It took more than seven months but Methuen Mayor William Manzi finally was able yesterday to fire police Chief Joseph Solomon. The methodical approach the mayor took, during which the former chief was paid for doing no work, has produced the documentation and due process needed for the firing to be upheld by the Civil Service Commission.
An appeal to that commission now is the only hope Solomon has of regaining his job. An appeal, should Solomon file one, could take anywhere from months to years to resolve.
And it is a risky venture for the city. Solomon, as of today, will no longer be collecting a paycheck or benefits. But if the former chief wins an appeal, he could be awarded back pay, benefits and punitive damages.
The firing was a long time coming. But it was deserved.
The former chief's disciplinary hearing produced seven days of testimony that amply documented that Solomon was abusing the authority of his office, caught up in ethical violations, failing to properly oversee the department's use of grant money and behaving in a manner unbecoming an officer in command.
The report from hearing officer Michael Marks cited several instances of conflicts of interest or unusual treatment involving members of Solomon's family. Among these were a surveillance system set up at his sister's home as well as nearly 300 instances of Methuen police performing "property checks" at his sister's home. Solomon claimed he did not know about the camera installation or the property checks, a claim Marks found not credible.
Last August, Solomon stormed into the police station where he found five officers watching a Patriots game on television. According to testimony, Solomon was "verbally abusive and out of control."
According to testimony, that number of officers in the squad room was not unusual as they would meet to have dinner and prepare reports. Marks determined that Solomon wildly overreacted to a minor incident.
The following day, Solomon placed Sgt. Larry Philips, who had been in the station during the Patriots incident, on administrative leave. He confiscated Phillips' badge and gun and ordered him to undergo a fitness-for-duty evaluation.
According to testimony, Phillips had been in the station working on a criminal investigation. Solomon's former brother-in-law had been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in connection with that investigation. Solomon testified he knew nothing of this. Marks wrote in his report that it was a reasonable conclusion that Solomon's behavior toward Phillips was related to the grand jury investigation.
Marks also upheld the city's claim that Solomon had not maintained an adequate system for tracking superior officers' overtime paid by the federal Weed and Seed grant. That lack of documentation is behind the federal Justice Department's demand that the city repay $170,000 of that grant.
In summary, Solomon behaved in a manner unbecoming an officer. He wrongly directed Police Department resources to the benefit of his family members, he retaliated against an officer leading an investigation involving a family member and mismanaged grant resources.
In Marks' words, Solomon "failed to accept responsibility for any errors, mistakes, ethical lapses or errors in judgment." He claimed the process was "unfair, discriminatory and hostile." Marks found Solomon's claims "repugnant" and said he "sought refuge by impugning the reputations of others."
All in all, there was ample reason for Mayor Manzi to fire Solomon on Sept. 28. Yet for seven months, the mayor was saddled with a police chief he did not trust while he built a case that would have a chance to survive Civil Service scrutiny.
Methuen's Police Department will be better off without Solomon. And the city should continue its effort to remove future chiefs from the strictures of Civil Service.
