Another sad tale regarding the misuse of public funds and abuse of the public's trust comes from the city of Haverhill and police Chief Alan DeNaro's investigation into a former firefighter's four-month absence.
It is a staggering indictment of a public-safety agency whose members apparently believed themselves subject to no rules of behavior other than those of its own making.
DeNaro's report highlights how Kevin Thompson, 52, concocted a cover story for his absence from work while he served four months in a New Hampshire jail for motor vehicle violations. Thompson's cover story was that he was in either a psychiatric institution or rehabilitation hospital.
"I could really use your help," Thompson wrote in a letter to Lt. Lee Mimms, his immediate supervisor. "I've come across an issue. A screw has come undone and I need more time to get it tightened. That and some tests need to be done."
Thompson asked Mimms to get other firefighters to cover his shifts. He included the names of those he believed owed him favors. The firefighters' shift coverage plus Thompson's use of vacation time, allowed him to be paid while he was serving jail time.
DeNaro wrote that, despite indications from Thompson that he was "experiencing issues beyond his ability to deal with," Mimms made no effort to contact Thompson and did not pass the letters up the chain of command.
By the end of Thompson's four-month absence, some fire officials had begun to suspect he was dead.
When Thompson returned to work, it was discovered that he had not held a valid driver's license for 18 years. When officials sought to question him on this, Thompson quit his job and filed for retirement benefits. The Haverhill Retirement Board awarded Thompson a $3,474 monthly pension, plus lifetime health insurance.
Mayor James Fiorentini is fighting Thompson's pension award by seeking to prove he drove a firetruck without a license, which would be a crime.
DeNaro's report shows at least one Fire Department employee knew Thompson had no driver's license. The department for years has required firefighters annually to provide copies of their licenses. When police reviewed the Fire Department's files, they found a current license on file for everyone but Thompson.
The department secretary in charge of collecting the license copies never informed Chief Richard Borden that Thompson had not complied, DeNaro wrote.
But according to the same report, Deputy Chief Doug Brown saw Thompson driving a firetruck several times. Brown told police that, while Thompson did not like to drive the truck, Brown thought it was simply because Thompson was a lousy driver.
Thompson's driving record shows multiple offenses, including drunken driving. He was jailed after pleading guilty Jan. 28 to driving after suspension of his license.
DeNaro notes in his report the root of the Fire Department's problem: "It is apparent that a 'laissez faire attitude' and 'one for all mentality' is woven deeply into the supervisory mind-set throughout the agency," he wrote. "Until systematic steps are taken to change the culture and supervisory practices within the agency, the city will continue to deal with disciplinary, performance and personnel-related issues which regularly become damaging media headlines."
DeNaro's conclusion is exactly right. Taxpayers of Haverhill have the right to expect nothing less than professional behavior from their Fire Department.
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