A disorderly conduct case against former East Lyme police chief Michael Finkelstein ended with the charge reduced to creating a public disturbance and a $75 fine, according to a Connecticut Judicial Branch clerk’s office representative. That outcome resolves the May case; it is separate from earlier domestic-violence-related cases that were dismissed in July 2025.
The May Case
Finkelstein was arrested on May 22 and charged with disorderly conduct after officers responded to his home on Marion Drive in East Lyme shortly after 8 a.m. in connection with a domestic violence incident. Police took him into custody after speaking with family members at the home. A court clerk told WTNH that the charge was reduced and Finkelstein paid the $75 fine, closing the case.
Finkelstein retired in 2025, stepping down as East Lyme police chief on May 2 after having been on leave since his earlier arrest. He had announced his retirement about a year before the May arrest. In his retirement letter, Finkelstein cited post-traumatic stress disorder and poor decisions as reasons for retiring.
Earlier Cases and Their Separate Outcomes
Connecticut State Police arrested Finkelstein in June 2024 on domestic violence charges, including second-degree breach of peace and disorderly conduct. A woman residing with him called 911 shortly after 5 a.m. to report an alleged incident at their home the previous night. She alleged that Finkelstein punched her, put his hands around her neck and threw a phone at her. A court issued Finkelstein a protective order barring him from having firearms.
In December 2024, Finkelstein was charged with violating the protective order. State police reviewed a 911 call and body-camera footage related to a June 2023 incident. The review led investigators to re-examine a separate incident from June 2023 involving the same alleged victim; Finkelstein was also charged with disorderly conduct tied to that episode. In 2023, the woman reported that Finkelstein grabbed her during an argument.
Earlier Charges Dismissed After a Judge-Approved Program
The earlier cases had a different resolution from the May case. Finkelstein entered a family violence education program, after which the charges could be dismissed upon completion. WTNH reported that the domestic violence charges were dismissed in July 2025 and that all five of the previous charges were dropped that month.
What Statewide Figures Can—and Can’t—Show
The Connecticut State Police’s 2023 Family Violence Detailed Report lists 6,157 assault offenses statewide. That is an aggregate count for one year, not a record of what occurred in Finkelstein’s cases; the figure alone also cannot establish a trend over time or how many cases resulted in particular court outcomes.
The clerk’s account closes the May disorderly conduct case. The earlier charges were dismissed separately in July 2025; the two outcomes should not be conflated.
