MERIDEN — A Meriden man has filed a lawsuit against the city and police officials, alleging the police department publicized the arrest of his son as retaliation for him being outspoken against the department.
According to The Record-Journal, Christopher Dingwell Sr. filed the lawsuit last month.
He said he obtained an email from the police union president to the police chief, requesting a news release be issued about the March 2016 arrest of his son, Christopher Dingwell, Jr.
The email said the younger Dingwell was charged with throwing a facsimile gun out of a car during a traffic stop, but “more importantly” his father is among the department’s “most outspoken critics.”
A news release was later issued and details of the arrest were posted on Facebook.
The city manager declined to comment. The chief and union president could not be reached.