Newton Chief Wants Dismissal Hearing Held in Public
Chief Matthew Cummings was placed on administrative leave last week following an independent investigation.
Just over a week after he was asked to leave the department, Suspended Newton Police Chief Matthew Cummings is still planning to fight his dismissal.
Cummings, who has been placed on administrative leave, is looking to have his dismissal hearing held in public, according to a report on Boston.com.
Cummings' lawyer, Timothy Burke, told Boston.com Cummings "has nothing to hide."
Mayor Setti Warren placed Cummings on administrative leave last week following an independent investigation that looked into claims that Cummings made inappropriate comments toward his former secretary, Jeanne Sweeny Mooney, and kicked her in the foot.
Mooney, who is charged with stealing from the department, made the claims about Cummings' behavior in May of this year.
The investigation report said there was "sufficient credible evidence" that Cummings kicked and verbally harassed Mooney in 2010. Although the actions were not malicious, they were nonetheless "boorish, disrespectful and insulting", the report said.
Cummings, who was named chief in 2009, has been with the department for more than 30 years. According to city officials, there have not been any other complaints filed against Cummings in his three decades at the department.
Shortly after his dismissal, Cummings told NECN he planned to fight the decision.
Per the terms in his contract, the city will hold a hearing for Cummings before he is officially dismissed. Cummings' lawyer told Boston.com that he hopes an "impartial" person will be chosen to hear the case.
That hearing will likely be held in the next month, Boston.com reported.
joe
1:15 pm on Saturday, September 8, 2012
I think that if Mayor Warren has no other political motives for removing the Chief, and is completely secure in his decision, he should have no problems with a public hearing for all of the public to hear. However, I doubt the Chief will get an independent person for the hearing, as the Mayor has already made it clear his mind is made up to remove him regardless of how the hearing goes.
Brian
6:35 pm on Monday, September 10, 2012
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the Mayor put Cummings on leave without a hearing in the first place. Especially with the charges against Mooney and her allegations against Cummings dating back 2+ years...s/b interesting