The police union filed a complaint with the police commission Thursday accusing Southington Police Chief John Daly violated over the past four years the department's rules and code of ethics, possibly violated state laws and "engaged in conduct which is unbecoming of a police officer, let alone a law enforcement chief executive."

Stephen Salerno, president of the Law Enforcement Alliance of Southington, and his executive board submitted the complaint to the police commission, town council and town manager's office, accusing Daly of favoritism, lack of oversight and allowing his wife and children access to crime scenes.

Police Commissioners Elaine Bedard, Margaret Nevelos, Robert Triano and chairman James Verderame asked Daly questions about the complaint in executive session and then excused the chief to continue their discussion behind closed doors.

After the executive session, Verderame said the commissioners would investigate the complaint with the hope of concluding their review by their Feb. 12 meeting.

Salerno said the union had hoped for an investigation by an independent party.

"At this point we're extremely disappointed," he explained. "They're not qualified investigators."

Emotions ran high during the meeting with a lot of back and forth between Salerno and the commissioners.

"So why don't you get over here and sit," Verdarame said, responding to Salerno's criticism. "You want to run the ship? It's the inmates who are running it."

"Whatever we do, whatever we say is not going to be good enough," he added.

The union members and their chief have been openly sparring since October when Daly recommended a supernumerary - part-time - officer Eric Daigle for promotion to captain. The commission approved the promotion, pending the approval of a fund transfer, which was denied because of pressure put on the town council by members of the police union.

Salerno and the union claimed Daigle wasn't qualified for the position and his promotion was a case of favoritism.

Daigle spent 10 years working for the Connecticut State Police serving as a patrolman, corrections liaison and detective for the major crimes squad. He earned a law degree during that time and works as an attorney at Halloran & Sage LLP in Hartford, specializing in police officer defense.

The union filed a grievance objecting to Daigle's promotion, which Daily and the commission denied, but declined in significance when the town council denied the transfer for the captain position.

Several of the accusations included in the complaint center around Daigle. The union claims Daly approved spending $6,450 to send Daigle to receive training and attend seminars in California, Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey and Texas. Additionally, the complaint alleges Daly approved payments to Daigle from several town accounts without requiring the same level of detail needed for other Southington police officers.

Some of the allegations date back to 2004 when, according to the union complaint, Daly allowed his children to "wander unsupervised" at two crime scenes related to an indoor marijuana growing operation. The union complaint also claims Daly allowed his children to "wander" the department building "with an access key to the entire complex."

According to the union complaint, Daly allowed his wife to shoot targets during department training, accompany him during liquor enforcement actions and view a corpse at the scene of a fatal accident.

Last summer, the union claims, the Record-Journal photographed Daly playing golf while he was on sick leave.

The allegations also include:

-Approval of $700 for personal training improperly paid out of a town equipment account.

-Reimbursement of Daigle for gas and mileage, against current department practice.

-Paying Daigle for work on a "mobile command center" that was never completed.