New Haven’s embattled police chief has until late October at the longest to have his fate decided.
The chief, Dean Esserman, has been out on sick leave since last week while he and the Harp administration negotiate whether he can return to his job or agree on an exit plan.
Esserman went on sick leave after completing a forced paid leave in the wake a series of high-profile controversies — including allegedly making a scene at Archie Moore’s restaurant over alleged inadequate service; to threatening to pull local police security for First Lady Michelle Obama over a perceived delay in gaining information about his spot in the motorcade; to failing to discipline a high-ranking officer who was found to have violated department rules by allegedly attacking a citizen who tried to photograph her and denying routine paperwork service to an immigrant mother whose daughter had been sexually assaulted.
Esserman had 335 hours of accumulated sick leave as of the beginning of last week, when his leave began, according to city human resources chief Stephen Librandi.
Sick pay is calculated on a basis of seven working hours per day, five days per week.
That would leave Esserman with 293 hours, or 42 working days, or roughly eight and a half weeks, as of this Tuesday morning.