Bunnell Has Not Yet Been Disciplined For Unlawfully Accessing Database

It has been almost a discipline he’d mete out to Lt. Leonard Bunnell for having improperly accessed a state criminal database on nearly 40 occasions.

But he has not as of yet handed down any punishment, he said, because the state police have dropped the ball; McDaniel said he’s been “waiting and waiting and has heard nothing.”

What he’s waiting for, he said, is word on whether or not having Bunnell around will jeopardize the town’s plan for a regional dispatch.

“They have not gotten back to me,” McDaniel said.

Several calls to Connecticut State Police for clarification were met with essentially the same response: the agency has given McDaniel all the information he needs and how he chooses to punish Bunnell is up to him.

One top state police official told Montville Patch, “It’s on the mayor.”

The investigation 

After a  

During and following the investigation state police prohibited him from working around or accessing  -- or even asking about --- data from the system.

But Bunnell has since been back on the job working inside the police department, albeit, McDaniel said, McDaniel said Bunnell was only handling administrative tasks including scheduling.

But Patch learned that Bunnell has been doing routine police patrol-type duty; he’s stopped cars and issued tickets. McDaniel said that was okay because Bunnell wouldn’t need to access the criminal database nor would he need any data from the database to do car stops.  On that point, there may be disagreement, but there is no disagreement on this: Bunnell has assumed his duties and responsibilities and despite a statement to

Patch sent a late afternoon email Wednesday for clarification and comment to CSP spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance. We have since learned that Vance is on sick leave. The same questions posed to Vance have been sent to his office for comment.