Norwalk Officer Steven Luciano in 2010

By Josh Lanier From Daily Voice

A Connecticut police officer collecting workers' compensation after a doctor said he was too injured to work has been arrested after authorities said they caught him lifting weights, officials said. State prosecutors allege he fraudulently collected nearly $20,000 in benefits.

Officer Steven Luciano was placed on "temporary total disability" by the Norwalk Police Department after a reported November 2024 injury while on the job, the State's Attorney's Office said.

It's unclear how Luciano was hurt, but Luciano filed a report claiming he suffered a spine injury that left him unable to use his right hand fully, the prosecutor said.

The city placed him on "temporary total disability," meaning he was considered unable to work at all and qualified for workers' compensation insurance. He was required to report any improvements to his condition immediately, the prosecutor said.

Insurance officials began surveilling him in January to determine if Officer Luciano was "exceeding the physical restrictions" set out by doctors. Investigators said they witnessed him lifting weights at a local gym.

This conflicted with the testimony Luciano gave about his injury during a deposition with city attorneys, prosecutors said.

Luciano was charged with perjury, first-degree larceny, and filing a fraudulent claim, prosecutors said. He was released on a $10,000 bond.

Luciano joined the Norwalk Police Department in 2010. 

Norwalk Police Chief James Walsh said in a statement to Daily Voice that Luciano is on leave.

“We are taking this matter very seriously and have been fully cooperating with the investigation conducted by the Office of the Chief States' Attorney," Walsh said. "Officer Luciano was placed on leave pending the outcome of the criminal and internal investigation. The Norwalk Police Department holds all personnel to the highest standards of integrity. While we cannot discuss details of the ongoing case, I want to assure the community that we are committed to transparency and maintaining public trust."

Norwalk police awarded Luciano with the meritorious commendation in 2014 after he arrested a bank robbery suspect.

He has been named Norwalk Officer of the Month at least three times. The first occurred in March 2011 after he arrested a man accused of a series of smash-and-grab burglaries. He received the honor again in October 2016 for his work in apprehending two men accused of child sex crimes, multiple reports and Facebook posts said.