October 28, 2009

Bitter split in police ranks

The State Police are investigating a complaint of wrongdoing by the police chief and others in the wake a bitter split within city police ranks.
Police Lt. Joel Estes recently sent a memo to city leaders charging that Police Chief John DiVenere "engaged in a pattern of deception and egregious ethical violations."
Nobody involved is talking on the record, but please see this story in today's Bristol Press and this long memo written to city officials describing in some detail what the case is all about. It's fascinating reading.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

48 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Steve.

Anonymous said...

Wow.

Anonymous said...

Mayor and Chief are covering up crap.

Anonymous said...

More like the chief and ferguson tried to cover up crap and got caught. maybe they should stop giggling about it and realize they caught caught out

Anonymous said...

Another example of the ineffective "leadership" on the part of Mayor Ward. How many police scandals have we had in the last few years under this chief???

The bigger issue here is the lack of oversight by our City's Board of Police Commissioners, who seem to buy whatever story they're told by the chief. When is the last last time a member of this board sat in a roll call room or rode with the rank and file to see what the climate is truly like in the department? And why in the hell does the city seem to be run by Diane Furgeson - typical HR pro, thinks she's in charge, but then again her boss seems to allow it.

Anonymous said...

It seems to me that there is a complete breakdown inleadership at the Bristol P.D. It is obvious that the chief is in effective. I also wonder if there is any merit to Michaud's complaint and Este's is looking for revenge. An outside investigation is exactly what is needed.

Anonymous said...

talk about a good old boys system... If you cant trust the top cop to be fair with his own employees how can anyone else expect fair treatment in town? time for divenere to go

Anonymous said...

Only the tip of the berg for the three baloon boys and HR lady! Thanks Steve

Anonymous said...

Bring back stortz
at least he disciplined the chief.

Anonymous said...

vote them all out there is no leadership at the dept level in this town when is the mayor going to do his job. we hope only two more weeks.

Anonymous said...

Chief was a big supporter to the Ward funds - just go to show the good ole boys are alive and well.

Anonymous said...

Richard Scarola is CRAY-ZEEE. Enough said.

Anonymous said...

Suspend them all and put them on paid leave .......


Don't you just love Unions ....

Anonymous said...

Hey, maybe there's some merit to the complaint against Estes and Watson. Estes is the second highest paid city employee and Watson made well over $100,000.00
Maybe the State Police will come up with the answers the chief didn't.

I find it hard to believe that there allowed to come into work, punch in the leave to go out and work another job without punching out. How can the chief say that they were telling him the proper times to use? They could tell the book keeper anything and she would just put it down without ever knowing if it's true or not. That sounds wrong just on it's face. The way that went on and for as long as it went on, I'm sure it's going to be hard to prove anything. Let's just hope that these practices have changed.

Anonymous said...

The chief is at all the fund raisers for the mayor so nothing will be done. This is bristol were people can get away with anything.

Anonymous said...

THE CHIEF HAS HAD SEXUAL ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM AND HIS FRIENDS COVERT IT UP. REAL NICE.

Anonymous said...

Before you angry villagers light the torches and storm the gates...this is an ALLEGATION. That's it. Might be true, might be false. Maybe we should all wait a little and see what the facts are before we pick up the pitchforks and build the bonfire?

Oh, and 2:57...REAL NICE...Spare us all and save your gossip for your bingo buddies.

Anonymous said...

THE CHIEF IS ALSO COVERING UP STERIOD USE IN THE DEPT. HOW ABOUT HIS DEALER FRIEND ON JUBILE DR WHO NEVER GETS CAUGHT. COPS SERVING THE PUBLIC WITH FULL BLOWN AIDS. LETS CHECK IT ALL OUT. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING IN THE CHIEFS PROBLEMS.

Anonymous said...

I have to wonder if other cops knew about this stuff going on but were afraid to say anything. Even if the complaint of "possible" double dipping were proved wrong, It seems that 1 cop tried to make sure things were right and is now the bad guy. Hum... Any others believe there were wrong doings? Guess Michaud stands alone against a department. Stand Tall!!!

Anonymous said...

The chief was told about a sergant meeting married women in chick millers parking lot. Again what was done.Certain pot dealers never getting caught like the one in the white mini van.

Anonymous said...

Gossip, lies and slander...nice folks!

Anonymous said...

The Sgt. (AJ), was talked to about Chic Millers and that has stopped!!
OR, just moved to a new location.

Anonymous said...

This chief should have been fired long ago. But when you keep good company and hide behind them his problems go away.

Anonymous said...

THIS IS ALL A WAIST OF TIME. WE HAVE NO PERSONAL TO TAKE CHARGE.

Anonymous said...

No gossip just no one with guts to do anything.

Anonymous said...

The truth hurts. The chief was over do.

Anonymous said...

I've been trying to tell you folks on this blog, about all of the unethical things going on in our town...nobody wanted to believe me. Well, now you know. And I'm sure this is only the begining. Maybe it's time to make some changes on November 3rd. If this isn't a wake-up call, I don't know what is. If they cover stuff up in their own dept do you honestly think it doesn't happen with citizens and arrests? Fire the Chief and Captin. Make Grimaldi Chief. And PLEASE get a new Mayor!! This guy has no clue about what goes on under his own nose. Each Dept head in town runs their dept as they wish. Ward only acts like he is in charge.

Anonymous said...

