached out “as to what had occurred between high-ranking supervisors.”
“I advised Salemme that I would contact the city administration as a courtesy…to explain what had occurred,” Blackwell wrote.
Blackwell said that Gilleran’s alleged slur occurred following a “heated” exchange with Assistant Chief Frank Capozzi, and he appeared to make a joke at Gilleran’s expense in front of over 50 officers.
The outlet reported that Bridgeport has a policy prohibiting racial, ethnic, or sexist slurs and requires any such incidents to be reported to the city’s labor office for investigation. The policy also states, “Any employee who is found to have violated this policy shall be subject to a suspension and/or termination.”
City official Thomas Gaudett, Mayor Joseph Ganim’s chief administrative officer, is gay and read Blackwell’s email. He said that Bridgeport doesn’t condone words like those allegedly spoken by Gilleran and if true, appropriate discipline should follow.
Gaudett equivocated a bit, saying, “I know Capt. Gilleran to be a very good man who’s had a great career in the Bridgeport Police Department and I know he holds no hatred towards people based on their sexual orientation. This should be a learning moment for everyone.”
Law Enforcement Today will follow up if or when additional information becomes available.
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