In October 1999, guests at a housewarming party on River Avenue accused Flynn and another officer of using slurs against homosexuals and using excessive force while responding to a complaint of loud noise. In 1991, a janitor at Rhode Island College who was arrested for throwing coffee at Flynn during a disturbance at a Dunkin' Donuts shop sued Flynn in U.S. District Court, accusing the officer of pummeling him and smashing his face into the pavement while handcuffing him. The janitor lost the case. Sullivan said the internal affairs division is tracking officers with numerous complaints against them and strengthening the chain of command. But the indictments are already sending a swift message to all the officers, he said.
Nobody is above their actions.
As he presided at the promotion ceremony at City Hall yesterday, Sullivan said, he knew the indictments were expected any minute.