Methuen police chief fired; mayor says it's time to 'move on'

May 7, 2008 06:40 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By Kytja Weir, Globe Correspondent

The mayor of Methuen fired the city's police chief this afternoon, more than seven months after the chief was placed on administrative leave amid an investigation into how the city used federal grants.

Joseph Solomon's termination followed seven days of hearings into nine allegations, including charges that he ordered police officers to travel to his sister's house approximately 280 times for non-law enforcement reasons, and authorized an assistant to "triple-dip" by receiving two sets of federal overtime funds on top of her salary.

Mayor William M. Manzi said the action would end uncertainty for the police department and the city of just over 44,000 along the New Hampshire line.

"We can move on as a community," he said.

Solomon's attorney, Andrew Gambaccini, greeted the news with some relief. He said Solomon had been expecting such an outcome for months and is now eager to appeal the decision to the state Civil Service Commission, where he feels he will receive a fairer hearing.

Solomon has argued that he has been retaliated against for cooperating in an investigation of Manzi. Manzi has denied he is being investigated. The FBI has had no comment.

The controversy stretches back more than two years to when questions were raised about how the Methuen Police Department handled grant money.

Federal officials have told the city that it misused grant money for overtime payments and needs to return about $170,000 of a Justice Department "Weed and Seed" grant. No one has been criminally charged.