By Greg Smith
The Day
NEW LONDON, Conn. — Deputy Fire Chief Jonathan Paige, who was placed on leave in March during an investigation into claims of sexual harassment, announced his sudden retirement on Thursday in the face of a damning report about his interactions with a new firefighter’s girlfriend.
A report by the Hartford-based law firm of Rose Kallor, which was hired by the city to conduct the investigation, determined Paige violated department policy on multiple occasions at different off-duty gatherings.
The executive summary of Rose Kallor’s report obtained by The Day on Friday outlines an alleged pattern of unwanted touching and demeaning or embarrassing comments made by Paige to the woman.The woman’s name is redacted from the report.
New London Mayor Michael Passero said the July 10 report was forwarded to Paige’s attorney, Marshall Segar, who sent a resignation letter prior to what was expected to be a pre-disciplinary hearing with city officials this week. Paige’s resignation became effective July 13, according to a brief city memo posted that same day that recognizes Paige’s 27 years of service to the department.
The alleged incidents, according to the report, occurred at three bars and most recently at the Mystic Irish Parade on March 19 when the woman claims Paige “stroked his hand through her hair,” as he was exiting a bus for the New London Pipes and Drums Band. The incident was witnessed by others and is one of several incidents in which Paige is alleged to have touched the woman or made awkward comments.
On Jan. 6 at the Birdseye Cafe in New London, the victim alleges Paige’s girlfriend asked her if she was “into girls” and that later that same night Paige approached the woman and “swiped his hand across her buttocks and then placed his hand on her lower back (right above her buttocks) while they were talking,” the report states.
Under questioning by investigators in the case, the alleged victim’s boyfriend, a New London firefighter on the job for less than a year, said his girlfriend was uncomfortable around Paige, that Paige “scares her, and he did not want (Deputy Chief) Paige around her.”
The firefighter was still a probationary firefighter at the time and “worried about getting into trouble if he said anything,” the report states.
Paige denied the unwelcome touching but admitted to the investigator he may have asked whether the firefighter and his girlfriend were swingers or “might have instead said something about unusual or weird sexual activity among them,” the report states.
Another alleged interaction occurred on March 11 at the Brazen Hen in Westerly, after the New London Pipes and Drums had played at the Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Paige serves as president of the pipes and drums group.
The victim claims Paige ran his hand through her hair and put his arm around her waist. Others reported Paige was intoxicated that night. Paige denied the allegations and told investigators he did not recall seeing the woman at the bar that night.
A fourth incident took place at The Social in New London on March 12 when Paige allegedly approached the woman, made a comment and the woman told him “don’t touch me,” as she was aware Paige had been drinking, standing close to her and worried because her boyfriend was not with her at the time. Paige did not recall seeing the woman that night.
Paige’s alleged behavior was first reported by New London firefighter Lt. Al Mayo, who approached Chief Thomas Curcio on March 22 to express his concern about inappropriate behavior by Paige that had been brought to his attention. Mayo did not witness the activity himself and would not divulge the name of the involved firefighter. Mayo also told Curcio that the firefighter, being new, was likely afraid to report the incident.
Curcio, the report states, called the city’s Personnel Administrator Tina Collins to report the interaction. Later that day, the firefighter whose girlfriend alleges misconduct went to Curcio to state “he did not want to pursue anything or put anything in writing,” the report states. The next day, Curcio was directed by the city to gather written statements from multiple firefighters and the woman in question.
Paige was placed on leave that day and the city retained Rose Kallor to investigate further. In addition to the sexual harassment allegations, Rose Kallor was tasked with investigating: — Whether Chief Curcio timely reported the allegations regarding Paige’s conduct after becoming aware of them. — Whether Mayo violated any law or policy by social media posts that included a March 23 Facebook post with a photo of Paige playing the bagpipes with the caption “I am bandmaster Paige, not Deputy Chief John Paige today.”
— Whether Paige retaliated against Mayo by filing a complaint against Mayo on March 30 concerning the social media posts.
— Whether Chief Curcio retaliated against Fire Inspector Nicholas Brown “for advising (a firefighter) to report the allegations to Chief Administrative Officer Steven Fields instead of Curcio.
The report concludes Curcio was immediate in his response to the report about Paige and finds the allegations against him unsubstantiated.
The investigation determined Mayo had made social media posts to “raise awareness regarding what was going on within the city, because he was shocked and upset,” the report states. The report states that Mayo was “posting as a private citizen with all the civil rights guaranteed to him, including free speech protections under the U.S. and State constitutions.”
The investigation also determined Paige did not violate any city policy by filing a complaint against Mayo and that Curcio did not retaliate against Brown, new to the department himself, for advising (a firefighter) to go to Fields to file a complaint. While Brown felt he was reprimanded “after doing something that was not easy,” the investigation determined Curcio’s reaction — upset about not following the chain of command — did not amount to retaliation.
While firefighters are encouraged to report matters up the chain of command, the report states that harassment complaints “may be brought to a supervisor, Department head, or the Personnel Coordinator.”
Passero declined comment on the report, saying it is personnel issue. Paige and his attorney, Marshall Segar, could not be reached for comment.
Paige started with the city fire department in in 1996 and was promoted to lieutenant in 2008, battalion chief in 2018 and deputy chief in 2022.
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