Officer's use of comp time questioned during hearing - Sentinel...

If they were looking for a credible witness, Louney was a poor choice. He was under investigation and resigned the day before his hearing.

Tasca should see the writing on the wall and resign as well.

Bird of a feather flock together..

What about the other lady...
The chiefs secretary… wouldn’t she be an impartial credible witness? Why didn’t the ask her to testify or even interview her? Something smells fishy to me. Oh wait that’s the way the FPD always does it the only interview witnessed who will support their side of the storey.

From the hearing:

He did try to get in touch with the secretary, but she did not respond to the letter. He did not try to phone her.

I had tallied up in my mind how much I would get per year if I hit the Mass millions lottery, now do I get to spend it?

In my mind I have it coming, I just hope the state sees it that way.

Oh here we go again, Please, spare us all your grief. If a true audit was done on you, you would owe the city money,big time!!! Its always been about you and how you are always right. I'm a police captain, who is going to bother me, I answer to no one,and do what I want. Having your buddy, that receltly retired, speak up for you, rather than talk to authorities,about his investigation. A person that destroys police equipment, lies about it and misappropiation of grant funds (federal funds),shows favoritism to a civilian female employee, and just was an awful supervisor. A person that told people, that a trained monkey could do your job. Who knows what else he has done, through the years. He's a character withness for you,PLEASE,thats upsetting. So dont insult us or the public anymore. The public is tired of all this BS. What's he got to hide, anyway. You guys answered to no one for years, protected by the last civil service chief. Now its time to pay for all your trangressions. Please spare us all the heartache. Its sad, really sad, and sickening, for everyone that knows exactly what is going on, and what you are really all about. Its very upsetting to read how you are getting picked on, I cant feel sorry for you. Hey,how do you like being questioned by the city solicitor, not fun is it,being on the other side of the fence. You sit there and feel that you are truly being singled out. When in reality, its about time things caught up with you. How about the time you had the mechanic cut off the exhaust system on your (brand) new cruiser and ordered him to put another system on???Remember that??? You used some of the funds marked for cruiser repair and it cost over 500 bucks(tax payers money) to put another exhaust pipe on a brand new cruiser. Its about time you started getting caught for all the things that fell through the cracks all these years, and the sick/comp time is just the a scratch on your career. Should I go on???? My advice to you is to retire. Keep pressing the issue and you will lose your fantastic retirement.

John Doe wrote:

From the hearing:
He did try to get in touch with the secretary, but she did not respond to the letter. He did not try to phone her.

Is this the same secretary that louneys been doing? That could explain it.

This city is absolutely disgusting. I can not believe the nit wits that are running our city. Hopefully the state comes in and takes the city government over. Maybe we will be better off if this happens!!!!!!

Joseph house wrote:

<quoted text>
Is this the same secretary that louneys been doing? That could explain it.

Nope, its the Chief's former secretary that was the other witness, not the person all the rumors put with louney

To say I'm disappointed is a gross understatement.
All witnesses weren't contacted or interviewed.
Both agree that the discussion took place in front
of those witnesses. One says 'Comp Time' wasn't
discussed, the other naturally says it was. One
dubious witness who admitted he was a friend if
the person under suspicion supports the statement
that it was. The other witness wasn't contacted
(apparently from what the Sentinel reported) or
even spoken too. The investigator did what surely
appears to be a shoddy job for a 'ballpark $5,000.
to $10,000'. The Mayor moved on that same slip-
shod, ice slick, Persian Bazarre fashion perhaps
a little too hasty.
So, in the end it all comes back to "he said,
he said" with no real resolution. In the final
chapter this will probably result in some form of
dollar settlement for Tasca and in his favor not
the City's. Some number of Police Officers were at
the hearing no doubt now knowing what will happan
if they do get investigated. This has got to be
Fiction it cannot be anything but that as it has
now reached comic proportions and no one would
believe it to be truth. Even more unfortunately
this cash strapped city will have to pay for that
settlement, Tasca will be back at his desk from the
looks of things and everything will go on as it
always has been. Sure NOW somehow, someway Comp
time will have to be kept on record in some form
of 'Official' basis. BUT, that's it, nothing more.
I cannot believe that Tasca will get anything
more by way of discipline. I think I'll start my
own investigation service, for $5 to 10 K and
come up with the end result this did, well, that
ought to be pretty easy.
Disgusted by how this was done, what was done,
what was not done and the ultimate end result.
Leslie

spade wrote:

I say it like it is. I may dislike Tasca but the investigation should have included interviewing all witnesses. A he said, he said argument is ridiculous, especially when you are dealing with top administators in a department. This really got **** up and it is the top who is to blame. What a waste of my tax dollars. I am beginning to think the Chief could not find his hand in a paperbag.

I totally agree. This whole situation is just another waste of tax payers' money. If it wasn't so pathetic it would be funny. Wasting more of our money hiring an investigator, putting the officer on PAID leave, now probably a law suit against the city, and WHY? If the powers that be wanted to resolve this situation they could have come to a civil resolution, but it is glaringly apparent that they were gunning to oust Tasca and that's that.
That's why cases get dismissed or thrown out of court. Investigations have to be complete and not biased to whatever side you are on. Shame, Shame on our city leaders. I'm giving a vote of No Confidence to them and how they are running our city.

