Drizzt
Member
The Associated Press State & Local Wire
July 30, 2003, Wednesday, BC cycle
7:35 AM Eastern Time
SECTION: State and Regional
LENGTH: 319 words
HEADLINE: Officer: Carried gun on plane for protection
DATELINE: ENFIELD, Conn.
BODY:
A former Waterford police officer charged with bringing a handgun onto an airplane said she carried the weapon for her protection because the terrorist alert was high.
Calli Carboni, 34, of Franklin, appeared Tuesday in Superior Court, where she faces two counts of circumventing airport security at Bradley International Airport.
Carboni presented a false document, prepared for her by a lieutenant, allowing her to board a Southwest Airlines plane to Florida while armed, police say.
Waterford Lt. James Flannigan Sr. faces charges of conspiracy to circumvent airport security and circumventing airport security.
Both retired from the department in June, after an investigation.
According to court documents, Carboni told state police investigators that she feared for her safety, saying terrorists might target her because she is a police officer.
Before boarding the plane to Florida, Carboni allegedly presented Flannigan's letter and signed the airline's documents authorizing travel while armed.
The letter said Carboni was on police business and was carrying her department-issued gun.
The gun was her own, however, and she was flying to visit her mother, she later told police according to court records.
She was stopped, however, before a return flight from Tampa International Airport. She allegedly tried to board a plane while carrying a .loaded 38-caliber handgun.
Federal security officials contacted Waterford police and discovered that Carboni was on medical leave and was not authorized to fly armed, according to court documents.
Flannigan told state police he wrote the letter so Carboni could board the plane without waiting in line, court records show. He said he did not know she was not on police business.
Flannigan is scheduled to appear in court next week.
Prosecutors in Florida have said they intend to charge Carboni with carrying a concealed weapon.
July 30, 2003, Wednesday, BC cycle
7:35 AM Eastern Time
SECTION: State and Regional
LENGTH: 319 words
HEADLINE: Officer: Carried gun on plane for protection
DATELINE: ENFIELD, Conn.
BODY:
A former Waterford police officer charged with bringing a handgun onto an airplane said she carried the weapon for her protection because the terrorist alert was high.
Calli Carboni, 34, of Franklin, appeared Tuesday in Superior Court, where she faces two counts of circumventing airport security at Bradley International Airport.
Carboni presented a false document, prepared for her by a lieutenant, allowing her to board a Southwest Airlines plane to Florida while armed, police say.
Waterford Lt. James Flannigan Sr. faces charges of conspiracy to circumvent airport security and circumventing airport security.
Both retired from the department in June, after an investigation.
According to court documents, Carboni told state police investigators that she feared for her safety, saying terrorists might target her because she is a police officer.
Before boarding the plane to Florida, Carboni allegedly presented Flannigan's letter and signed the airline's documents authorizing travel while armed.
The letter said Carboni was on police business and was carrying her department-issued gun.
The gun was her own, however, and she was flying to visit her mother, she later told police according to court records.
She was stopped, however, before a return flight from Tampa International Airport. She allegedly tried to board a plane while carrying a .loaded 38-caliber handgun.
Federal security officials contacted Waterford police and discovered that Carboni was on medical leave and was not authorized to fly armed, according to court documents.
Flannigan told state police he wrote the letter so Carboni could board the plane without waiting in line, court records show. He said he did not know she was not on police business.
Flannigan is scheduled to appear in court next week.
Prosecutors in Florida have said they intend to charge Carboni with carrying a concealed weapon.
