Friday, October 03, 2008

Officer Michael Almeida Ordered to Surrender His Weapon

BROOKFIELD

A town police officer arrested in New Milford last week and charged in connection with a domestic violence complaint was scheduled to return to work today.

Officer Michael Almeida, 33, was charged Sept. 26 with disorderly conduct and second-degree threatening for dispute at his home with a 27-year-old woman.

Almeida appeared Monday in Superior Court in Bantam, where a judge ordered him to surrender his service revolver at the end of each shift while the case is pending.

Almeida qualified for a family services program, according to The Register Citizen in Torrington, which could result in the dismissal of all charges provided he adheres to the program's requirements.

Almeida, an officer for nine years, has been suspended with pay since his arrest, Brookfield Police Chief Robin Montgomery said.

"We have to conduct an internal inquiry, obviously," Montgomery said. "The judge at the hearing Monday allowed him to come back to work and to carry his weapon while at work. After his shift is over, he leaves his weapon here."

Montgomery said the internal probe into Almeida's arrest could take until the end of the month.

Second-degree threatening is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

It is defined as placing another person in fear of imminent personal injury or threatening to commit an act of violence.

Almeida is due in court again Oct. 30.

http://www.newstimes.com

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