Hoffman v. McNamara

630 F. Supp. 1257, 121 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 3506, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27529
CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedMarch 27, 1986
DocketCiv. B-82-391 (PCD)
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 630 F. Supp. 1257 (Hoffman v. McNamara) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hoffman v. McNamara, 630 F. Supp. 1257, 121 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 3506, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27529 (D. Conn. 1986).

Opinion

*1259 RULING ON MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

DORSEY, District Judge.

Plaintiff claims relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 by reason of his dismissal from a police training course and the termination of his employment as a police officer of defendant City of Willimantic. All defendants have moved for summary judgment on the grounds that, as to all of plaintiffs claims, there are no issues of fact in dispute and that they are entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law. Plaintiff contests defendants’ contentions on legal but not factual grounds and has himself moved for summary judgment. As will be set forth below, the motions of defendants and plaintiff will be granted in part and denied in part.

Facts

Plaintiff was appointed a probationary police officer in Willimantic, Connecticut, in March of 1980. All Willimantic police constitute a labor bargaining unit, represented by a union. At his appointment, plaintiff became a member of the bargaining unit and his employment rights were established- by the contract negotiated by the union with the City. See Contract of Employment (attached as exhibit in support of the motion for summary judgment of defendant City of Willimantic), Article I, Sections 1 and 2; Article III, Section 2. The contract provided that a probationary police officer could be terminated at any time within the probation period for any reason. Id. at Article VIII, Section 2. A grievance procedure with respect to disputes arising out of the contract was provided in the contract by Article VI.

By state law, each municipal police officer is required to complete a training course. Conn.Gen.Stat. § 7-294d. In May of 1980, plaintiff was assigned to a residential training course given at the Municipal Police Training Academy (“Academy”), completion of which would have met the statutory requirement. The Academy is conducted by the Connecticut Municipal Police Training Council (“Council”), which exists by virtue of the provisions of Conn. Gen.Stat. §§ 7-294a — 7-294e. Defendant Hannon was, in May 1980, the Executive Director of the Council; defendant Kelly was Director of Training; and defendant Kazaleh was an instructor. Defendants Hussey and McNamara were, respectively, the Chiefs of the Willimantic and Stratford Police Departments.

At the Academy, plaintiff was provided with a manual which set forth the rules for trainees. During the course, plaintiff was the subject of reports suggesting improper conduct with Carla Diaz, a fellow trainee, who had been assigned from the Stratford Police Department. Hannon ordered an investigation of the charges, which was conducted by Kazaleh under the supervision of Kelly. Interviews were conducted of a number of plaintiff’s co-trainees. The information gleaned from various sources was to the effect that, on one or more occasions, plaintiff was known to be in Diaz’ assigned dormitory room with the door closed, in the late evening or early morning hours. At such times, voices and/or noises consistent with sexual conduct were heard to emanate from the room. In all reported instances, the interviewees characterized the noises/voices as suggestive of sexual activity. Plaintiff and Diaz were interviewed and denied any impropriety. In affidavits filed in court, each has denied that any sexual conduct occurred. The reports were reviewed by Hannon, who determined that a violation of the Academy’s rules had occurred on the basis that plaintiff and Diaz had engaged in sexual relations in Diaz’ Academy room. Hannon determined to and did dismiss plaintiff and Diaz on that basis. There is no evidence in the record to suggest that the decision to dismiss plaintiff was made other than solely by Hannon. Plaintiff was interviewed after Hannon’s decision had been reached. There was no formal hearing with respect to the charges.

At about the same time, two other trainees, male and female, who were observed in bed in the female’s room, were also dismissed. A third pair of trainees, male and female, who were also reported to have *1260 engaged in sexual intercourse, were not the subject of disciplinary action because their conduct did not occur at the Academy. Hannon did not receive first hand information in any of these cases from any source, including plaintiff.

Plaintiff was interviewed by defendants Hussey, Kelly, Kazaleh and a member of the Willimantic Police Department. He denied any misconduct. Based on the dismissal from the Academy, the failure of plaintiff to complete the training course and Hussey’s belief that plaintiff had been untruthful in answering questions about his conduct (he allegedly denied being in Diaz’ room alone with her), defendant Hussey informed plaintiff that there were only two alternatives: either plaintiff resign from the department, citing personal reasons if he wished, or he would be terminated by Hussey. Plaintiff chose to resign and executed a letter of resignation. Plaintiff claims that he did so under the duress of potential disclosure by Hussey of the reasons for his termination.

Defendant McNamara, as Chief of the Stratford Police Department, was made privy to the investigation which pertained both to plaintiff and Diaz because Diaz had been a member of the Stratford Police Department. McNamara expressed his view in a letter to Kelly that the situation warranted dismissal. Hannon emphatically stated that the decision to dismiss was his and he consulted and considered no one’s opinion in making it.

Discussion

It is clear that, as a result of the interviews done by the investigative officers, Hannon was provided with evidence that plaintiff engaged in sexual conduct with Diaz. While the evidence was not conclusive, Hannon credited it. 1 Plaintiff was not present at the interviews of the witnesses whose testimony was adverse. He did give his own version, but apparently his dismissal from the Academy had already been decided.

1. Due Process

The first issue is whether plaintiff was deprived of a liberty or property interest without due process.

A. Liberty Interest

Plaintiff claims the dismissal adversely affected his name and reputation and that this constitutes deprivation of a liberty interest. It must be remembered that Han-non is claimed to have done two things: (1) he dismissed plaintiff from the Academy, and (2) he caused defendant Hussey to be advised of the information which precipitated plaintiff’s dismissal. Defendants Kazaleh and Kelly merely conducted the interviews and reported what they had been told. There is no claim by plaintiff that any of these three reported what was said by the interviewees other than accurately. Defendant McNamara expressed his opinion as to the action he considered appropriate against Diaz and determined that plaintiff should not remain as a member of the Willimantic Police Department.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
630 F. Supp. 1257, 121 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 3506, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27529, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hoffman-v-mcnamara-ctd-1986.