Charges Notwithstanding, Montville Police Lieutenant Back at Work

Montville Police Lt. Leonard Bunnell is apparently back at his desk and has assumed his regular duties, according to police, after the conclusion of a state police investigation into alleged computer crimes committed by the ranking officer as well as the conclusion of a near-eight month investigation into complaints of workplace and sexual harassment made by a female police officer.

That probe, conducted by the town’s finance director and hired counsel, found that while the allegations “generally occurred” they did not rise to the level of harassment. The allegations include comments about the officers’ breasts and instances of intimidation.

 The 35-year Montville Police veteran had his  last Friday, his chance to explain himself as Mayor Ronald McDaniel moves forward with the disciplinary process. McDaniel said he would decide the ranking officer’s punishment, inform him and the police union and then, he said, the town should likely anticipate a union grievance.  

According to The complaint against Bunnell was that he knowingly and improperly accessed the state criminal background database on 38 occasions between October of 2011 and January of 2012. 

Troop E commanding officer Lt. Samuel R. Izzarelli lodged the complaint against Bunnell after getting a report by a system auditor.

It is unknown who may have instructed Bushway to make that request, if anyone did, or how many other such requests may have been made by town officials. 

Bunnell was also the subject of an October 2011 discrimination and harassment complaint by Montville Police Officer Karen Moorehead. 

 hostility and sexual harassment, the latter pertaining to a Bunnell remark about Moorehead’s breasts. The investigation concluded that Bunnell’s behaviors toward Moorehead while “entirely inappropriate …did not rise to the level to support a claim of sexual or workplace harassment.”

Montville Patch has made Freedom of Information request for the CSP investigation.

The likely charges, police sources said, would be Connecticut General statutes regarding unauthorized access to a computer system, which, if criminally prosecuted and adjudicated guilty, could result in hefty fines.