Police Commission Changes Counsel in Koistinen Labor Case

The Windsor Locks Police Commission's request to change its legal representation in its defense against former Sgt. Robert Koistinen was recently approved by the board of selectmen.

The approval allows the commission to retain the services of Kainen, Escalera and McHale, a firm specializing in labor law, according to Commission Chair Kevin Brace.

The commission fired Koistinen in January 2012, citing improper action following a 2010 traffic accident in which his son, Michael, struck and killed a teenager on a bicycle.

According to Brace, the act of changing legal counsel is not a reflection of the caliber of representation provided by the town. Instead, it's an effort to obtain counsel from a firm that specializes in labor disputes and one that is experienced in high-profile cases. It's also a response to Koitinen's retention of attorney Elliot Spector, said Brace.

"We feel we were just in terminating Mr. Koistinen's employment," Brace said Tuesday by phone.

Ten months after his termination, Koistinen was acquitted of charges that he interfered with the department's investigation of the 2010 accident.

Following the jury's decision, Spector said the decision to fire his client was a "bad decision" and he was made a "scapegoat."