The secretary didn't respond hmmm lets see your getting in the bal park of 5000 to 10,000 dollars and you know where she lives and works sure you could make the trip. also verbal contract with wong over the cost of the investigation so will this be a he said she said when he wants 10,000 and she claims he said 5,000 why would such a scholar of our community agree to a verbal contract. did anyone witness the conversation hmmm seems fishy to me politics as usual

Confused wrote:

What about the other lady...
The chiefs secretary… wouldn’t she be an impartial credible witness? Why didn’t the ask her to testify or even interview her? Something smells fishy to me. Oh wait that’s the way the FPD always does it the only interview witnessed who will support their side of the storey.

It was up to the consultant that Wong hired to interview everyone involved, so why didn't he? Doesn't seem that he conducted a thorough investigation. For $5,000. of taxpayers money I would think Wong and DeMoura would make sure all I's are dotted and T's are crossed.

So we paid $5k-$10k to investigate a few days of comp time for a guy who's retiring in a couple years. Makes total sense. (sarcasm)

Wong and Demoura wasted $10,000 to investigate this! COMP TIME, COMP TIME, are you shitting me! They should be the ones on unpaid leave... I cannot believe that the Cty Council will allow this type of head hunting to continue with the City's budget situation. Demoura just gave away $10,000 of tax payers money to his retired buddy.

I really do not have faith in Fitchburg's Police Department. It is their faults that the streets are full of drugs and crime. They where for many years part of the problem. How can you explain to me that in this small town where everyone knows everyones business that the police could not find out who are and were the drug pushers? The reason why, is they put a blind eye because they protect their own. Save the BS because they don't protect our city, they always protected their freinds and family memebers. I alwsys read these comments and read bias opinions by people who make up the majority of the population here. If you are so great, why is it that on your watch the city is falling into ruins?

AlLeslie wrote:

To say I'm disappointed is a gross understatement.
All witnesses weren't contacted or interviewed.
Both agree that the discussion took place in front
of those witnesses. One says 'Comp Time' wasn't
discussed, the other naturally says it was. One
dubious witness who admitted he was a friend if
the person under suspicion supports the statement
that it was. The other witness wasn't contacted
(apparently from what the Sentinel reported) or
even spoken too. The investigator did what surely
appears to be a shoddy job for a 'ballpark $5,000.
to $10,000'. The Mayor moved on that same slip-
shod, ice slick, Persian Bazarre fashion perhaps
a little too hasty.
So, in the end it all comes back to "he said,
he said" with no real resolution. In the final
chapter this will probably result in some form of
dollar settlement for Tasca and in his favor not
the City's. Some number of Police Officers were at
the hearing no doubt now knowing what will happan
if they do get investigated. This has got to be
Fiction it cannot be anything but that as it has
now reached comic proportions and no one would
believe it to be truth. Even more unfortunately
this cash strapped city will have to pay for that
settlement, Tasca will be back at his desk from the
looks of things and everything will go on as it
always has been. Sure NOW somehow, someway Comp
time will have to be kept on record in some form
of 'Official' basis. BUT, that's it, nothing more.
I cannot believe that Tasca will get anything
more by way of discipline. I think I'll start my
own investigation service, for $5 to 10 K and
come up with the end result this did, well, that
ought to be pretty easy.
Disgusted by how this was done, what was done,
what was not done and the ultimate end result.
Leslie

A crime is a crime is a crime. He should have known better, shame on him

Charlie and family you hang in their you have a hell of a lot of supporters in th City.

This all over a Comp Time Issue that could have been conjecturally handled internally, plus to do this to a man who has dedicated his life to the Department which he so ably serves.

Plus to "kick a man" when his daughter is battling a life threating medical issue? He could have easily gone out on the Family Medical leave act.

Hopefully the City Council will act swiftly and put Captain Tasca back on full duty status. and make him whole for any money loss.

The mayor really wants to get rid of all the high ranking police officals. If all she can come up with on Tasca is misuse of comp time then she is really desparate. The city has no extra money to spend so she goes out and hires this so called investigater at $5k to $10k to investigate a few days of comp time. This whole thing is all about money, thats it. In the long run this will cost Fitchburg alot more than the $10k that Mayor Dong paid Inspector Clouseau. I have a feeling she will do the same thing to Phil Kearns. Wheather you dislike Tasca or not this whole thing really stinks and the stench is originating in Mayor Dongs office.

AAA wrote:

The mayor really wants to get rid of all the high ranking police officals. If all she can come up with on Tasca is misuse of comp time then she is really desparate. The city has no extra money to spend so she goes out and hires this so called investigater at $5k to $10k to investigate a few days of comp time. This whole thing is all about money, thats it. In the long run this will cost Fitchburg alot more than the $10k that Mayor Dong paid Inspector Clouseau. I have a feeling she will do the same thing to Phil Kearns. Wheather you dislike Tasca or not this whole thing really stinks and the stench is originating in Mayor Dongs office.

Hi Eddie, how are you? See what you started, it's still having your effect. All these years later.