Torrington police have terminated a sergeant after an investigation into excessive force.
Torrington Police Chief William Baldwin released a statement on Wednesday morning saying the department terminated Sergeant Gerald “Jay” Peters on Tuesday.
Peters was a 19-year-veteran of the department. He was accused of using excessive force against a person in police custody on May 23, 2020.
Police said the Litchfield State’s Attorney asked state police to conduct a criminal investigation, no criminal charges were brought forth and the incident was referred to administration and internal affairs of the Torrington Police Department. An independent investigation was then carried out.
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Police said Peters was found to have violated department policy in using Oleoresin Capsicum, a spray foam, and in the use of force.
The person who was in police custody did not sustain any serious injuries, according to police.
"I have to say as the police chief and as an administrator I need to maintain the integrity of this agency. I need to maintain the transparency of this agency and we need to hold our officers accountable for their actions," Chief William Baldwin told NBC Connecticut.
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"We're all human beings, Sometimes we make mistakes sometimes we do things were not supposed to do and when that occurs the point is to take, is to recognize, identify, and take corrective action," he added. "Officers also need to be able to take responsibility for their actions and most of the time they do take responsibility for their actions and we make sure we train...review and make sure these types of things don't happen again."
