Video prompts internal investigation of Naugatuck police  

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By Elio Gugliotti, Editor


(The video above was posted on Facebook. Naugatuck Police Chief Steven Hunt initiated an internal investigation after learning of the video.)

NAUGATUCK — Borough police said Tuesday they have launched an internal investigation after they received a complaint against an officer that stemmed from a recording of a traffic stop that was posted to social media.

Police said the footage, which appears to have been recorded by an overhead surveillance camera, showed Officer Ian Kosky performing a traffic stop at about 9 a.m. Monday near a road construction site on Rubber Avenue.

The video shows the driver of a car pull his vehicle into a parking lot on Rubber Avenue and Kosky, who has been with the department for 14 years, approaches the car as the man climbs out. At one point, the officer steps closer to the driver until the two are face-to-face. After about a minute, Kosky grabs the man’s hand, turns him around and pushes him up against the car, the video shows.

A few seconds later, a second officer, who police did not identify, walks toward the detained man as he is still up against the car with his hands behind his back. They eventually let the driver go, the recording shows.

The Facebook user who posted the video, “Jonas IDr,” wrote in the post he drove into a parking lot after driving around a police cruiser that was blocking a lane on Rubber Avenue near a Friendly’s Restaurant.

The post stated the officer ran up to the car screaming. It stated he was “slammed” into the car after getting his wallet to provide identification and asking the officer to call a supervisor because he felt the officer was acting hostile and aggressive.

He wrote he asked for paramedics, but was threatened with being arrested if he didn’t comply. He was then issued tickets for motor vehicle violations and interfering with an officer, according to the post.

The user did not respond to a Facebook message Tuesday seeking comment about the allegations.

Police, who provided few details about the incident Tuesday, said the department was aware of the video and received a formal complaint about the traffic stop, which prompted Police Chief Steven Hunt to launch an internal investigation. Police declined to release the complaint, citing the ongoing investigation.

Deputy Police Chief C. Colin McAllister said the department is reviewing footage of the incident, but declined to say whether the department has footage from body cameras worn by officers.
He said the department has not taken any disciplinary action or placed an officer on administrative assignment as part of the investigation. McAllister said the investigation is still in its early stages and he couldn’t comment further.

Police ask anyone with information about the incident to contact Detective Lt. Daniel Norck at 203-729-5222 ext. 2581.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated from the original post.

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