Enfield Police Officer Accused in Brutality Case Is Fired

Enfield police have fired an officer who was accused of using excessive force during an arrest last April.

Officer Matthew Worden was fired Friday morning following what Enfield Police Chief Carl Sferrazza described to NBC Connecticut was “a thorough, comprehensive and exhaustive investigation.”

Since the April 1 incident, Worden has been on paid administrative. The charges against Mark Maher of Windsor who was arrested after being found in a local park boat launch after hours, were dropped in August. Shortly after his arrest Maher filed a police brutality complaint against Worden.

In videos that defense lawyers obtained in August, Worden can be seen striking Maher at least three times while the man was on the ground with the other two officers on top of him.

In July, Hartford State’s Attorney Gail Hardy refused to sign an arrest warrant after Enfield police submitted a seven-page arrest warrant application seeking to charge Worden with third-degree assault. Meanwhile an internal investigation continued, culminating with Worden’s termination on Friday.

The full NBC Connecticut report can be found here.

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