Former Cop Arrested After Spitting Gum In Officer’s Face: Middletown Police

MIDDLETOWN, CT — A former Middletown police officer was arrested after an incident in which police say he spit gum in an officer’s face outside of a bar early Sunday morning.

Several police officers were stationed outside of Mezzo’s Bar and Grille, 106 Court Street, at about 1:30 a.m. on May 28. A police presence was being displayed as the bar closed as a result of several past incidents, such as fights, disturbances, intoxicated persons and other incidents that have occurred at the location, according to the police report. (To sign up for Middletown breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

As the patrons were exiting Mezzo’s, former Middletown Police Officer Ulyses Alvarez approached the officers and greeted them with handshakes. After engaging one officer in a brief conversation, Alvarez said he was leaving and then began to give handshakes goodbye.

As he shook one officer’s hand, he is accused of leaning in closer and spitting his gum in the officer’s face, striking the officer in the chin, according to the police report. The officer determined that Alvarez had done it in a deliberate manner and pushed him away, saying “you just spit your gum on me,” according to the report.

The officer attempted to place Alvarez in handcuffs and after he allegedly failed to comply with officers’ orders to place his hands behind his back, he was handcuffed and transported to police headquarters.

“The chewed up gum was located, seized and tagged into evidence,” police wrote in the report.

While at police headquarters, Alvarez refused to be processed and fingerprinted, according to the report.

Alvarez, 24, of Waterbury, was charged with assault on a public safety officer and failure to submit to fingerprinting. He was released on a promise to appear and is scheduled to be arraigned on June 9.

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