Methuen suspends police officer

Methuen's police chief has suspended a sergeant after a group of on-duty police officers gathered in the station Friday to watch a New England Patriots football game, leaving the city underprotected, officials said.

"He's trying to find out why they were in the station, together," Mayor William T. Manzi said about an interdepartmental investigation launched by Police Chief Joseph Solomon.

"Why were they all in there at the same time?" Manzi added. "If it was a dinner break, wouldn't it be more prudent to space that out?"

The investigation caps a year of upheaval within the city's Police Department, which has been scrutinized by city officials and federal agents and accused of mishandling grant money.

Solomon could not be reached for comment, but Manzi and other city officials said that Friday night, the chief entered the station and saw five patrol officers watching the televised game. A sergeant and lieutenant were in the station, too, Manzi said, but it is not clear if they were watching the game.

With seven officers were in the station, the rest of the 23-square-mile city was patrolled by just two other officers, officials said.

CHRISTINE MCCONVILLE