Police Officer Retires After Leaving Gun Unattended While Guarding A Hospital Prisoner

The president of the local police union abruptly retired last week after allegedly leaving his gun belt unattended while guarding a prisoner at Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital, the New Haven Register reports.

Robert Nappe, who was working his third consecutive eight-hour shift, took a bathroom break while leaving his gun belt unattended on Sept. 6.

Sources said the gun belt was not touched, but the incident was reported by the hospital staff. Police are often assigned to guard prisoners at the hospital, who are kept handcuffed.

Several sources with the police department reportedly confirmed that Nappe retired on Sept. 10, where he had been working since 1984. Sources also said he frequently volunteered to work over times shifts.

Officials at the hospital deferred comments to the police, who were not able to be reached. Nappe declined to comment. Had he not retired, an internal affairs investigation would have been launched.

Nappe will no longer serve as union president, a role which has been assumed by Detective Paul DeCrosta.

Nappe is also involved in an ongoing lawsuit against the city over lost pension credit.

Read the full story at the New Haven Register.

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