Concerns raised after rash of Norwalk police officer arrests within the span of one month
NORWALK, Connecticut (WABC) -- The chief of the Norwalk Police Department promised a thorough and transparent investigation into the recent arrests of three officers.
Last week, David Vetare, a former "Officer of the Year," was charged in an alleged road rage incident on the Merritt Parkway, where he is accused of trying to run a female motorist off the road.
Last month, Officer Hector Delgado, who is known for his community work, was charged with stalking his ex-wife.
In February, Sgt. Shannon Sherry was arrested in connection with a crash that killed a 24-year-old man. Sherry is accused of cutting off the victim's truck and causing it to roll over.
Defense Attorney Darnell Crosland has represented victims of alleged police misconduct and lives in Norwalk.
"As a former President of the NAACP, and as a resident of Norwalk, when I see this amount of arrests coming out of the police department it's very troublesome," said Crosland.
Though the three officers represent less than two percent of the force in Norwalk, the Norwalk Police Chief James Walsh nevertheless acknowledges that the arrests have "shaken the trust that we have worked tirelessly to build in our community."
In his statement, he said, "These actions do not define our department as a whole. We are committed to transparency, accountability, and upholding the highest standards of integrity."
The Mayor of Norwalk, who is a former Chief of Police, gave no comment on the incident.
Crosland says the department must work to rebuild the public's trust.
"The community is not going to sleep well at night knowing that police officers are getting arrested," said Crosland. "Not just in this cluster, but we can keep going back."
In 2021, a male and female officer were arrested after being found in a hotel room, drinking while on duty.
In the three recent, unrelated incidents, however, the officers were off duty.
"If their behavior is not reflective of who they should be as police officers than we don't have any confidence that on duty, they're going to behave any different," said Crosland. "And that, I think, tears away at the fabric or core of what the community wants."
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