Body cam video shows East Lyme police chief at call despite being on administrative leave

East Lyme ― Body-worn camera footage provided Tuesday by the police department shows embattled Police Chief Michael Finkelstein responding to a police call despite being on paid administrative leave.

But was it the act of a Good Samaritan or a violation of his forced leave?

Footage from cameras belonging to three of the four officers show their response to an Aug. 16 report that went out over the department’s radio frequency of a man in the area of Cedar Ridge Golf Course who might be suicidal and could be carrying a gun.

Finkelstein was the first one to arrive, according to written reports and body camera footage from Det. William Turcotte, Officer Lindsay Cutillo and Officer Taylor Desjardins.

Finkelstein, who is facing domestic violence charges, has been on paid administrative leave for nearly 80 days.

He remained at the scene for about two minutes, the footage shows. His presence there prompted an emergency meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners early last week.

Emergency meetings, which are allowed under state law, are understood to involve an “unexpected situation or sudden occurrence of a serious and urgent nature that demands immediate action.”

No action was taken by the police commission at the meeting or since.

Written reports from the officers described their surprise at finding Finkelstein at the scene when they got there because he had been placed on leave.

Body camera footage revealed him sitting on a pile of logs alongside the unnamed man.

“He’s got no gun,” Finkelstein told Cutillo in the video from her body camera.

Finkelstein, in a long sleeve T-shirt and athletic shorts, continued to talk with the man for almost a minute. The interaction was cut short when Cutillo began to pat down the man to ensure he did not have a weapon.

Finkelstein stood there watching for another minute with his hands on his hips, a multicolored child’s bracelet on the wrist of the father of seven. It was only after Turcotte stepped away from the group that Finkelstein followed him.

The conversation was audible in footage from the detective’s body camera.

“I’m driving down and I saw him sitting over here,” Finkelstein said. “Just wanted to make sure he didn’t have anything on him.”

About 30 seconds of small talk and awkward silence ensued as they watched the other officers and the man. Finally, Finkelstein said, “You guys are all set.”

Turcotte responded with a “thank you, Chief” that made Finkelstein laugh out loud on his way to the town-provided Ford Taurus he’d parked nearby.

Finkelstein was placed on leave June 5 by First Selectman Daniel Cunningham and police commission Chairman Daniel Price to give them time to review the allegations against the chief, which at that time consisted of two misdemeanor charges related to the domestic violence allegations.

He was subsequently charged with violating a protective order against him based on his alleged failure to turn over his gun following his arrest, which is a felony.

“You are instructed not to enter the premises of your regular duty areas unless specifically authorized in advance by me,” Cunningham wrote.

He said not complying with the directives in the letter could result in disciplinary action, “up to and including termination of employment.”

‘Is he gone?’

After Finkelstein left the scene of the Friday afternoon call, Turcotte could be seen on Cutillo’s video footage gesturing toward the side road where the chief had been parked.

“Is he gone?” Turcotte asked.

Cutillo, who was in the middle of dealing with the man along with Desjardins, said she didn’t know where Finkelstein was.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Cutillo said.

The chief in the footage could be seen leaving on the side street. Sgt. Paul Renshaw, whose body camera footage was not initially provided with the others, arrived as Finkelstein was pulling away.

John Nazzaro, Finkelstein’s attorney, said last week his client was only doing what “any Good Samaritan should do.”

Nazzaro said Finkelstein learned of the potentially suicidal man “through public information,” not police communications. He declined to say what he meant by “public information.”

Nazzaro said the police radio in the car provided for him by the town had been disabled.

Cutillo in her written report said the man told her Finkelstein did not identify himself as a police officer or conduct any searches.

Nazzaro put it this way: “He did what any Good Samaritan should do. He’s still a peace officer and he’s not going to turn a blind eye to something happening right in front of him.”

Price, the police commission chairman, did not respond Tuesday to a call for comment.

e.regan@theday.com