Not sure a citizen’s arrest is applicable here.
Just because you have a badge does not mean it’s applicable when off duty…or that’s how it typically means, but this cop took it a little too far.
Connecticut citizen Thomas Brocuglio’s company van caught Meriden Police Department Corporal Allen Ganter assaulting him at a red light. Brocuglio pulled up at the red light and honked his horn at Ganter’s vehicle, wanting him to turn on the red light.
Ganter then gets out of his Toyota Tacoma and begins waving his badge at Brocuglio as he walks towards the company van.
“You can’t turn right on red, you ****.”
Ganter is heard saying.
“Really, where does it say that? It says, ‘Stop here on red.’ You’re the one sitting on your phone…”
Broculigo responds to Ganter. The interaction then intensifies. Dash cam footage shows Ganter walking away and then turning back towards Broculigo’s car as their argument intensifies. Ganter threatens to give him a ticket and arrest him.
“Let me get your badge number…”
Broculigo says before Ganter’s hand is seen coming through the driver’s side window, landing a punch square on his cheek, and Ganter continues to make comments about arresting Broculigo.
“You’re going to get arrested for assaulting a civilian.”
Broculigo then picked up the phone, calling 911 to report the incident. In later body cam footage, when law enforcement showed up, Ganter notes that he is wrong but also makes a statement he felt he was being provoked to punch him.
“So, he is saying that I hit him? And there is nothing I can press for breach of peace, for him yelling at me? My fault, I’m wrong, I shouldn’t have.”
Ganter later admitted that he did violate the code of conduct and was suspended for five days and has to now attend de-escalation training for the next three years.
Not the best look for the officer…
