NEW HAVEN WILL SCRUTINIZE PENSION REQUEST OF ARRESTED LIEUTENANT

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Mayor John DeStefano said Thursday that he has
requested an investigation into the earnings and payroll records of a
lieutenant who filed paperwork to retire days after his arrest on
theft charges.

Lt. William White, the head of the narcotics unit, was charged Tuesday
with stealing nearly $30,000 in what he thought was drug money, but
was actually cash planted by the FBI at investigation scenes. He was
also accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from the
bail bondsmen in return for capturing fugitives who skipped bail.

"Given the egregious nature of the federal charges pending against
this individual, we owe it to the taxpayers to scrutinize all issues
related to retirement before acting," DeStefano said. "This is a
person charged with serious violations of the public trust, who
operated with significant autonomy, including authorizing his own overtime."

White applied for a pension and to retire under a service-related
disability, officials said. The Police and Fire Pension Board will
take up the request April 12.

If the city moves to terminate White, he would not be eligible for
medical coverage and other benefits, DeStefano said.

"If these allegations are found to be true, we will aggressively move
to recapture any funds inappropriate to a pension allocation,"
DeStefano said.

New Haven police announced Wednesday that they were disbanding their
narcotics unit and handing over some of its cases to state authorities
in response to the arrests of White and another officer on theft
charges resulting from FBI stings.

The two officers and three bail bondsmen were arrested Tuesday in an
eight-month investigation by federal and state authorities that
included phone wiretaps and nearly 200 conversations recorded by an
undercover officer. Federal agents raided police headquarters and
several homes.

White, 63, was freed from federal custody Wednesday after several
relatives put up their homes as collateral to post the $2 million bond
set by U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas P. Smith.

White referred questions to his attorney, Hubert Santos, who declined
comment after the hearing.

Santos told the judge that White is a 39-year veteran of the
department who has received numerous awards and honors.