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Madison Settles Police Officer Lawsuit

A lawsuit filled by a former Madison police officer against the Town of Madison came to an end on Feb. 17 after the Board of Selectmen voted to approve a $42,032.84 special appropriation to finalize the settlement agreement.

Officer Patricia Alonso first filed a discrimination complaint against the town in December 2013, claiming she had been treated differently by her employers during her second pregnancy. The lawsuit claimed that she was not put on desk duty or offered the same amount of maternity leave as during her first pregnancy.

Alonso had been a Madison police officer since 2008 and had her first child in 2011. According to her complaint, Alonso said she informed Chief Jack Drumm of her second pregnancy in 2012, but claims she was denied desk duty pending a doctor’s note.

According to the complaint, when she went on leave for her pregnancy, Alonso was required to turn in her gun and police identification, a move she claimed indicated that the town “intended to terminate her employment.”

The lawsuit filed formally states, “The plaintiff alleges that the defendant discriminated against her in the terms and conditions of her employment on account of her sex and pregnancy. The plaintiff seeks injunctive relief, including restoration of seniority and benefits and monetary damages, including lost wages and benefits of employment, compensatory damages, and punitive damages.”

First Selectman Tom Banisch confirmed the case had been settled out of court.

“We had a meeting a few weeks ago with their attorney and our attorney and we found that there was some middle ground,” he said. “Eventually we worked out a settlement that the officer would get a settlement and leave and that was acceptable to both them and the town.”

Banisch said that the officer’s employment contract was officially terminated with the signing of the contract. According to the official settlement agreement, “In lieu of salary continuation for one year in the amount of $69,173, Alonso’s weekly salary will be continued through June 30, 2016, with total gross payments in the amount of $27,140.16 at which time a lump sum payment in the amount of $42,032.84 shall be made to Alonso.”

The Board of Selectmen, pending Board of Finance approval, unanimously approved the settlement agreement and special appropriation.