Over the past decade, the Hamden Police Department has faced multiple allegations of excessive force and misconduct. Notably, in 2012, the town settled a case for $125,000 involving the use of a Taser on David Mills, who subsequently died. Between 2008 and 2012, the department faced 12 excessive force lawsuits; eight were pending, one was settled, one was withdrawn, and two were dismissed. In 2023, the department admitted to illegally shredding over 100 internal affairs files while a police commissioner’s request for them was pending, leading to a violation of the Freedom of Information Act. ([middletownpress.com](https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Excessive-force-complaints-lawsuits-plague-11850976.php?utm_source=openai)