By Brian Lockhart and Brianna Gurciullo, CT Post:
Dani Soto, a city police officer arrested a handful of times over the past year on harassment and stalking-related charges in Bridgeport and Derby, has been fired as a result.
Police Chief Roderick Porter confirmed that Soto was terminated Tuesday following a standard disciplinary process that included an internal investigation and an administrative hearing.
“That resulted in a finding that Officer Soto violated several department policy and procedures as it relates to conduct,” Porter explained. He did not provide any additional information.
Soto, who had been on unpaid leave, could not be reached immediately for comment. He was a member of Bridgeport’s force for about seven years. The city’s police union president, Michael Salemme III, declined to comment.
Soto’s legal problems began in summer 2024 when he was arrested by fellow Bridgeport officers and charged with five counts of second-degree stalking, four counts of second-degree unlawful restraint and 22 counts of second-degree harassment. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, in May 2024, a complainant contacted the police department’s internal affairs unit to allege Soto had been continually stalking her since she ended their relationship in 2023, including pulling her over in his patrol car 56 times.
Full story here