Are Lt. Jack Michaud and Chris related? I give Chris credit for reporting this. Like i've said before, our city needs an ethics board/dept who is responsible for investigating any and all complaints in all departments. And I've also mentioned how the policy for construction officers should be changed. I believe the chief is in charge of that policy. Why can't consturction companies just use their own flag men? It would be cheaper. Right now it's at the chiefs discretion as to where an officer is needed on a consturction job. And it's not like the cops ever actually direct traffic! When I see them they are busy taking construction lessons from the workers and usualy looking down a hole in the road or up a pole. I'vealways wish i had the time to take some video of this and post it online (not to mention some video of public works employees slacking off for 6 of the 8 hours a day they work. I actually saw one taking a nap in a backhoe on the road one time). Hey at least if the cops ever get fired, they can go into the construction trade considering the time they've spent staring down holes. I doubt the State Police will do anything. They will just let this slide like they always do. Just like when they shot and killed that dude over by Gaylord Towers because he had a razor blade in his hand. Ever hear of pepper spary or a stun gun? So basically we have some trigger happy unethical cops. Wow, i sure feel safe.

Anonymous said...

It looks like we need at least one more outside investigation, one to determine if the allegations against Estes are true, not the sham investigation by the chief and the payroll clerk which cleared him. I would like to read that investigation. That alone tells you the chief is unfit to command. Steve can you FOI that for us. An outside investigation would put the rumors to rest once and for all. What about the Police commissioners, what are they doing about this, bet they didn’t even know about any of it. What a bunch of doddering old fools. Just what do they do anyway? Let’s wait and see how this plays out.

Anonymous said...

HAVE PEOPLE WRITE IN WITH KNOWLEDGE OF WRONG DOING BY THE CHIEF YOU WILL FILL THE PRESS SEVERAL TIMES. WATCH HOW HE SUPPORTS THE POLITIANS SO HE COULD COME OUT CLEAN. THIS IS BRISTOL.

Anonymous said...

Read the report people.Estes seems to have proof of what hes claiming what does Michaud have besides a bad rep.Estes, you worked hard for your money dont let "haters" bring you down. You have B***S. Thats whats needed to get rid of the dirty people in gov't.Lets see what Ward has and what he plans to do with ANOTHER claim against the chief.

Anonymous said...

If everything in Estes report is true (which he seems to have proof of) then the chief and Michaud need to go and Michaud should be in trouble for lying and should be investigated.And why did it take the Mayor 4 weeks to do something about this??? Lets be real, no matter what the outcome is the chief will no longer be trusted in this community. He already has to much baggage has already caused enough problems for Bristol.My friends from other towns say the joke about the BPD is "The perfect place to commit a crime and get away with it is in Bristol. How emarrassing

Anonymous said...

Ward just buries his head, and collects the fat check. Yet people in this town will still vote the loser in.

Anonymous said...

Lt.Estes,just proved the wrongdoings of Divenere,Michaud and Diane Ferguson!They should have been fired on OCT.13!The officers that called Cindy Weaver,should be suspended also for being part of the conspiracy!Is she the one who filed that complaint against the Chief?Why is Ferguson involved in a Internal Affairs investigation?Mayor Ward,all you did was send the file to the cities attorneys!Why because your son is a police officer?You need to take action ,NOW,and if you don't you need to resign!

Anonymous said...

Ah, I see the villagers are ready to stone the monster and set fire to city...SPOOKY!

Anonymous said...

Ferguson whitewashed the Rosenthal investigation and apparently whitewashed this one too.

What does she have on who, to last this long?

Anonymous said...

Police Chief is not the brightest. His choices are distorted. I suppose he is trying to cover up his lack of knowledge. Maybe its time for a new Police Chief.

Anonymous said...

Once the rank and file think that divenere is on his way out the real truth will start to come out regarding what a lying and vindictive person he is. Just look at the Britt fiasco, nobody said boo until it was obvious he was gone and they were free from retaliation and backlash from speaking out.

Anonymous said...

THIS CHIEF SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED LONG AGO. JUST HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE STERIODS IN THE DEPT. THEN JUST HIS PERSONAL INFORMANT WHO SELLS POT AND STERIODS TO CERTAIN COPS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THE DEALER SELLS RIGHT UNDER THERE NOSES AND THEY TURN AWAY . LOOK FOR THE WHITE MINIVAN HES NOT THE GOOD HUMOR MAN.

Anonymous said...

Hey Steve,
Is it true that the state police were once investigated themselves for corrupting their own internal IA's. My boyfriend said he read it years ago in the courant.And that New York was called in to do the investigations. If thats the case how are we letting them do this one? Are all these guys really in bed together? Put some pressure on them to do the right thing. This corruptin has to stop.

Anonymous said...

Nothing will happen to Michaud the same way nothing happened to Linskey. Four outside agencies proved him wrong and showed code of conduct violations. Ferguson runs the show and says nothing should happen, and it won't. Just the way it is.

Anonymous said...

10:25, someone told me that in the 60's the State Police and National Guard had to come to Bristol to fix some corruption stuff within the PD and City Hall. Idk if it's true or not?

Anonymous said...

the chiefs friend lives on jewel st WHITE MINI VAN. HES LIKE MR CLEAN . WHATS THE CHIEFS END.

Anonymous said...

another great performance by a member of the "fab 5". And you wonder why they all wanted Artie to win two years ago. The inmates are running the asylum.

Anonymous said...

It must be very difficult for the Chief run the PD when there are officers that insist on spending their time making allegations that the Chief and City Hall can't discuss with the media until the investigations are done.

Estees knows what he is doing...he's trying the Chief through the media with only his allegations made public - knowing the the City can't state their case.

Disgruntled employee. How much trouble has he been in over the last few years???

Anonymous said...

Very interesting that Estees brings this out just before an election...just a little suspicious.

Anonymous said...

Ferguson hides alot of things things at the PD and the Mayor lets her due it. Why just guess alot of the PD will vote for Mary and the rest of the town should do the same.

Anonymous said...

And you wonder why officials are reluctant to take on the unions.

The unioons work against them, and the public won't spport them.