East Haven, Conn. Police Chief Will Retire Last Friday, we ran an editorial about East Haven, Conn., a charming New England town where the police force harasses Latinos and the mayor is an incompetent fellow who makes racist jokes. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had arrested four police officers on charges of terrorizing the town's Hispanic neighborhoods, stopping and detaining people, searching businesses without cause, beating people in handcuffs, smashing a man's head into a wall. We argued that the police chief ought to resign, and the mayor should do the same. The good news is the police chief is on his way out. The ridiculous news is that he thinks he is going to retire, instead of being fired, which means he'll get to take about $130,000 in unclaimed holiday and sick pay. Chief Leonard Gallo has not been charged, but he is "co-conspirator 1" in the indictment. Lawrence Downes, who covers the New York suburbs, immigration and a bunch of other things for the board, read it and described it as a "sickening account of a campaign of terror waged by four of his own - Sgt. John Miller and officers David Cari, Dennis Spaulding and Jason Zullo." The indictment says the following about Chief Gallo: Co-conspirator 1 protected MILLER and the Defendant Officers from investigations into their misconduct. Co-Conspirator 1 refused to provide the Police Commission with an arrest report involving the defendant CARI, and dismissed the Police Commission's request to investigate MILLER's alleged misconduct. In an effort to undermine the Police Commission's effectiveness, Co-Conspirator 1 barred all EHPD personnel from permitting Police Commissioners on the premises of the EHPD station without his prior approval. The mayor, Joseph Maturo, is standing by his old friend and calling his you-can't fire-me-I-quit ploy a "selfless act designed to assist in a healing process." Healing his bank account, maybe. Just as a reminder, Mr. Maturo is the man who, when asked how he would help the Latino community after the officers" arrest, said he might eat tacos. The Police Commission is meeting tonight in East Haven. Its members are expected to vote to recommend that Chief Gallo be fired and not allowed to saunter out with a cushy retirement deal. Mayor Maturo should immediately follow him out the door.