Sergeant Joseph Mercer, a former commander of the state police SWAT team, filed a federal lawsuit in 2016 alleging that he was demoted in 2015 for resigning from the Connecticut State Police Union and refusing to support its political activities. He claimed that after his resignation, union officials conspired with department leaders to remove him from his position as Operations Sergeant, transferring him to an administrative role with fewer overtime opportunities. The lawsuit also alleged that union grievances were filed against him without merit, including one concerning his handling of a deadly incident in Old Saybrook. In April 2023, Mercer won a $260,500 settlement in this case.

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