Assistant Police Chief Pete Reichard was suspended Friday pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct — including an alleged threat to arrest a newspaper reporter.
File Photo
The suspension was announced at a time when the department is seeking a new chief to replace departing top cop James Lewis. He had previously considered applying for the job.
Instead, Reichard (pictured) was reportedly escorted out of police headquarters Friday, his badge, car and gun taken.
The action followed a reportedly heated closed-door meeting in the chief’s office.
Lewis said Friday afternoon that the suspension stemmed from a number of incidents concerning Reichard’s “management” — the way he dealt with both cops and the public. He said complaints came from both the public and the police.
One of those incidents, Lewis said, involved a complaint filed by an officer, Matthew Prinz. Prinz charged that Reichard threatened him because he wore flamboyant white shoes to work.
Lewis said Friday that an internal investigation into that incident is continuing. Reichard’s “comments were certainly improper” in that incident, although the two men’s accounts of the incidents differ, Lewis said.
Lewis declined to further describe the incidents at stake.
Register reporter William Kaempffer wrote about the Prinz incident last September.
Sources said that Reichard grew angry at Kaempffer about that, and a feud developed; and that Reichard recently emailed Kaempffer threatening to arrest him.
Apparently that was a final straw that led to the heated confrontation Friday between the chief and the assistant chief, and the assistant chief’s suspension.
That conflict slipped into public view last Friday. Kaempffer wrote in a front-page article last Saturday: “Reichard, as is his practice, did not respond to messages from the New Haven Register.”
Kaempffer referred questions for this story to Register Editor Jack Kramer.
Kramer said he got a call Friday from city officials informing him that Reichard had been suspended. He was told that the city is taking the matter seriously.
Kramer said he wasn’t aware of the full scope of the conflict until today. “Based on some of the couldn’t‑be-reached-for-comments in the story, I knew there was some history there, but honestly only today did I realize the extent of it.”
The Register has not and does not plan to make a formal complaint against Reichard, Kramer said. “We’re just glad that the city is looking into it.”
Kaempffer will continue covering the police beat, as he has for many years, Kramer said.
Up To DeStefano
Lewis declined to comment the details of the dispute, noting that they’re part of an open investigation.
“It’s not a corruption type issue. It really has to do with some management decisions he made,” Lewis said. “It has to do with his relationship with some employees — I’m not talking about sexual relationships with people — and his relationships with people outside the police department, whether it was appropriate the way he handled some issues …
“Several incidents were brought to my attention. As those started evolving and being investigated, it brought additional issues of concern to me. Those are being forwarded to the mayor.”
The department is investigating the matter internally. As one of four assistant chiefs, Reichard does not fall under union protection. If an investigation leads to a recommendation of dismissal, the mayor would make that call.
“There clearly appears to be inappropriate conduct. It’s under review,” Mayor John DeStefano said. “This may at some point require my involvement.”
Lewis said Friday that Reichard’s name had not been forwarded to him as an official candidate for police chief.
I love the fact that Chief Lewis is cleaning house even with him leaven at the end of next month. I just hope we find another chief who will keep up the good work he has started.