On Wednesday, March 6, the Hopkinton Select Board will meet in Executive Session to discuss placing Police Chief Joseph Bennett on Administrative Leave.
The move comes after an unexpectedly harsh mid-year performance review of the chief by Select Board Chair Muriel Kramer on Tuesday, February 27. In that meeting, Ms. Kramer identified issues such as a “nonexistent succession plan, (an) internal promotion strategy (that) is weak, and (that) oversight and insight for management purposes is extremely challenging for us on the Select Board.” Kramer culminated her remarks by noting the “improper disclosure of protected information (that) have led to an investigation by the DA of the incident and of you.”
“At a minimum we ought to consider paid administrative leave while the investigation plays out with the DA,” said Kramer.
Per Massachusetts General Law, the Select Board may meet “to discuss the reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, rather than professional competence, of an individual, or to discuss the discipline or dismissal of, or complaints or charges brought against, a public officer”. Chief Bennett must be notified at least 48 hours in advance, and has the right to attend and to speak on his own behalf. He also has the right to have an attorney present.
Bennett has been under intense public scrutiny for months following the release of former Deputy Chief of Police Jay Porter’s alleged victim’s confidential information, and today, HopNews reported the existence of a previously unpublished letter of no confidence signed by six Hopkinton Police sergeants.
A vote to place the chief on leave is certain to be controversial. During Bennett’s performance review, Board member Mary Jo Lafreniere expressed frustration with Kramer. “I would really have liked to have known this as we went along. It just seems like you have taken the reins and just gone off all on your own on this subject. I know nothing, and therefore I do not agree with you,” she said.
“I will just say for the record, I spent hours watching and re-watching the tapes. You are aware, you were at those meetings,” Kramer replied.
I strongly believe that Chief Bennett should be terminated but a suspension pending the results of an investigation into his actions seems like a potentially necessary step in the process (although paid suspensions and independent investigations will just cost the tax payers even more money). However, since the chief has failed to develop a succession plan and has not replaced the deputy chief or hired a lieutenant, who will run the HPD?
One option the Select Board has is the Middlesex County Chiefs of Police Association. They are retired chiefs who step up on an interim basis when needed.
Anonymous, it is fairly common for retired police chiefs to be hired on an interim basis. It happens for all sorts of reasons in all size towns and cities.