Dismissed Waterbury officer sues police chief, town officials, state's attorney, trooper
WATERBURY — A former Waterbury police officer claims statements he made to his superiors regarding alleged sexual misconduct within the department went unheeded and set in motion a series of events that led to his termination.
The Waterbury Village Trustees have said they fired Adam Hubacz on Jan. 28 due to the Washington County state’s attorney’s refusal to prosecute any of the officer’s cases. State’s Attorney Tom Kelly has said he began turning down Hubacz’s cases in September because the officer admitted while applying for another job to inappropriate behavior, including having cheated at the Vermont Police Academy.
Hubacz contends Waterbury officials cleared him during the summer of any such wrongdoing, but did not attempt to change the state’s attorney’s mind. Hubacz said Waterbury’s police chief and manager wanted him out because of the allegations he made about his co-workers.
In an 80-page lawsuit filed this week in federal court in Burlington, Hubacz took aim at his former chief and manager, the Waterbury Police Department, the village, the village trustees, the state’s attorney and a Vermont state trooper.
He claims he applied for a job with the Montpelier Police Department in August 2010 because of “rampant misconduct” within the Waterbury Police Department, including inappropriate sexual acts by on-duty officers. Hubacz, 27, of Morrisville said Municipal Manager Bill Shepeluk and State’s Attorney Kelly were dismissive of his allegations. Then, according to the lawsuit, the municipal manager and the police chief blackballed him in retaliation.
Hubacz is asking the court to award him more than $75,000 in damages, including back pay and benefits, and to order his reinstatement at the Waterbury police department.
Hubacz contends Waterbury officials cleared him during the summer of any such wrongdoing, but did not attempt to change the state’s attorney’s mind. Hubacz said Waterbury’s police chief and manager wanted him out because of the allegations he made about his co-workers.
In an 80-page lawsuit filed this week in federal court in Burlington, Hubacz took aim at his former chief and manager, the Waterbury Police Department, the village, the village trustees, the state’s attorney and a Vermont state trooper.
He claims he applied for a job with the Montpelier Police Department in August 2010 because of “rampant misconduct” within the Waterbury Police Department, including inappropriate sexual acts by on-duty officers. Hubacz, 27, of Morrisville said Municipal Manager Bill Shepeluk and State’s Attorney Kelly were dismissive of his allegations. Then, according to the lawsuit, the municipal manager and the police chief blackballed him in retaliation.
Hubacz is asking the court to award him more than $75,000 in damages, including back pay and benefits, and to order his reinstatement at the Waterbury police department.
Waterbury Police Chief Joby Feccia and Shepeluk were on vacation Tuesday. Feccia did not return emails and a Facebook message seeking comment. Shepeluk, reached on his cellphone while driving to Connecticut, said the call was the first he had heard of the lawsuit.
“I have no comment right now,” he told the Burlington Free Press.
The court had yet to notify the defendants of the complaint, Hubacz’s attorney, Daniel Seff of Stowe, said Tuesday afternoon.
State’s Attorney Kelly and the Vermont State Police did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Scott Cameron, an attorney who represents the village of Waterbury in labor disputes, said counsel had yet to be assigned to defend the village and its officials in the lawsuit.
“This matter will be turned over to the insurance carrier for the village, and they’ll take a look at it and decide what to do,” Cameron said. “They’ll assign counsel.”
Regarding the allegations of sexual misconduct, Cameron said, “I don’t have any reason to believe it or not to believe it.”
“There are some very novel legal theories presented here,” Cameron said of Hubacz’s lawsuit. “And in my mind, many of them are not supported by existing law.”
“I have no comment right now,” he told the Burlington Free Press.
The court had yet to notify the defendants of the complaint, Hubacz’s attorney, Daniel Seff of Stowe, said Tuesday afternoon.
State’s Attorney Kelly and the Vermont State Police did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Scott Cameron, an attorney who represents the village of Waterbury in labor disputes, said counsel had yet to be assigned to defend the village and its officials in the lawsuit.
“This matter will be turned over to the insurance carrier for the village, and they’ll take a look at it and decide what to do,” Cameron said. “They’ll assign counsel.”
Regarding the allegations of sexual misconduct, Cameron said, “I don’t have any reason to believe it or not to believe it.”
“There are some very novel legal theories presented here,” Cameron said of Hubacz’s lawsuit. “And in my mind, many of them are not supported by existing law.”