Concluding his eight-year tenure as Middletown Police Chief, J. Edward Brymer turned in his badge on Sept. 1 for his role in the use of two disparaging letters with the potential/intention to fracture his police force.
“[Dismissing Brymer] is not something that I would have preferred to do,” said Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano. “But when the top person in the police department is participating in or condoning this use of anonymous letters, something must be done.”
Giuliano placed Brymer on administrative leave in May 2006 for holding/possessing and allegedly authoring documents about the conduct of Police Officer Glenn Morron. The documents, “Officer Glen [sic] Morron’s True History” and “Officer Glen [sic] Morron’s Autobiography,” severely criticize Morron and police union officials, amounting to defamation of character, city officials said.
Morron had arrested then Mayor of Middletown Domenique Thornton for driving while intoxicated on Sept. 14, 2005. The charge was later dropped. The two letters were written shortly after that date and express strong sentiments against the officers who arrested Thornton, the Middletown Press reported.
During his court hearing, Brymer said that he discussed the matter with Thornton, but she refused to act, citing a policy of not taking action on anonymous letters unless they are life threatening or criminal, the Press reported.
Mayor Giuliano also faulted the chief for refusing to act on information that could have exacerbated ongoing divisions within the police department. Later, the city’s legal team accused Brymer of authoring the “Morron documents,” and Brymer denied that charge, the Press reported.“I didn’t write it, I didn’t author it, and I didn’t distribute it,” Brymer said.
In late August, Brymer and Giuliano brokered a deal whereby Brymer would be forced to resign by Sept. 1. Beginning on Dec. 1, he will receive 275 days’ pay for unused sick and vacation time, followed by an annual retirement pension to begin in Jan. 2008.
Before leaving his post, Brymer wrote a letter to the editor of the Hartford Courant that summarizes his experience as chief and commends police department personnel for their outstanding service.
“No public figure is without his enemies, and I’ve had my share, but I have always served the city of Middletown to the best of my abilities, with the support of colleagues and friends,” Brymer wrote in the letter.
Until a new police chief is appointed on Dec. 1, former Deputy Police Chief Lynn Baldoni will act in Brymer’s place.
“The situation has already improved in the department [since Sept. 1], and morale is better than before,” Giuliano said. “Police officers have already said that there is consistency now that was lacking before.”
A veteran Middletown police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that Brymer’s dismissal is seen as a welcome change by most officers in the force.
“The old chief was a dinosaur,” he said. “He was way behind on technology. [Acting Police Chief] Baldoni is working real hard to get the place up to speed. She has helped improve the department’s technology and increased the [number of] officers on an understaffed police force.”
One city employee who encountered Brymer at least ten times through his work and the Rotary Club remarked that the ex-chief was “very insensitive and tactless.” The source, who spoke anonymously for fear of job security, said that he witnessed Brymer criticize community members for asking questions about safe sex promotion.
“He shouldn’t have been in charge of the Middletown Police Department, which is a very good one,” he said.
By contrast, Thornton said in her June testimony that Brymer was a good administrator who always used positive reinforcement and did not spread gossip, the Middletown Press reported.
“He always gave people the benefit of the doubt,” Thornton said during her testimony. “He went above and beyond the duties that were requested of him.”
Giuliano said that he intends to appoint a committee in October that will conduct a statewide search for Brymer’s permanent replacement. Baldoni and former Deputy Police Chief Phil Pessina are considered possible choices for the job.
As for police department improvements, Baldoni said that the department is purchasing a new computer-aided dispatch and record management system (CAD/RMS) that will help officers perform their jobs more efficiently. New equipment for the marine (river) unit has also been purchased.
Baldoni said she sees no obstacles in the way of having a good relationship with the University.
“We always welcome the Wesleyan students as they come back to school,” Baldoni said. “There are periodically some projects that Middletown police work on with Wesleyan, like tutoring for neighborhood kids and a liaison program. We’d like to continue those projects.”
Director of Public Safety David Meyer believes that the good relationship between the Middletown Police and University Public Safety will not be affected.
“Usually, we work more with officers and supervisors, not so much with the chief,” Meyer said. “We have had a pretty good rapport with them.”
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