ENFIELD–Controversy continues to surround former Enfield Police Officer Matthew Worden.
Worden was terminated from the department on Oct. 3 after 10 years on the job, according to Chief Carl Sferrazza, as a direct result of a lawsuit accusing Worden of police brutality.
Formerly, Mark Maher, of Windsor, sued the town when Worden and other officers allegedly used excessive force when responding to the town’s boat launch, where Maher was hanging out with friends. At the time, the state’s attorney wouldn’t grant an application for an arrest warrant charging Worden with third-degree assault.
Now, David McAlmond, 39, of Enfield, is suing Worden for a March 2012 incident. According to the Hartford Courant, McAlmond claims Worden used a police-style baton he found in McAlmond’s car and rammed it between McAlmond’s legs, “violently striking [McAlmond’s] groin area.” Then Worden allegedly sent his K-9 to attack McAlmond.
McAlmond was charged with possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance, possession of narcotics within 1,500 feet of a school, two counts of having weapons in a motor vehicle, interfering with an officer, operating under suspension and improper parking.
The Courant reports that Worden pulled McAlmond over for using his cell phone on March 2, 2012 and asked if he was on crack cocaine. He then demanded McAlmond get out of the car–McAlmond says he complied with this request, but Worden’s police report says otherwise.
McAlmond said he told Worden he had a pocket knife, and Worden overreacted and dove into the car, grabbing a passenger and violently slamming him into the driver’s seat. McAlmond was then “forcibly” put in handcuffs and struck with the baton, at which point he lost consciousness, a fact confirmed in the police report from Worden.
McAlmond’s lawsuit claims all charges were eventually dismissed. Similarly, charges against Maher accusing him of resisting arrest were dropped.
The Courant reports that this is the fifth lawsuit filed against Worden.
