New London ready to settle another lawsuit by city police officer

New London ― The city is poised to settle another in a series of lawsuits that have plagued the police department over the past several years, this one filed by a female detective who claimed institutional sexism and harassment.

The City Council on Monday approved an undisclosed settlement with detective Melissa “Missy” Schafranski-Broadbent, whose complaints of disparate treatment at the department date back to 2017 and culminated in a 2021 lawsuit against the city and two former department supervisors.

The terms of the settlement, which came as the lawsuit moved towards a trial, are not yet public since they have not been finalized or signed.

Attorney Jacques Parenteau, who represents Schafranski-Broadbent in the suit, said she is “pleased to get this behind her.”

Parenteau also represented police Lt. Cornelius Rodgers in his federal discrimination lawsuit against the city that ended with a settlement in September for the veteran Black officer that included a payout of $570,000.

Parenteau said he hopes the lawsuits helped inspire a shift in the way officers are treated at the department and said that with the newest settlement, “New London has taken meaningful steps to address discrimination in the workplace and Mayor (Michael) Passero deserves credit for that leadership.”

“With the change of direction represented by Chief Brian Wright’s appointment, we are hopeful that the culture that caused all these lawsuits will change for the better and that the NLPD will honor, nurture, and reward officers for their loyalty and efforts regardless of gender or race,” Parenteau said.

Wright, who was promoted from captain to chief in 2021, said the department has implemented various initiatives “aimed at fostering a respectful and welcoming environment.” Those initiatives include enhanced training programs, open forums for dialogue and what Wright called “robust support systems for our staff.”

“Collectively, we have made significant strides in shifting the culture within our agency to be more inclusive and supportive,” Wright said in a statement. “This progress is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all our team members who have embraced these changes wholeheartedly.”

Schafranski-Broadbent, 43, filed an initial in-house complaint in 2019, alleging she was treated unequally because of her gender and was harassed. She claims the complaint she filed led to retaliation against her and subjected her to a hostile work environment.

In her lawsuit, she named former Lt. Jeffrey Kalolo and Sgt. Charles Flynn, who was vice-president of the police union at the time. She cited a host of examples of mistreatment, including unwarranted reprimands, disparaging comments and criticisms, the suit alleged.

The complaint lingered for nearly two years before it was fully investigated.

Schafranski-Broadbent, who has worked at the department since 2007, said she had shown an interest through the years of a promotion to detective. She claimed she was relegated to the investigation of cases involving children and sex crimes based on gender stereotyping while male counterparts were given the cases that interested her.

She was eventually promoted to detective in 2020 but only after the promotion was inexplicably delayed and she had faced intimidation from Kalolo and others who tried to get her to withdraw her complaint against him, the suit alleged. Rodgers, in his suit, has similarly complained about an unfair promotion process.

Schafranski has been a detective since 2020 and now has specialized training in arson investigations.

In one example of what she claimed was numerous instances of mistreatment, Schafranski-Broadbent said she was demeaned when Flynn, in the presence of other officers, told her “Missy needs to decide if she wants to be a mommy or a cop.”

Both Kalolo and Flynn are now retired.

Kalolo was eventually disciplined for his alleged treatment of Schafranski-Broadbent but not before he filed a complaint against Schafranski-Broadbent, claiming she leaked her complaint against him.

In his lawsuit against Chief Brian Wright, Kalolo claimed he was sexually harassed by Wright. Wright was cleared of wrongdoing but had been placed on administrative leave during an investigation.

The alleged mistreatment had continued while the lawsuit was pending, the suit alleges. In 2021, Schafranski-Broadbent found out a fellow officer was selling ball caps and T-shirts with the words “464 Was Done Wrong,” a reference to Kalolo’s badge number.

Schafranski-Broadbent filed a complaint with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities earlier this year alleging she was “body-checked“ by a frustrated fellow investigator.

Parenteuau said Schafranski-Broadbent simply wants to be treated fairly and “hopes to continue to advance her skill set by getting exposure to more training opportunities.”

“Moving forward, we will remain focused on building an environment where every team member feels valued and respected,” Wright said. “Together, we will continue to work towards an inclusive future that highlights the exceptional work and dedication of our agency.”

g.smith@theday.com