The vice chair of the East Haven Police Commission was arrested in February, accused of threatening a high school student, and now the mayor is asking him to resign from his post.
Carl Perez, 55, of East Haven was working as a security guard at East Haven High School when a parent of a student at the school filed a complaint with police, claiming Perez made a threat against her son.
Police charged Perez with threatening in the second-degree and is due back in court on April 25.
"It is a conflict of interest for you to serve as a Police Commissioner during the pendency of your criminal action. Continuing to serve would require you to make unbiased decisions about the very department which called for and effectuated your recent arrest. This fact, inherently, raises a conflict," Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. said in a news release.
Maturo, a Republican, said in his letter to Perez that he would appoint a Democrat in Perez's place to not change the Democratic majority. He mentioned Attorney Michael Albis, former Mayor Hank Luzzi, former Representative Michael Lawlor or Robert Limoncelli as possibilities.
In the case that Perez's case is dismissed, Perez would be re-instated, Maturo said.
Attorney Patricia Cofrancesco previously said there has been no prior disciplinary action again Perez and they believe this will be resolved in his favor.
Cofrancesco, who is also the attorney for the police commission, previously said she does not believe this should affect his position on the police commission.
