Nam Vet
Posted on 02/09/2007 8:13:33 PM PST by kristinn
WRENTHAM - Police Chief Joseph Collamati has asked Norfolk County District Attorney William Keating to investigate allegations a town police officer may have posted information on an Internet blog critical of selectmen.
Collamati said Thursday the allegations, discussed in open session by selectmen at the end of their meeting Tuesday night, "demeans the reputation of everybody here" in the police department.
The police chief wants the district attorney's office to conduct an independent investigation.
"Quite frankly, I was a little disturbed by the allegations. I don't think they're true," Collamati said. "The officers of the Wrentham police department feel their character has been assassinated."
Collamati said individuals calling themselves "Little Bill" and "Guinness Boy" made the negative comments on a blog on Feb. 23, 2005.
The blog's address, www.freepublic.com/focus/f-news, now leads to MegaGo.com, which offers a "one click search" of keywords.
Collamati said he had done a preliminary look at the text.
"I don't see anything in there that refers to a Wrentham police officer, but politics does strange things," Collamati said.
Selectmen say they heard a police officer had used the name "Guinness Boy," but hadn't confirmed that.
"They were making fun of John Zizza and Mary Dunn and me," said Selectwoman Jennifer Firth, who raised the issue at the selectmen's meeting at the urging of board member Richard Dion. "It was concerning the election" of April 2005, and ideas being bantered about on how to unseat Greg Pazurchek.
Pazurchek ended up being defeated by George Labonte, who has a relative on the police department. Firth, who had been on the board since before 2005, won another term last year. Dunn and Zizza were selectmen during 2005.
Labonte pointed out at the selectmen's meeting that anybody can say they are anyone on a blog.
Firth called the Internet site a "political blog written on a left wing Web site, Free Republic," which included a chat room.
Firth said she has no problem with referral of the case to the district attorney's office.
"We certainly welcome him to do so, and file any complaint he would like to," Firth said of the police chief.
Information about the blog text was left anonymously at the selectmen's office, and that was forwarded by Dunn to Collamati for investigation, Firth said.
The matter was later discussed by selectmen in closed session.
Firth said Dion, who resigned at the end of the selectmen's meeting for personal reasons, wanted the blog issue discussed in open session against her wishes.
"There was no reason to put it in a public political forum," Firth said, adding she questions the credibility of blogs. "I thought it was inappropriate. You don't know who the people are who are actually chatting."
Selectmen and police officers have not had a smooth a relationship in recent years, and that worsened with budget reductions this fiscal year that led to layoffs of two patrolmen, one position of which has been restored.
There has also been controversy over improving public safety communications coverage in the west end.
In recent months, selectmen have discussed accountability and discipline procedures of police officers and firefighters with Collamati and Fire Chief Robert Morrill, but there have been no serious problems with the rank and file.
"I greatly respect the police department and think they are doing a great job for the town," Firth said. "I have nothing negative to say."
Hey, Zizza, Dunn, Firth?
YOU ALL SUCK!!!!
"Translation: It'll take you 25 years, $50,000 and endless meetings with the "Environmental Committee" to get a building permit anywhere in Wrentham."
Oh yeah. And don't leave the Volvo in the driveway overnight. Put it in the gargage.
My posts were from the same paper regarding a different, but equally funny matter!
Go to post 155 and hit the link, scroll down to the bottom of the page and link on the article about the KP students, or read all of them, they are hillarious!
Hybrids are exempt from this rule. They must be on public display, as an exemplar.
The Volvo must have the requisite "Together we can!" bumper sticker for free 'em all Deval, It's right next to the Whirrled Peas bumper sticker.
Of course, the "Impeach Bush" and "Bring the Troops Home Now!!" bumper sticker is so de rigeur that it needn't be mentioned ;-)
I sympathize with your tag line, BTW.
Born and raised in Massachusetts.
After apparently suffering from simultaneous mini-strokes, we moved to Maine thinking it would be an improvement.
The malaise continues.....
Drives you nuts, but it makes me sick... That's why I call it a "refluxive pronoun!" ;-)
ROTFLOL Ping
LOL. We could have a FR underground railroad for all those persecuted for "making fun" of public officials.
Nam Vet
Even more so.. who would think FR is a blog???
MEMORIALIZED IN SONG -- http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1782690/posts
I'm left wing? I was unaware!
bump to ya
In all fairness, the article says it is Jennifer Firth, one of the selectman that calls Free Republic a "left wing blog". Not the police cheif. The police cheif is protecting his officers from assumptions and allegations that they are posting on Free Republic, making character assassinations on the selectman candidates.
The investigation is to protect his guys from being accused of the messages posted around the April '05 election. This story outside of Wrentham is very hard to follow & explain, that is why even the Sun Chronicle, from Attleboro totally botched it, and even why it is being botched even in Wrentham.
This story is based on allegation, assumption and accusation with little to no fact as far as I know. On the original thread there was a post that was perceived as a threat of harm, when in actuality is was a tongue in cheek comment. Probably not the best choice of words to use, gave the opponent some ammunition against us.
A place in SE Massachusetts, from an Algonquin word meaning, "place by many malls".
Exit 15 on I-495. (Foxboro is exit 14, then North on U.S. 1.)
Once this thing is concluded:
there might be a market for T-shirts, hats, coffee mugs and bumper stickers that say:
I am Guinnessboy
or
I am Little Bill
There will be a rush on them to the run up of our April 2nd town election......
Okay.
Oh no!!!!!! I need to take a shower, I feel so icky!!!!
Mark
A politician who's too stupid to be a congressman.
Mark
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