Dashcam footage captures an off-duty cop punching a driver in Connecticut, sparking concerns about police accountability toward people.
The incident occurred at a red light intersection when the driver honked at the officer.
Off-duty police officer punched a driver as he honked at him at the red light
The incident occurred when Corporal Allen Ganter, a Meriden police officer, was waiting at a red light at an intersection.
Thomas Brocuglio, the driver behind Ganter, questioned his driving and honked at him as he attempted to turn right on red.
In the dashcam video, Brocuglio can be heard asking, "What are you doing?"
Ganter agitatedly got out of his car, waved his police badge, and told Brocuglio, "You can't turn on red."
The situation escalated as Brocuglio questioned Ganter's claim, stating that the sign allowed for a right turn on red.
As Ganter grew more aggressive, he threatened to give Brocuglio a ticket and asked for his badge number.
Suddenly, Ganter reached through Brocuglio's window and punched him, Brocuglio accused Ganter of assaulting him and reported the incident to the police.
Off-duty admitted his assault toward the driver
After receiving the complaint, law enforcement officers paid a visit to Ganter's home, where his actions were recorded by a body camera.
The footage captured Ganter expressing doubt about the accusations made against him.
Eventually, he took responsibility for his actions, admitting his wrongdoing by stating, "I made a mistake. I am at fault, and I should not have done that."
Authorities fined and suspended the police officer who punched the driver
Following the incident, the Meriden police department conducted an internal investigation and determined that Ganter had breached the department's conduct rules during the encounter with Brocuglio.
As a result, Ganter, a school resource officer, faced charges of breach of peace and third-degree assault.
He received a five-day suspension without pay and is mandated to attend mandatory de-escalation training for three consecutive years.
Meriden Police stated that Corporal Ganter was placed on administrative duty and removed from his role as a School Resource Officer.
Following the disciplinary action resulting from the internal affairs investigation, Ganter was permanently removed from his position as an SRO.
