Chief: Norwalk officers accused of drinking on the job at hotel resign
Two
Norwalk police officers accused of drinking on the job and ignoring service
calls resigned last week, according to Chief of Police Thomas Kulhawik.
News
12 has reported that police officers Michael Dimeglio and Sara Laudano turned themselves
in on Jan. 5 on charges of second-degree larceny and second-degree reckless
endangerment.
Their
arrest warrants say on the afternoon of Oct. 9, the two were seen on camera
drinking alcohol at Donovan's restaurant just before their shifts began.
Once
on the clock, they each allegedly had another drink in the parking lot of the
police department. Laudano is also accused of taking a hit of THC from a vape
pen.
Police
say the two have a baby together, who was with them at the time. Just before
Laudano responded to her first call, she allegedly put the child in her patrol
car, drove to get beer, then dropped the child off with her wife.
Court
documents show after that call, Laudano spent four hours in the parking lot of
High Road School drinking. She allegedly didn't respond to two calls that came
in.
Last
month, a judge denied Dimeglio's application for accelerated rehabilitation, a
pretrial program that allows a defendant to be on probation for a year and not
admit guilt. If no other crimes are committed, the charges disappear.