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Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Thursday, April 6, 2006
Barre selectmen want review of Police Dept.
Worcester T&G
By James F. Russell CORRESPONDENT

BARRE— Selectmen want an independent management and operational review done of the Police Department.

The board last night unanimously approved placing an article on the annual town meeting warrant in June that would ask voters to approve “management and operations review of the Barre Police Department.”

Selectman Robert E. DiGirolamo, who made the proposal, said the study is needed “because of the number of police officers we have lost.”

“It is time we look at our departments and get costs under control, and see our good points,” Mr. DiGirolamo said after last night’s meeting.

Mr. DiGirolamo estimated the study would cost about $12,000.

Mr. DiGirolamo acknowledged that he had not consulted with Police Chief John J. Manzi about the proposal.

Chief Manzi did not attend last night’s meeting.

Mr. DiGirolamo said only the Police Department would be looked at in fiscal 2007 and other town departments could be reviewed in the future

In another matter, Earl N. Sample, chairman of the selectmen, has requested that Chief Manzi attend the board’s next meeting.

Mr. Sample said he wants the chief to provide information on “accidents on police cruisers in the past two years, the damage done, who was driving, repair costs to the town.”

“There have been a lot of accidents that have diminished the life of the vehicles,” Mr. Sample said.

According to Town Administrator Lorraine Leno, Chief Manzi is requesting the town appropriate $14,000 beginning July 1 to lease two cruisers for a year.

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Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Friday, April 7, 2006
Voters to decide police review funding
Worcester T&G

Selectmen’s unanimous vote rankles chief


James F. Russell CORRESPONDENT




Chief Manzi
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BARRE— Barre Police Chief John J. Manzi says he welcomes an independent review of his department but questions why the idea, proposed this week by selectmen, was not discussed with him first.

On Wednesday, selectmen unanimously voted to ask residents at the upcoming June annual town meeting to approve spending about $12,000 for a “professional evaluation by BadgeQuest to review the management operations of the Police Department,” Town Administrator Lorraine Leno confirmed yesterday.

Chief Manzi, who did not attend Wednesday’s meeting, said he is troubled by the board’s action. He said selectmen should have discussed the proposal with him.

“I found out about this reading the newspaper this morning,” Chief Manzi said yesterday. “As a department head, it is disturbing the board of selectmen never once contacted me to discuss the subject ahead of time.”

West Yarmouth-based BadgeQuest specializes in “police chief recruitment and selection,” according to the firm’s Web site. The public safety consulting company also completes management studies, conducts training and internal affairs investigations, and can assist with policy development.

Selectman Robert E. DiGirolamo, who proposed examining the department using an outside consultant, said at the Wednesday meeting “several residents” had suggested a managerial review of the police. He did not say who any of the residents were.

The department evaluation is needed “because of the number of police officers we have lost,” Mr. DiGirolamo told his colleagues Wednesday.

Chief Manzi said he questions why selectmen see a problem when officers that leave do so in order to accept higher pay elsewhere.

Police work “is a very competitive field,” he said. “In cases where officers have left (it was) for better pay and greater opportunities.”

Mr. DiGirolamo said other municipal departments could be reviewed in the future, but for now only the Police Department would be subject to outside scrutiny, should voters approve the measure at town meeting. He said the language for the article had not yet been drafted. Ms. Leno said the deadline to submit town meeting articles is April 14.

“I would welcome an outside review conducted by a professional law enforcement assessment team to make note of our accomplishments the past two-and-a-half years,” Chief Manzi said. But “it seems we have been singled out simply because some officers left for a better opportunity. Rather than spending $12,000, I would encourage selectmen to have a public forum to discuss these matters with the department.”

He said, “I find it curious that suddenly Mr. DiGirolamo feels the need to spend $12,000 of the taxpayers’ money to review the police department when I have availed myself to review and discuss all of the goals we are pursuing — I have attended virtually every selectmen’s meeting since becoming chief.”

Appointed acting chief in August 2003, Chief Manzi assumed the job on a permanent basis in February 2004. His salary is $63,000 per year. Chief Manzi joined the department as a full-time patrolman in 1998 and was promoted to sergeant in 2000. The police chief’s three-year contract runs until June 30, 2007.

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Posted by: patroldan81

Sounds like he may have pissed someone off. I don't know Chief Manzi at all but I do know a few officers in Barre who all seem to be "squared away". Smells like small town politics to me.

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Posted by: RPD931


He looks like an English poet more than a cop.

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Posted by: j809

More like a Waffen SS Nazi.

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Posted by: LA Copper

That guy is a police chief? RPD is right, looks like he should have a pipe in his mouth and carry a large book under his arm.

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Posted by: screamineagle

More like a Waffen SS Nazi.

That was great. I laughed for 5 minutes.

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Posted by: SPO123

i think it was sparked by Barre placing an officer on leave when he was charged...

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Posted by: screamineagle

From what I understand, the chief has been spending money like theres no tommorrow. Although he has done a lot of good with the dept, he has also alienated 95% of the town and townspeople. He is not well liked in town. The officers as a whole are squared away.

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Posted by: K9Vinny

I heard that he is a complete buffoon. Read between the lines, the selectman are teeing this one up for not re-appointing him.

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Posted by: screamineagle

Quote:

Originally Posted by K9Vinny I heard that he is a complete buffoon. Read between the lines, the selectman are teeing this one up for not re-appointing him.

if he's a buffoon, can you blame them?

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Posted by: K9Vinny

No I don't blame them at all. I think the selectman are seeing the light and getting tired of paying for training, only to have the officers jump ship. Sounds like a change of command is needed, and send Professor Plum away.

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Posted by: screamineagle

Quote:

Originally Posted by K9Vinny No I don't blame them at all. I think the selectman are seeing the light and getting tired of paying for training, only to have the officers jump ship. Sounds like a change of command is needed, and send Professor Plum away.

Well said.

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Posted by: MARINECOP

Quote:

Originally Posted by j809 More like a Waffen SS Nazi.

LMAO,

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