NORWALK, Conn. — Norwalk Police Officer Hector Delgado was arrested for the second time this year on Friday, according to a release from the Norwalk Police Department that came directly from Police Chief James Walsh.
Walsh said that on Thursday, he received a complaint from a citizen reporting an off-duty disturbance involving Delgado. The Norwalk Police Detective Bureau started a criminal investigation based on the information they received.
Following the investigation, Walsh said that an arrest warrant was issued for Delgado, who is charged with first-degree threatening, second-degree breach of pace and following too closely with a motor vehicle.
Delgado, Norwalk’s former Officer of the Year, was arrested on Friday and held on a court-set bond of $50,000; he will appear in court on June 21.
According to Walsh, Delgado was immediately placed on administrative leave with his police powers suspended.
“As your police chief, I want to assure you that we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and transparency,” Walsh said, in the release. “The actions of this officer do not reflect the values and principles that our department stands for. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, accountability and professionalism in all aspects of our service to the community.”
In February, Delgado was arrested by the Bridgeport Police Department and charged with third-degree stalking and second-degree harassment related to a family violence incident, FOX 61 reported. Bridgeport police said the original incident occurred on Feb. 7. The charges have since been dropped.
The Norwalk Hour reported in February that Delgado has been arrested multiple times during his law enforcement career, noting that in 2019, he was accused of drunk driving and crashing on Interstate 95 in Fairfield.
Delgado, who was found to have a blood-alcohol content of .2034 or more than twice the legal limit, was granted two pretrial probation programs and accelerated rehabilitation, according to the article.
A judge also dismissed a charge of illegally carrying a gun while under the influence, according to the Norwalk Hour.
The article continues to note that there have been at least nine substantiated allegations made against Delgado since 2003. According to the article, during that year, Delgado was suspended five days for violating and failing to follow department rules, in 2011 he was suspended for five days for violating and failing to follow department rules, in 2012, he was suspended 10 days for unbecoming conduct and in 2015, former Norwalk Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik ordered him to undergo counseling because of insubordination and neglecting duty.
The article goes on to note that in 1996, Delgado received a 500-day suspension after being charged with third-degree sexual assault and unlawful restraint after a 28-year-old woman accused him of groping her during a traffic stop in Norwalk. The jury did not find her credible, and he was acquitted.
In his release, Walsh assured the public that any actions from anyone in the department that don’t follow the standards of integrity, accountability and professionalism would not be allowed.
“Any behavior that deviates from these standards will not be tolerated. I can assure you that I am dedicated to ethical behavior and am committed to fully investigating any allegations to the contrary,” Walsh said, in the release.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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