No active head of any police department of any town, city or borough shall be dismissed unless there is a showing of just cause by the authority having the power of dismissal and such person has been given notice in writing of the specific grounds for such dismissal and an opportunity to be heard in his own defense, personally or by counsel, at a public hearing before such authority. Such public hearing, unless otherwise specified by charter, shall be held not less than five nor more than ten days after such notice. Any person so dismissed may appeal within thirty days following such dismissal to the superior court for the judicial district in which such town, city or borough is located. Service shall be made as in civil process. Said court shall review the record of such hearing, and, if it appears upon the hearing upon the appeal that testimony is necessary for an equitable disposition of the appeal, it may take evidence or appoint a referee or a committee to take such evidence as it directs and report the same to the court with his or its findings of fact, which report shall constitute a part of the proceedings upon which the determination of the court shall be made. The court, upon such appeal, and after a hearing thereon, may affirm the action of such authority, or may set the same aside if it finds that such authority acted illegally or arbitrarily, or in the abuse of its discretion, with bad faith, malice, or without just cause.
(1949, 1951, 1955, S. 425d; P.A. 74-183, S. 178, 291; P.A. 76-436, S. 288, 681; P.A. 82-472, S. 18, 183; P.A. 83-212.)
History: P.A. 74-183 added reference to judicial district; P.A. 76-436 substituted superior court for court of common pleas, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 82-472 deleted obsolete reference to county as venue for superior court; P.A. 83-212 required a showing of just cause for municipal police chief dismissals.
Cited. 209 C. 353; 223 C. 354; 229 C. 703.
Cited. 44 CA 611.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 104 - Municipal Police and Fire Protection
Section 7-275. - Meetings of commissioners. Vacancies.
Section 7-276. - Powers of commissioners.
Section 7-277. - Town to bear expense.
Section 7-277a. - Police assistance agreements.
Section 7-279. - Subpoena to appear before municipal police commissioners.
Section 7-280. - Witness fees.
Section 7-281a. - Free use of COLLECT system.
Section 7-282. - Municipal accident and police records.
Section 7-282a. - Reporting of bomb incidents.
Section 7-282b. - Automatic telephone alarms.
Section 7-282d. - Imposition of pedestrian citation or traffic ticket quotas prohibited.
Section 7-283. - Employment of private detectives.
Section 7-284. - Police protection at places of amusement.
Section 7-285. - Sale of unclaimed goods by police departments.
Section 7-286. - Police matrons in certain cities.
Section 7-287. - Female prisoners under care of police matron.
Section 7-288. - Duty of police matron.
Section 7-289. - Qualifications of matron; salary; removal.
Section 7-290. - Separate station for female prisoners.
Section 7-291. - Police surgeons.
Section 7-291b. - Guidelines re recruitment, retention and promotion of minority police officers.
Section 7-291e. - Requirements re provision of behavioral health assessments to police officers.
Section 7-292. - Adoption of forty-hour week for policemen.
Section 7-294. - Earnings not affected.
Section 7-294a. - Police Officer Standards and Training Council: Definitions.
Section 7-294b. - Members of council. Holding of other office.
Section 7-294c. - Submission of annual report by council to Governor and General Assembly.
Section 7-294dd. - Reimbursement for cost of police officer certification.
Section 7-294e. - Recertification of police officers. Regulations.
Section 7-294hh. - State and local police policy concerning crowd management. Regulations. Training.
Section 7-294mm. - Timely notification by a peace officer of a death.
Section 7-294o. - Development and implementation of policy re missing person reports. Training.
Section 7-294t. - Eyewitness Identification and Emerging Technologies Task Force.
Section 7-294w. - State and local police training programs to include traffic incident management.
Section 7-294x. - Council to provide training to public school security personnel.
Section 7-294aaa. - Establishment of civilian police review boards.
Section 7-295. - Acceptance of part.
Section 7-296. - Reserve fund of police department.
Section 7-297. - Veteran reserve; retirement; death benefits.
Section 7-298. - Removal of policemen not restricted.
Section 7-299. - City ordinances.
Section 7-300. - Establishment of funds in towns and boroughs.
Section 7-301. - Establishment of fire department.
Section 7-302. - Hearing prior to dismissal of fire department head. Appeal.
Section 7-303. - “Municipality”, “work” and “duty” defined.
Section 7-304. - Participation of municipalities.
Section 7-307. - Age requirement for veterans.
Section 7-309. - Liability for damage caused by motor vehicle used for fire fighting.
Section 7-311. - Liability for delay in reporting fire or other emergency.
Section 7-312. - Liability as to use of water holes.
Section 7-313a. - Fire police.
Section 7-313b. - Authority of fire department officer to order removal of persons.
Section 7-313c. - Indemnification for educational expenses.
Section 7-313d. - Local fire department's authority to inspect state facilities.
Section 7-313e. - Authority of fire officer during emergency.
Section 7-313f. - Authority of fire chiefs at certain state facilities.
Section 7-313g. - “Firefighter” defined.
Section 7-313h. - Firefighters cancer relief account.
Section 7-313j. - Firefighters cancer relief program established.
Section 7-313l. - Firefighter training on resilience and self-care techniques.
Section 7-313m. - Grants to distressed municipalities for volunteer firefighter training.
Section 7-313o. - Firefighter turnout gear. Maintenance and remediation of toxic substances.
Section 7-314. - Definitions. Exemption from Freedom of Information Act.
Section 7-314a. - Death, disability and injury benefits. Presumption.
Section 7-314c. - Assumption of liability by the state for volunteer firefighters.
Section 7-322a. - Benefits for volunteers rendering service to another fire company.
Section 7-322d. - Election of officers. Ballots exempt from Freedom of Information Act.
Section 7-323. - Application of part.
Section 7-323a. - Definitions.
Section 7-323b. - Acceptance of part.
Section 7-323c. - Benefit fund established.
Section 7-323d. - Actuarial studies of fund experience.
Section 7-323f. - Insurance policies to provide benefits authorized.
Section 7-323g. - Withdrawal of acceptance.
Section 7-323h. - Municipal liability for maintaining benefits.
Section 7-323i. - Administration of fund.
Section 7-323j. - Definitions.
Section 7-323k. - Commission on Fire Prevention and Control.
Section 7-323l. - Duties of Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. Regulations.
Section 7-323m. - Exceptions, voluntary cooperation.
Section 7-323n. - Office of State Fire Administration.
Section 7-323o. - State Fire Administrator, appointment and duties.
Section 7-323q. - Indemnification of fire service instructors.
Section 7-323t. - Municipal contracts prohibiting paid emergency personnel from volunteer service.
Section 7-323u. - Regional fire school. Notice and hearing. Appeals. Regulations.