Town to Appeal Officer Reinstatement Ruling

The town of Stratford plans to appeal a Superior Court judge's ruling to reinstate a police officer who suffered a seizure while on duty on June 6, 2009.

"The public’s safety and the integrity of our police department are too important to allow the decision to stand without seeking consideration of the appellate court, so that’s where the issue will be headed next," Mayor John A. Harkins said in a statement Tuesday after the ruling.

Two years ago, Justin LoSchiavo suffered a seizure while driving his patrol car, causing the front of his vehicle to crash into the rear of a parked car at a Stratford intersection, according to the CT Post.

The Post article said that before LoSchiavo was hired in 2006, a screening officer noted a history of seizures with the applicant, but when LoSchiavo went to a town-recommended neurologist after the 2009 crash he did not disclose that history to the doctor, which is a violation of police department policy and resulted in the firing of LoSchiavo.

"As everyone connected with this case seems to agree, Justin’s admission that he both lied to and misled the town’s doctor is more than a little problematic," Harkins said. "Now that there is a record of his dishonesty, his ability to serve in law enforcement has been compromised."