Middlebury Cop May Face Felony Larceny Charges: Report

MIDDLEBURY, CT — At least one of two police officers recently fired could face felony larceny charges, according to The Waterbury Republican-American.

One officer was accused of charging the town falsely for overtime and both were neglecting patrolling duties during shifts. Officer Randy Ireland had served in the department since July 2016, and Officer Alton Cronin, also the police union president, had been with the department since April 2000.

Cronin is facing allegations that he fraudulently charged the town for 208 hours of overtime.

Both officers were terminated at a recent Police Commission meeting.

Police Chief Fran Dabbo said no criminal probe is underway but he would not rule one out.

An attorney for the officers said there was no internal investigation into the officers before the firing and claimed that Cronin was terminated to avoid paying him retirement benefits. The police officers' union has filed a grievance in the case, according to The Republican-American.