Post by WaTcHeR on Jan 15, 2007 12:44:32 GMT -5
01.15.2007 - The Littleton Board of Selectmen fired a town police officer last week after the patrolman was charged in two separate criminal cases last year.
Ken Eldridge, the chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said Jason Truscello was fired for "conduct unbecoming of a police officer."
Truscello , who was on the Littleton force for 4 1/2 years, is considering appealing the decision, according to his lawyer.
"At this point, we're looking at all our options and an appeal is likely," said Patrick Bryant, an attorney with the Boston law firm Sandulli Grace.
Eldridge said Truscello has the right to appeal the decision to an arbitrator.
The Littleton Police Department conducted an internal investigation after Truscello was charged in two incidents while off duty in his hometown of Tewksbury last year, said Littleton Police Chief John Kelly.
One of the incidents took place in March; the other in September.
In March, Truscello allegedly was involved in a domestic dispute. He was charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery, according to a clerk at Lowell District Court.
Truscello was placed on pre trial probation in September for six months. He is due back in court on March 27.
The charges stemmed from an alleged domestic incident involving Truscello, his sister, and his sister's boyfriend, according to Tewksbury Police Chief Alfred Donovan.
Donovan said Truscello was allegedly involved in an altercation with his sister at the home they shared after a night out partying. According to police, Truscello pushed his sister around and her boyfriend came to her defense. Truscello then allegedly pointed a gun at his sister's boyfriend, Donovan said.
Kelly said Truscello would have been cleared of the charges had he stayed out of trouble for six months.
However, Truscello was allegedly involved in another incident in Tewksbury on Sept. 10, Kelly said.
Truscello allegedly left his car at an accident scene after hitting a telephone pole, Donovan said. He reported to police that his car had been stolen, then later admitted it was not, according to the Tewksbury chief.
Truscello was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and falsifying a police report, Kelly said. According to the Lowell District Court clerk's office, Truscello was arraigned on those charges Wednesday and is scheduled to return to court for a pre trial hearing on March 13.
The Littleton department's internal investigation was related to his conduct in both cases, Kelly said.
Truscello had been on paid leave since the first charges were brought against him in March, Kelly said.
An internal investigation led to a disciplinary hearing before a town hearing officer. A summary of the hearing was presented to the Board of Selectmen last week and the board accepted the hearing officer's recommendation to fire the 29-year-old Tewksbury resident.
"Now he is officially not on the force," Eldridge said.
The hearing officer is typically the town administrator; however, that position is vacant.
Instead, the board appointed Donald Armstrong -- the town treasurer, who has taken on some of the administrator's duties on a temporary basis -- to hear the case.
Truscello had the choice of meeting with the board in either a closed or public session. Truscello chose a closed session.
"The end result was we agreed with the hearing officer and the chief and we terminated him from Littleton," Eldridge said. "The reason was conduct unbecoming of a police officer."
www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/14/littleton_police_officer_facing_charges_is_fired/
Ken Eldridge, the chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said Jason Truscello was fired for "conduct unbecoming of a police officer."
Truscello , who was on the Littleton force for 4 1/2 years, is considering appealing the decision, according to his lawyer.
"At this point, we're looking at all our options and an appeal is likely," said Patrick Bryant, an attorney with the Boston law firm Sandulli Grace.
Eldridge said Truscello has the right to appeal the decision to an arbitrator.
The Littleton Police Department conducted an internal investigation after Truscello was charged in two incidents while off duty in his hometown of Tewksbury last year, said Littleton Police Chief John Kelly.
One of the incidents took place in March; the other in September.
In March, Truscello allegedly was involved in a domestic dispute. He was charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery, according to a clerk at Lowell District Court.
Truscello was placed on pre trial probation in September for six months. He is due back in court on March 27.
The charges stemmed from an alleged domestic incident involving Truscello, his sister, and his sister's boyfriend, according to Tewksbury Police Chief Alfred Donovan.
Donovan said Truscello was allegedly involved in an altercation with his sister at the home they shared after a night out partying. According to police, Truscello pushed his sister around and her boyfriend came to her defense. Truscello then allegedly pointed a gun at his sister's boyfriend, Donovan said.
Kelly said Truscello would have been cleared of the charges had he stayed out of trouble for six months.
However, Truscello was allegedly involved in another incident in Tewksbury on Sept. 10, Kelly said.
Truscello allegedly left his car at an accident scene after hitting a telephone pole, Donovan said. He reported to police that his car had been stolen, then later admitted it was not, according to the Tewksbury chief.
Truscello was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and falsifying a police report, Kelly said. According to the Lowell District Court clerk's office, Truscello was arraigned on those charges Wednesday and is scheduled to return to court for a pre trial hearing on March 13.
The Littleton department's internal investigation was related to his conduct in both cases, Kelly said.
Truscello had been on paid leave since the first charges were brought against him in March, Kelly said.
An internal investigation led to a disciplinary hearing before a town hearing officer. A summary of the hearing was presented to the Board of Selectmen last week and the board accepted the hearing officer's recommendation to fire the 29-year-old Tewksbury resident.
"Now he is officially not on the force," Eldridge said.
The hearing officer is typically the town administrator; however, that position is vacant.
Instead, the board appointed Donald Armstrong -- the town treasurer, who has taken on some of the administrator's duties on a temporary basis -- to hear the case.
Truscello had the choice of meeting with the board in either a closed or public session. Truscello chose a closed session.
"The end result was we agreed with the hearing officer and the chief and we terminated him from Littleton," Eldridge said. "The reason was conduct unbecoming of a police officer."
www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/14/littleton_police_officer_facing_charges_is_fired/