Post by WaTcHeR on Jan 10, 2007 16:57:10 GMT -5
01.10.2006 - SARANAC LAKE — The village board fired Saranac Lake Police Chief Don Perryman Tuesday evening for misconduct, including deliberately preventing the state police from properly investigating the events and car accident involving two village officers in October 2005.
The decision was made on the same day the village received a hearing officer’s 64-page report based on two days of disciplinary hearings held in October. The report upheld the misconduct charges the village had brought against Perryman. It specifically recommended that Perryman “be terminated from service with the village.”
The report’s recommendation was based on several factors, including “Chief Perryman’s refusal to admit to or acknowledge such misconduct, the impact of Chief Perryman’s misconduct on the public trust and the village police department and Chief Perryman’s prior disciplinary record.”
Perryman has disputed the charges throughout the investigation. A phone call to him Tuesday night was not returned by press time.
Perryman was one of three department members who was suspended without pay Oct. 4 for the incidents surrounding a car crash in October 2005 involving Officer Casey Reardon and Sgt. Bruce Nason, who was driving a village-owned car after drinking four alcoholic drinks over about four hours, starting about six hours before the crash.
During two days of disciplinary hearings this fall, Perryman was accused by the village of impeding a state police investigation and not following the orders of former Mayor Tom Catillaz, who had ordered the chief to give the officers blood alcohol tests.
Those charges and a total of 14 accusations were upheld in the report.
“Chief Perryman’s conduct has undoubtedly eroded the public trust and caused a negative impact on the integrity of the Saranac Lake Police Department, thereby shaking its foundation,” the report states.
Nason and Reardon, who are still currently suspended, have still not had their disciplinary hearings.
The car crash was reported at 6:40 p.m. on state Route 3 outside of village limits near Trudeau Sand and Gravel. It was reported to police as a possible DWI crash by an employee of Trudeau, according to testimony this fall. State police were called to investigate the crash, but Nason and Reardon were picked up by a village police officer prior to the arrival of the state trooper.
The trooper, John Moody, later testified that he felt “intimidated” by Perryman when he went to the police department to talk to Nason and Reardon. Moody never did talk to the two men that day.
The two were driven home by a village police officer shortly after Moody arrived at the police station.
Perryman was criticized in the report for knowing, allowing and creating a department environment where village police “believed it was acceptable” to leave the jurisdiction of the village.
By not acting as a supervisor, Perryman gave the appearance of collusion, the report said.
“You are expected to take steps necessary to acquire accurate and complete information and to conduct valid and thorough investigations of events, which occur in your department,” the report states. “You failed to do this.”
The decision leaves the village without a permanent chief.
Mayor Tom Michael, who said he planned to meet with the police department this morning, said interim Police Chief Richard Depuy will remain in that role until the village board finds a permanent chief.
The village board vote to terminate Perryman was 4-0, with Michael abstaining.
Michael said he abstained because he, along with Village Manager John Sweeney, brought the charges against Perryman in October.
www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/articles.asp?articleID=5536
The decision was made on the same day the village received a hearing officer’s 64-page report based on two days of disciplinary hearings held in October. The report upheld the misconduct charges the village had brought against Perryman. It specifically recommended that Perryman “be terminated from service with the village.”
The report’s recommendation was based on several factors, including “Chief Perryman’s refusal to admit to or acknowledge such misconduct, the impact of Chief Perryman’s misconduct on the public trust and the village police department and Chief Perryman’s prior disciplinary record.”
Perryman has disputed the charges throughout the investigation. A phone call to him Tuesday night was not returned by press time.
Perryman was one of three department members who was suspended without pay Oct. 4 for the incidents surrounding a car crash in October 2005 involving Officer Casey Reardon and Sgt. Bruce Nason, who was driving a village-owned car after drinking four alcoholic drinks over about four hours, starting about six hours before the crash.
During two days of disciplinary hearings this fall, Perryman was accused by the village of impeding a state police investigation and not following the orders of former Mayor Tom Catillaz, who had ordered the chief to give the officers blood alcohol tests.
Those charges and a total of 14 accusations were upheld in the report.
“Chief Perryman’s conduct has undoubtedly eroded the public trust and caused a negative impact on the integrity of the Saranac Lake Police Department, thereby shaking its foundation,” the report states.
Nason and Reardon, who are still currently suspended, have still not had their disciplinary hearings.
The car crash was reported at 6:40 p.m. on state Route 3 outside of village limits near Trudeau Sand and Gravel. It was reported to police as a possible DWI crash by an employee of Trudeau, according to testimony this fall. State police were called to investigate the crash, but Nason and Reardon were picked up by a village police officer prior to the arrival of the state trooper.
The trooper, John Moody, later testified that he felt “intimidated” by Perryman when he went to the police department to talk to Nason and Reardon. Moody never did talk to the two men that day.
The two were driven home by a village police officer shortly after Moody arrived at the police station.
Perryman was criticized in the report for knowing, allowing and creating a department environment where village police “believed it was acceptable” to leave the jurisdiction of the village.
By not acting as a supervisor, Perryman gave the appearance of collusion, the report said.
“You are expected to take steps necessary to acquire accurate and complete information and to conduct valid and thorough investigations of events, which occur in your department,” the report states. “You failed to do this.”
The decision leaves the village without a permanent chief.
Mayor Tom Michael, who said he planned to meet with the police department this morning, said interim Police Chief Richard Depuy will remain in that role until the village board finds a permanent chief.
The village board vote to terminate Perryman was 4-0, with Michael abstaining.
Michael said he abstained because he, along with Village Manager John Sweeney, brought the charges against Perryman in October.
www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/articles.asp?articleID=5536