New London's police chief is back on the job nearly 10 months after the city mayor placed her on administrative leave and ordered an investigation into her conduct, according to the mayor's office.
Chief Margaret Ackley has been reinstated effective Tuesday.
Ackley was placed on paid leave last July after asking a judge to make Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio "cease ignoring, bypassing, isolating, and marginalizing" her. It was the culmination of a more than year-long struggle between the mayor and police chief, who sued Finizio in June 2013 and accused him of interfering with her ability to do her job.
In placing Ackley on leave, Finizio accused her of undermining contract negotiations, jeopardizing public safety and deliberately withholding information critical to public safety during the city’s annual Sailfest event. Ackley, for her part, has blamed the mayor for problems with Sailfest.
Deputy Chief Peter Reichard served as interim chief in Ackley's absence.
