Audits to give Police Department a 'clean slate'
Date: 6/14/2013
By G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.comCHICOPEE — What was supposed to be a routine introduction of several mayoral appointments on June 10 turned into a different story when Mayor Michael Bissonnette announced that a former federal prosecutor has been engaged to undertake several investigations into the Police Department.
Police Chief Thomas Charette, whose permanent appointment was announced at the press event, told Reminder Publications the incident in which several Chicopee police officers had shared cell phone photos of the murder scene of Amanda Plasse "should have not been brought out in my opinion."
Charette spoke two days after the press conference and said he had talked at several roll calls to his officers. "Overall, people were taken aback. Everyone was a little edgy," he explained.
The police chief said the announcement about an investigation into several aspects of the department "came off incorrectly." Charette said the word "investigation" was perhaps inappropriate and that "audit" would be more accurate.
Media reaction was swift at the press conference when Bissonnette said Attorney John Pucci, a former federal prosecutor, has been hired to conduct a "no holds barred" investigation.
Bissonnette stressed he did not think there was any "corruption" in the department and said the action was to give Charette a "clean slate" to begin his tenure. He has been serving as the interim chief since last July.
"This is by no means a witch hunt," Bissonnette said. Charette added, "The huge vast majority of the officers are outstanding."
Charette explained the audit was to address the financials of the department, its operations and structure and internals affairs.
Bissonnette expressed concerns that the internal affairs investigation into the officers who saw the photos — and one who shared a crime scene photo with someone outside the office — "never got to my desk." Former Police Chief John Ferrero Jr. supervised an investigation and placed a letter of reprimand in the officers' personnel files. Bissonnette said he spoke to Ferrero who maintained he believed he had taken the correct course in the disciplinary action.
In compliance to civil service rules, no other actions can be taken against any officer involved in the photo incident.
Bissonnette questioned why "in eight years only one [internal affairs] incident crossed my desk."
He said it seemed "unusual."
Bissonnette also mentioned an incident in which one officer pointed a gun at a colleague.
The mayor added, "These are all issues we want to nip in the bud ... Nothing will be swept under the rug."
Charette explained that he had requested an outside investigator in one internal affairs issue. He did not elaborate on the incident, as it is an open investigation.
Charette, who was "shocked and embarrassed" by the cell phone photos incident, said that he met with Plasse's mother to discuss the revelations at the press conference.
Charette said he has already begun making changes in the department's operation and philosophy. He has reorganized the Traffic Bureau, which he said had mostly been "administrative."
He said, "I saw a lot of people sitting around."
Now members of that unit go out to investigate accidents, instead of patrol officers, he explained.
He wants to get more officers from behind their desks and into the community, but he is more in favor of "traditional directed patrols" than the community-policing model.
Although there has been much discussion over the past several years about a new public safety complex, Charette said a new police headquarters "is not a priority for me."
The current building will receive a new heating and cooling unit, Bissonnette added.
The controversy created by the discussion of the cell phone photos of the Plasse crime scene overshadowed the announcement that Jeffrey Neece has been hired to be the superintendent of the Department of Public Works succeeding the recently retired Stanley Kulig.
Neece has been the director of Public Works in Southwick since 2004. Prior to that he was the chief estimator and project manager for Western Builders Inc. in Granby. He holds a bachelor's degree in architectural engineering from the Wentworth Institute of Technology.
Chicopee has "massive multi- million dollar projects that need an experienced hand to guide them, Bissonnette said of Neece.
A Chicopee native, Neece said the appointment is a "trip home for me."
Bissonnette also announced that Christopher Chabon has been named the assistant city engineer and that Stephen Frederick had been re-appointed as city engineer.
Bissonnette called Charette and Neece part of "the new generation of leadership for the city of Chicopee."
