BRIDGEPORT -- A police officer who was involved in the arrest of the notorious Jones drug-dealing gang is now suing the department claiming they are violating his constitutional rights to practice religious beliefs.
James O'Neill, who has been a police officer since 1996, also charges that the department retaliated by not assigning him to openings that would allow him to observe the Sabbath of Seventh-day Adventist by not working between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday.
O'Neill is seeking monetary damages for the alleged violations.
City Attorney Mark Anastasi could not be reached for comment.
"This could have be resolved short of our bringing a federal lawsuit," said Michelle Holmes, O'Neill's lawyer. "My client applied for several positions that would have allowed him to observe the Sabbath and would not have cost the city any money. But each time he was turned down."
Holmes pointed out, however, that in 1987 the Bridgeport police department made accommodations for then-Sgt. Hector Torres to observe his Seventh-day Adventist faith.
Torres, then a sergeant in the Patrol Division, was transferred to the Plans and Operations Division where he served as department liaison to West End merchants. Torres later became police chief.
The suit has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Mark R. Kravitz in New Haven.
In the suit, O'Neill maintains he was baptized as a Seventh-day Adventist when he turned 13.
He claims that he has used and offered to use his vacation, holidays and personal days to accommodate his religious belief that he participate in no nonreligious activities during the Sabbath.
The suit alleges that the department began denying his requests, citing manpower issues. Holmes points out, however, that article 33 and section 7 of the union contract maintains "manpower levels will not be a basis for denying vacation requests, except in emergency situations."
The union contract also calls for officers to work four consecutive weekends and then be off the next three.
In January, 2005, he submitted a religious accommodation request along with a letter from his pastor asking that his schedule be adjusted allowing him to be off from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. He offered to transfer to the dispatch center, but was denied while two other officers were transferred.
He made a similar request for a schedule adjustment in March 2006 and again in January 2007. In 2007, he applied for the positions of school officer and community relations officer, but was never interviewed.
The suit claims those denials constitute retaliation.
