Submitted by Bill Effros, Greenwich
To Whom It May Concern:
On February 12, 2026, two Town of Greenwich police officers burst into my home, bullied my wife, spun me around, wrestled my arms behind my back, handcuffed me, and dragged me out into the freezing cold without a coat, without a hat, and without shoes, telling me they had “just found” an outstanding warrant for my arrest and were going to take me to the police station where I would be jailed for some crime they could not quite figure out, that had occurred at some time they did not know, owing to the fact that they did not have the newly found arrest warrant in hand.
Let me be clear about the facts: I am 83 years old and my wife is 81; there was a foot of snow on the ground; I had no idea what was going on because I had never previously been advised of an outstanding warrant for my arrest; and it is impossible for an 83-year-old man to climb into the back of a police SUV while standing in a foot of snow in his slippers with his hands handcuffed behind his back. (Try it if you don’t believe me.)
It turns out that the crime I was charged with, “Misuse of 911,” had allegedly occurred more than a year prior to my arrest and did not seem, in my humble opinion, to constitute a clear and present danger to my community—certainly not a crime warranting a forcible invasion into my home that terrorized my wife, and left her scared, weeping, and fearful until this very day.
Please note that, pursuant to my July 22, 2003, Settlement with the Town of Greenwich, I was named to a “Monitoring Committee” by the First Selectman of the Town of Greenwich, with instructions to use 911 to report infractions.
“8. The Town agrees to the request that the First Selectman appoint Effros to the Monitoring Committee established pursuant to the P&Z Approval.”
The Town of Greenwich Police Department was provided a copy of the Court Order by the Town of Greenwich Legal Department pursuant to the terms of the Stipulation and Order of Judgment. The Town of Greenwich Police Department was further instructed that the Town of Greenwich is required to immediately respond to, and correct, all instances of 911 calls from me.
“13. The attorneys executing this Stipulation and Order confirm that they have been authorized by their respective clients to execute this Stipulation and Order on their clients’ behalves, and that their respective clients accept, agree with, and intend to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Stipulation and Order.”
This arrest constitutes harassment and is a clear violation of the terms of the July 22, 2003, Stipulation and Order of Judgment. If these charges are not dropped immediately, I will move the Court to hold the following Defendants in contempt: the Board of Education of the Town of Greenwich; the Town of Greenwich Public Schools; the Town of Greenwich; the Representative Town Meeting of the Town of Greenwich; the Planning & Zoning Commission of the Town of Greenwich; and the Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Greenwich.
Furthermore, I will seek an award for damages and legal fees for both my wife and myself.
William Effros
Plaintiff
Stipulation and Order of Judgment
Docket No. CV-01-0186121-S
Docket No. CV-02-0187823-S
Docket No. CV-02-0190416-S
See also:
Effros: “Green Witch Thumbs Nose at Court Order”
