Officers await release of report on department

By Dan Crowley
Staff Writer

Published on December 25, 2009

HADLEY - Patrol officers here are eagerly awaiting the release of an outside consultant's report on the Police Department's operations and management, though town officials have yet to make the taxpayer-funded document public.

As of press time Wednesday, the document had not been released.

The Board of Selectmen were expected to discuss the report when it met in regular session last week, but did not do so because the police chief had reportedly not yet received or reviewed the report by BadgeQuest.

The consulting firm is run by former Waltham Police Chief Stephen Unsworth, who was called in this year to review the department in the wake of the tumultuous departure of a police sergeant who resigned after the town launched an investigation into alleged workplace harassment in 2008.

"We wanted him (Police Chief Dennis J. Hukowicz) to be present, and we wanted him to have a copy of the report which he did not yet have," Joyce A. Chunglo, the board's chairwoman, said Nov. 17. "We are still kind of digesting it ourselves."

"There's a lot of information in there and we're just trying to understand what's the best thing for everybody," said Gerald T. Devine, a board member.

Chunglo said the board now plans to discuss the report at its first meeting in January. It remains unclear whether that meeting will be held in open or closed session. Chunglo said the board has sought legal advice on that matter.

"We certainly don't want to violate any open meeting laws," she said.

Both board members declined to comment about specifics in the report, as did Unsworth, who conducted the review. Hukowicz said Dec. 18 that he still had not reviewed the report or even received it. The report's been in the town's hands for weeks.

<h4>Officers' view </h4>

Meantime, the rank-and-file in Hadley's Police Department say they are looking forward to learning about Unsworth's findings so they can move forward and improve the Police Department. Patrol officers were interviewed as a group by the public safety consultant, who conducted a similar review in Lynnfield late this summer.

The Lynnfield report by BadgeQuest is posted on the Board of Selectmen's Web site in that town, where Unsworth reviewed the Police Department's operations and administrative practices.

"We just want to know how the department is running and how it should be running," said Patrol Officer John Robitaille, president of the Hadley police officers' union, this week.

"We're sitting by anxiously," said Patrol Officer Adam Bartlett. "Things need to change, and they need to change dramatically."

<h4>Public records request</h4>

The Daily Hampshire Gazette has requested a copy of the BadgeQuest report under the state's Public Records Law. Town Administrator David G. Nixon said the town's legal counsel is reviewing that request.

The records request was made last week and the town has 10 days to respond under the law.

"We just want to make sure there is no defamation of character or have anything misconstrued," Chunglo said of that legal review.

Although town leaders say the report remains in draft form, state officials say there does not appear to be an exemption in the state Public Records Law that allows withholding such a report.

"I can't imagine what it would be," said Brian McNiff, spokesman for the Secretary of State's Office.

McNiff noted that any sensitive personnel matters that may fall under an exemption could be redacted.

Ralph Galarneau, of Teamsters Local 404, the union representing Hadley police officers, was among those interviewed by BadgeQuest. He said he's also eager to see the final analysis.

"I'm going to ask for it myself," Galarneau said of the BadgeQuest report. "Certainly, the town paid to have the consultant come in, so it should be public information."

Dan Crowley can be reached at dcrowley@gazettenet.com.