WEST STOCKBRIDGE -- The search for a new police chief took an abrupt, surprising twist Tuesday after Town Administrator Mark Webber identified two finalists for the job: One, a former police sergeant from Eastern Massachusetts, is being investigated for hanging out with his girlfriend on as many as 170 shifts.
Former Carlisle Police Sgt. Kevin Cardonne, who is married, resigned in mid-December after being placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into alleged personal and professional misconduct.
Cardonne's past, part of a Carlisle police department scandal that has been front page news since November in The Lowell Sun and the Boston Globe, came as a surprise to Webber, head of the West Stockbridge police chief search committee, when it was pointed out Tuesday morning by The Eagle.
"Uh-oh," said Webber. "It doesn't give me a warm feeling. It's not sounding really good."
After telephone consultations with other members of the search committee, Webber said that the group of five will reconvene later this week to review their recommendations. He thanked The Eagle for bringing Cardonne's problems to his attention.
Cardonne had applied previously for the West Stockbridge post when it opened up three years ago, but did not make the final cut at that time, Webber said, adding "he had nothing but glowing notices at that time. How things can change in three years."
The second finalist is Dalton officer John Thibodeau, 48. Thibodeau has served two stints in Dalton, the first from 1988 to 1992 and the second since 2000. He spent the eight years in between as a Pittsfield police officer. Thibodeau had been laid off in 1992 because of a fiscal crunch in the town and rejoined the Dalton force when an opening developed.
Thibodeau, who was not on duty on Tuesday and unavailable for comment, comes highly recommended by Dalton Police Chief John W. Bartels, Jr.
"He's a great officer, and we don't want to lose him, that's for sure," Bartels said on Tuesday. "He's a sharp guy, very well-liked and respected. I wish him all the best if he gets the position and decides to take it. If it's a place he wants to go, I'll support him 100 percent."
A third finalist, Belchertown Police Chief Francis Fox, withdrew late last week after being offered a new contract following a major uproar. The Board of Selectmen in that town reversed their decision not to renew his contract after an outpouring of support from residents who demanded Fox be retained.
Before learning of Cardonne's recent travails, Webber had described the finalists, including Fox, as having "risen to the top" of 14 applicants being considered.
"The committee did some vetting and follow-up," he said, adding that "they lean toward folks who have been working in police departments, especially in Massachusetts because they are familiar with commonwealth laws."
Other applicants held posts in New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
As Webber described the process, the committee examined resumes, sent nine-point questionnaires to the applicants, and was most impressed by the responses from the three initial finalists.
He said Cardonne had listed his status as an employed Carlisle police sergeant on his paperwork dated Dec. 13, 2010. But Cardonne did not mention that he had been placed on paid administrative leave on Oct. 24, 2010. The town's selectmen accepted his resignation on Dec. 21, 2010, minutes before a scheduled disciplinary hearing. Town Administrator Timothy Goddard had received Cardonne's notice more than a week earlier, effective Dec. 17. His annual base pay had been $79,962.99.
By late afternoon, Webber was distancing himself from Cardonne, who did not return a call from The Eagle placed to his home in the Carlisle area. Carlisle is a town of about 5,000 in Middlesex County, about 8 miles southwest of Lowell and 23 miles from Boston.
"Until the committee meets again, he remains a contender," Webber said. "But it's cause for pause. I don't think he'll be a candidate going forward. Clearly, we should have seen this, but we missed it. And it's not too late in the process, which is still preliminary and is continuing."
According to Webber, "the screening committee had always planned to do a full background check on the candidates before any offer of employment was made. A full vetting of finalists isn't done until they are named and then interviewed. We're not under the gun here or in a state of panic, though there is some urgency. We won't be overly concerned if the process gets delayed somewhat. It's better to take our time."
Current West Stockbridge Police Chief Michael Stanton's contract expires June 30, but Webber said he has agreed to make himself available whenever needed to assist in a transition.
The reason for Cardonne's sudden departure, closely following the resignation of Carlisle Police Chief John Sullivan for carrying on an affair with an administrative assistant in the department, was kept under tight wraps by town officials. That bewildered local residents who were aware of an upheaval in their police force but had no clue as to the reasons.
Last month, after The Sun and the Globe filed freedom of information requests for access to official investigative reports on the scandal, the details emerged.
Cardonne and Sullivan left, The Sun reported, after a Boston investigative agency hired by the town for $10,000 revealed that Cardonne allegedly spent up to 170 shifts parked with his girlfriend in a cruiser near the town's soccer fields and other locations while on duty. Sullivan admitted to an improper relationship since 2007 with his administrative assistant, Deborah Sapanaro, who also served as a "special police officer" and was given pay increases from $19 to $25 an hour.
A former Carlisle police officer, Patrick Colburn, filed a lawsuit alleging he lost his job because of Sullivan's favoritism toward his girlfriend. Sullivan called allegations against him "lies, exaggerations and assumptions" by a disgruntled officer.
Both Cardonne and Sullivan have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The town is also the target of a pending lawsuit from Carlisle officer Paul Smith, complaining Cardonne retaliated against him for complaining about the lack of backup during the night shift.
A member of the West Stockbridge search committee, Lee Police Chief Ronald Glidden, defended the work of the group Tuesday.
"At this stage of the process, all the search committee has to work with is the paperwork in front of them, letters of recommendations, and résumés," he said. "The committee wasn't tasked with doing any background investigation. You can only go on face value with the stuff you've got. If there are falsehoods, it's up to the town administrator."
Although Dalton officer Thibodeau may emerge as the sole surviving finalist later this week, Webber expects the search committee will re-examine its file of applicants so it can present two or three names to the selectmen ahead of a scheduled public interview of candidates at Town Hall on March 23 at 6:30 p.m. At another meeting, possibly on March 28, the selectmen will announce whether they favor any of the finalists.
Webber left open the possibility that the search may be re-opened to attract new applicants.
The Lowell Sun contributed information for this article.
Former Carlisle Police Sgt. Kevin Cardonne was investigated by Richard A. Sjoberg and Associates, a Boston firm hired by the town. Key allegations by co-workers against Cardonne, who was announced Tuesday as a finalist for West Stockbridge police chief, included their contention that he failed to properly manage officers:
n "Everyone's complained that for a misdialed 911 call or alarms that Kevin doesn't show up."
n "The sergeant likes to let the other person do the calls and take the reports. He likes to kick back."
n "When I worked with Kevin, I feel like I'm working alone. I have that mentality, so I can handle whatever comes my way."
Former Carlisle Chief John Sullivan told investigators the following about his affair with his aide:
n "I thought it was best to have as few people know about the relationship as possible -- no need to raise the dust."
n "We purposefully didn't go to Christmas parties together."
n "No, it doesn't look good for a chief to be dating a subordinate officer -- I realize that. This is a small community ... and my secret got out slowly."
n "I was trying to avoid speculation and jealousy, which is the union's function to create problems."
Source: Investigation reports obtained in a records request by the Sun in Lowell and the Boston Globe.
