NORTH HAVEN -- Police body camera proponents will point to a New Year's Eve morning incident caught on camera in North Haven as another victory for accountability.
Hamden Police Department Sgt. Michael Cirillo, while on-duty Dec. 31, allegedly left his jurisdiction, in a Hamden police vehicle, to head to North Haven to settle a personal score, according to a police report.
Cirillo, 46, was charged with 3rd degree assault by North Haven police for going after Vincent Terrone, 38, and throwing him on the ground inside a North Haven basement, according to the incident report.
North Haven police were already at the residence when Cirillo arrived because Terrone's girlfriend, who is Cirillo's sister-in-law, called police to say "Terrone was at their newly leased apartment in North Haven and removing his personal belongings without her consent," according to the incident report.
Terrone told cops he was removing items because she kicked him out and wanted to end the relationship, because of a heroin addiction, which Terrone's father told FOX61.
As the North Haven officers were awaiting a supervisor's arrival, Cirillo showed up, and the video from the body camera of Officer Christopher Spose shows Cirillo coming into the basement and immediately grabbing Terrone, who ended up with Cirillo on the ground.
Cirillo was so upset because, according to the incident report, Terrone, who had been dating Cirillo's sister-in-law for 8 months, had allegedly, via text, threatened to kill his girlfriend's parents and her sisters that morning. One of her sisters is, of course, Cirillo's wife.
"Chill man! Chill! You’ve got to relax bro,"Officer John Gaspar can be heard saying to Cirillo on the video.
Cirillo was detained and his duty weapon was secured by the North Haven officers on scene.
"You alright," Spose can be heard asking Terrone.
"I want an ambulance," Terrone responded.
He was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital, complaining of a back injury. He was treated and released. He was charged with second degree harassment.
Cirillo can be seen on Spose's body camera saying "Sorry about all this, man."
Cirillo, who's due in court Thursday, has been relegated to desk duty pending an internal investigation. Terrone's father tells FOX61 his son has entered a California rehabilitation facility.