Crime & Safety
Former Stratford Police Officer Wins $2.5M Case Against Town
The former detective claimed he was forced into retirement due to a series of disciplinary actions and his right to free speech was violated
STRATFORD, CT — Former Stratford police officer William Jennings was awarded a $2.5 million verdict Wednesday in federal court from a lawsuit against the town in which he claimed that a series of disciplinary actions forced him into retirement and violated his constitutional right to free speech, according to the New Haven Register.
The Register reports an eight-member jury awarded Jennings, a former narcotics detective who retired in 2012, $1 million in compensatory damages for lost wages and emotional distress plus $1.5 million in punitive damages.
In response, Town Attorney Chris Hodgson told the Stratford Star that the town “vehemently disagrees with the verdict” and plans to appeal the decision.
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