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HAMILTON — Town Administrator Candace Wheeler said she wishes the town had dug further into an allegation eight years ago that the Hamilton police were systematically falsifying EMT training records.
A former town employee said she told Wheeler about problems with the ambulance service in 2000. This week, a state investigation was released that alleges widespread and systematic fraud in the department that "endangered public health and safety."
"We had heard comments from time to time," Wheeler said yesterday, the first time she's spoken publicly about the allegations.
"In 20-20 hindsight, I wish we had looked into it further," she said. "... (In 2000), we had no sense that we had a serious problem of the sort that's been raised by the (Office of Emergency Medical Services) report."
The three selectmen who were in office in 2000 said yesterday that concerns about EMT training were never relayed to them.
In reaction to the state report — which accuses 19 officers of fraud, including police Chief Walter Cullen — Wheeler and selectmen said yesterday that they will begin meeting next week.
"At this point, all we can do is decide, 'What can we do next?'" Wheeler said during an interview in her office at Town Hall yesterday afternoon. "There are very serious concerns in that report."
"I was very surprised by it," Selectman David Carey said of the severity and extent of allegations.
Earlier this year, the town launched separate investigations into problems in the department. The state began its investigation of training records in August.
The ambulance service was suspended in late September amid "serious deficiencies" found by the OEMS, and Lyons Ambulance was hired in the interim. This week, the state pulled the town's ambulance license for at least a year and also suspended the EMT licenses of one former and eight current officers — including Cullen — for not taking required courses and for falsifying documents to obtain recertification.
"Obviously, it's a very serious problem," Carey said yesterday. "... We're setting up meetings right now, and we'll look to the commonwealth to help us, starting with the OEMS, and hopefully they'll advise us."
Cullen, who has been chief of the department for 19 years, earns more than $105,000 and is scheduled to retire in February. A reporter who went to the police station yesterday to reach Cullen for comment was told he was out of the office and was not likely to return later in the day.
Donald Dupray, president of the police union, declined comment last night and said none of the other officers on duty wished to speak.
The department has provided the town's ambulance service for at least 40 years. Its full-time officers, including Cullen, are required to be state-certified EMTs, and they receive extra pay every year to maintain their certifications.
But investigators found that police officers signed attendance sheets without attending the required training and in eight cases found that officers "failed to meet training requirements required for recertification and falsified documents to renew their certification."
The state found that only four of the department's full-time officers did not falsify any records.
'Very upsetting'
In 2000, a former dispatcher, Mary Ruth Stocking, along with her lawyer, told Wheeler what was going on — that the officer in charge of training, David Mastrianni, would leave attendance sheets for training classes with her, so officers could sign them without attending the classes and further told her to leave a space in the middle of the form for Cullen's signature.
Stocking said that Wheeler promised "the matter would be taken care of," but Stocking told investigators no disciplinary actions were ever taken.
"It is very upsetting," Wheeler said of the entire situation.
Wheeler has been town administrator since 1992.
"I care about the town and all the people who work for this town," Wheeler said, "and this is certainly just a deeply troubling situation."
When reached yesterday, all three former selectmen who were in office in 2000 — John Serafini, Peter Twining and David Neill — said Wheeler did not relay any concerns surrounding the ambulance service.
"I don't remember this subject," said Serafini, who was a selectman from 1999 to 2002, "and it's something I would have remembered. ... We have to reserve judgment until all the facts come out, but the story is disturbing."
Twining, who was chairman at the time, said he was particularly surprised by the allegations because the selectmen were "intensely involved" with the public safety departments at that time, including overseeing a management change at the Fire Department, he said.
When asked if he recalled hearing concerns about EMT training, he said, "No, and it's a pretty strong no.
"We were very aware of what was going on," said Twining, who lives in Ipswich now. "(But) I have no recollection of having heard about it, and I know because I would have been pretty damn upset about it."
Next step
Wheeler said that the officers and the town have the right to appeal the state's disciplinary action.
She also noted that the town took "immediate steps" in September when OEMS notified the town with preliminary concerns, by hiring a certified ambulance service.
"So the public can be assured the ambulance will come," she said, "and be staffed with fully certified EMTs."
When asked if disciplinary action is being considered, town officials said nothing has been determined.
"Not yet," Wheeler said. "That's going to be a lot of what will occupy us in the next couple of weeks. ... There is so much to talk about and to try to decide."
"We believe in due process," said Dick Low, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, "and we are currently working on steps that need to be taken."
Low said the primary commitment is to serve residents with ambulance service that is "the best we can provide," and responds quickly.
"We share the concerns expressed in the community," Low said, "and we reaffirm our commitments that we will take action in a manner that's appropriate."
Carey said he expects the board will come to "numerous developments quite quickly on this."
The next Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. Selectman Bill Bowler, who is the board's senior member, did not return a call for comment.
"The selectmen and I are taking this situation extremely seriously," Wheeler said. "We're working to get the best and safest resolution we can."
Staff writer Bruno Matarazzo Jr. contributed to this report.
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