May 18—CROMWELL — A lieutenant has left the town's fire department amid allegations of "inappropriate" activity in the firehouse, according to personnel records obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media Group.
In his resignation letter dated March 6, Brett Hallden said he was "irrevocably retiring" from the Cromwell Fire Department. After nearly 18 years with the agency, the letter did not say why the 46-year-old was leaving.
Hallden, who works as a mechanic and is a member of the planning commission in Marlborough where he lives, could not be reached for comment.
His departure came three months after he learned of an investigation into his alleged "inappropriate workplace conduct" and was placed on paid administrative leave, according to a Dec. 5, 2022 letter to Hallden from Julius C. Neto, executive director of the Cromwell Fire District. The letter and other personnel records were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
The letter doesn't describe the alleged misconduct, but Neto wrote in the memo that Hallden should refrain from contacting a female firefighter who also was placed on paid leave. The woman, who was hired in 2019, resigned Dec. 30, weeks after receiving the same letter.
Attorney Cindy Cieslak from Rose Kallor LLP was hired to conduct the independent investigation, which Neto said ended when Hallden retired.
In a telephone interview, Neto said the investigation has been completed, but the report is only a draft.
"She has ceased and desisted her investigation," Neto said of Cieslak.
Neto referred to Cieslak when asked for the draft copy of the investigation report. However, Cieslak said the report is "exempt from disclosure" under state law. She said its release would constitute an invasion of privacy and/or violate attorney-client privilege.
Neto would not describe what sparked the investigation and said Hallden was not forced out.
"He made his own decision," he said.
Hallden is too young to collect retirement benefits, but according to his contract, he will be paid 25 percent of his accrued, unused sick leave based on his latest annual salary of $66,059, Neto said.
'Disciplined on numerous occasions'
Around the same time Cieslak launched the investigations into Hallden and the female firefighter, the Cromwell Fire District also hired the lawyer to investigate allegations of misconduct during the town's first responder training — at least one of which happened in the presence of an underage EMT student.
According to emails obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media, the co-owner of a firefighter training company sent a complaint to Cromwell Fire Chief Jason Brade after some of his students "expressed shock at the unprofessionalism displayed by certain members of the staff."
In the emails, Brian Petrucelli, co-owner of On Scene Training in Cromwell, said there were conversations about sexual topics and a dinner prepared during clinical rotations included "a meatloaf shaped like a large penis."
It's unknown if Hallden was involved in the incidents. But he does have a disciplinary history, according to his personnel records.
In January 2016, Hallden was suspended for three days without pay after an independent investigator found he waited two weeks to inform a supervisor that audit binders with confidential employee information had been left in a public room in fire district offices at 1 West St. The records show another firefighter took a picture of one of the documents, which included someone's Social Security number.
In June 2009, Hallden was demoted from lieutenant to firefighter for failing to attend a meeting with four chiefs of the department, the records show.
The documents show former Chief Stephen Pendl sent a memo to Hallden, stating he had been "formally disciplined on numerous occasions over the last 21 months for repeatedly failing to conform your professional conduct to that which is expected of a lieutenant in the Cromwell Fire Department." Records of the previous disciplinary actions were not included in the personal records requested by Hearst Connecticut Media.
Hallden was reappointed as a lieutenant of the overnight shift on July 16, 2019.
Hallden's former wife, who also used to be a Cromwell firefighter, said her ex has won awards and had been recognized for his work.
"They lost a damn good firefighter," Tricia Hallden, who helped train him, said in an interview this week. " The Cromwell Fire District lost an excellent firefighter. One of the best they ever had. And I spent almost 30 years in that department. Absolutely one of the best. He is very smart."
As for the investigation, she said, "I'd call it a headhunt. They wanted to get rid of him because he has a big mouth."
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