Report: Cop had pattern of abuse

Fired sergeant allegedly touched colleagues, exposed self

MIDDLETOWN — Details of the internal affairs probe that led to the September firing of a 15-year city police sergeant reveal a pattern of sexual harassment and verbal abuse that fostered a culture of fear among many police employees, according to the report.

The most serious incidents were those that involved ex-Sgt. Frank Scirpo’s unwelcome physical contact with officers and staff, him allegedly exposing himself to officers in the changing room, and an instance of him showing officers fetish-style pornography on an iPad, documents say.

The report includes testimony from about 20 officers.

Scirpo, who joined the force in 2003, was terminated from his job Sept. 26 after being found to have engaged in sexual harassment, and violating eight other city and police policies involving conduct unbecoming of an officer, officious behavior, zero tolerance, duty to obey, dereliction and performance of duty, language and respect, according to the investigation, which ran from late March through June 19 and was conducted by Sgt. Brian Hubbs.

“I frequently heard the comment, ‘Frank being Frank,’ or officers referring to his actions as inappropriate but the new ‘normal’ for their work day. Other officers were very clearly affected … referencing fear of retaliation, second guessing their own performance, a degradation of firearms skills, and fear of repeated exposure to inappropriate touching or comments,” the report says.

“Scirpo’s inappropriate behavior was a byproduct of his arrogance and the way he supervises,” one officer told investigators.

Middletown Police Union Local 1361 President Sgt. David Fuchs hasn’t returned calls and email requests for comment. Former Union President Derek Puorro didn’t immediately return an email requesting a statement and Scirpo could not be reached for comment.

In a Sept. 26 letter Mayor Dan Drew wrote to Scirpo, the mayor concluded the sergeant’s actions demonstrated a (serious) “pattern of incidents of inappropriate and harassing behavior toward other sworn officers and civilian staff, some of which occurred in front of the public. I find these charges substantiated.” “While your testimony at that hearing wasn’t exculpatory, you did accept responsibility and express genuine regret,” he said.

The probe began March 21 after an officer sent an email to his supervisor about an encounter he had with Scirpo at headquarters about an unauthorized shirt the officer was wearing while on duty, the report says.

An officer testified “Scirpo’s inappropriate behavior for a supervisor seems to be snowballing,” then described what happened to investigators. “Scirpo grabbed the officer, put his arm in his coat, feeling around his arm,” then berated the man and threatened to write him up for the offense, the report says.

Afterward, an officer pointed out Scirpo was wearing “unauthorized equipment,” according to the report, which does not offer details.

“Him putting his hands on someone that night, that wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg for (Scirpo’s) inappropriate behavior,” the report says.

Video surveillance of the incident didn’t “clearly show the encounter” because Scirpo’s body was blocking the camera’s view, the report indicates. However, “I did see supportive body language and body movement that could be suggestive of what (the officer) reported,” the report says.

According to the report, the video shows Scirpo taking his left arm and reaching into an officer’s jacket sleeve. Later that night, Scirpo is seen on video sitting behind an officer, then “lightly touching the tips of” his fingers, rubbing the officer’s scalp, caressing the back of the officer’s ear with his finger, and caressing the officer’s face, according to investigators. In response, the officer pulled away and blocked Scirpo’s arm, according to the report.

One officer told investigators “Scirpo would lightly rub people or touch their faces... ” Another said he was “horrible as a boss, but is a good person as an individual,” adding, “It’s disgusting, unbelievable, that the person is actually a supervisor. It’s insane that he can get away with it. It’s insane that he hasn’t been spoken to about it,” according to testimony in the report.

On March 20, Scirpo placed his iPad on a counter in full view of three officers and played a video of two women engaging in an act of fetishism, the report says.

During another incident, which took place while an officer was working on paperwork, Scirpo “took a pen he was holding and put it in the (officer’s pants),” investigators says.

Many officers “are afraid to say anything,” the report says.

It continues: “Scirpo thinks all of this is funny, and many people may have dismissed this over the years, including myself, but we are very much over his behavior .. a byproduct of his arrogance and abuse of power .. he thinks not only is this funny, but he thinks he is actually not doing anything wrong. As a person, Sgt. Scirpo is genuinely a very nice man,” according to testimony.

Another officer alleged that, on a few occasions, Scirpo exposed his private area in the locker room after calling out the officer’s name, the report said. When the officer looked at Scirpo, he said Scirpo was naked with his foot on a bench, the probe says. However, the officer said, Scirpo stopped behaving in that manner “once he realized the person didn’t like it,” and the incidents had happened “way back,” the report said.

Another individual told investigators Scirpo would wear kilts with no underclothing, and alleged that while intoxicated, “liked to flash his genitals,” according to the report.

Another officer testified Scirpo “grabbed his butt several times as he was walking up the road. One said Scirpo “targets officers who are meek and mildmannered or new to the department because those are the easy ones,” according to the report. Several said Scirpo had used the word “retarded” to describe them, the report said.

Another time, at an accident scene involving a child, Scirpo allegedly said one officer “looked like a child molester” who appeared to want to accost the child, the report said.

Many of the officers’ testimonies were corroborated by others in the report.

Scirpo, who joined the force in 2003 as a SWAT operator, earned the rank of sergeant in September 2013. He worked in the patrol division, and was a firearms instructor and field training officer during his tenure at MPD.

The report says officers reported that Scirpo, while teaching officers at the firing range, “gets enjoyment out of just barking and screaming at people,” and his demeanor and teaching style were “brutal.” Another alleged in the report that Scirpo had touched the officer’s genitals while demonstrating a pat-down.

Those testifying also said Scirpo yelled at officers at police scenes in front of civilians and swore at them: “In his mind, he is the ultimate power,” and “in this place or any police department, you create a monster by doing nothing. And, unfortunately, he’s one of the monsters that got created,” according to the report.

In one incident alleged in the report, Scirpo came up to an officer who was urinating in the men’s room, and asked if he could share the toilet, even though there were three open ones, the report says.

Another officer said “most of the officers seem to have the same mentality as him,” and laugh off Scirpo’s behavior, the report says.

During the Scirpo interview, investigators said the now ex-sergeant described his supervisory style as “he tries to be fair with officers, work with them on any issues that come up and encourages them,” as well as praising them when they do a good job by saying “that a boy.”

The report said Scirpo replied to most questions with “I don’t recall” or something similar when asked about a number of specific incidents, including one time when he made an inappropriate comment while an officer was eating a banana. He also said he was joking around when he touched the officers, according to the investigation.

“At times, he might be more authoritative and other times nicer and softer,” the officer told internal affairs.

Scirpo is vested for his pension, but cannot collect until age 65, the mayor has said, and will keep his city-issued health insurance policy, according to the terms under his AFSCME Local 1361 collective bargaining agreement.

Scirpo