Board abandons police audit

PARIS — An independent audit of the Paris Police Department has been put on hold in light of changes to the department and the selection of a new police chief.

The board of selectmen voted unanimously to postpone the audit during its meeting November 26.

In October, board members authorized the Maine Chiefs of Police Association to conduct an audit on the department's operations.

The move came on the heels of allegations that Chief David Verrier had behaved improperly.

Last week, it was announced that Verrier and Lt. Michael Dailey would leave Paris PD. Dailey has since reconsidered his resignation.

At the November 26 meeting the board said the cost of an audit, $6,000, would be ill-spent while the department was in transition.

Board Chair Sam Elliot told residents the board would prefer to give a new chief and town manager time to implement their own changes before seeking outside assistance.

Vice Chair Bob Kirchherr echoed Elliot's assessment.

"To me it would make more sense to bring in an interim police chief, let them ... make suggestions on how to improve it and six months or a year from now, do the audit," Kirchherr said.

Selectman Robert Wessels said the town could still learn from the audit, but $6,000 was a lot to spend for a department in transition and without a chief.

Prior to the board's decision, several residents voiced concern with the state of the police department.

Janet Jamison, a vocal critic of Verrier, congratulated him for leaving.

"I'd like to thank him for not having us spend six grand to investigate him, so I say good riddance," Jamison said.

Rick Little requested the board again examine contracting with the County Sheriff's Office.

"We don't need a chief, we don't need a lieutenant, we don't need a receptionist, we don't need a building," Little told the board.

"We could save ourselves a lot of money and have four adequately trained and equipped professionals in this town at all times."

He also questioned why the board would abandon the audit when it could provide information about mistakes that had been made in the past.

"Are you saying all possible mistakes in the past are going to leave with him?" Little asked.

Resident Bonnie Knight claimed the audit would uncover illegality in the police department. She said the town should not be paying the chief's pension if he had broken the law. She also claimed she has seen an officer sleeping in his vehicle.

Elliot responded that the unsubstantiated allegations were unhelpful and told residents to address specific concerns to the town manager.

The audit was not punitive, Kirchherr told residents – it was a way to review, improve and strengthen the department. 

"It was not intended to identify illegalities or breaches of contract or anything else," Kirchherr said.

"If you expected this audit to come in and issue all kinds of summonses and bring people into court and hire lawyers, that was not this intent."

Elliot iterated that unsubstantiated allegations were hurtful, particularly for a new chief and town manager.

"This chatting among yourselves and out in public and rumors and innuendos is very destructive," Elliot told residents.

"It's destructive to the morale of the police force as well as the people who work for the town in general –  it is not productive and it is not helpful.

"If you have something significant to hang your hat on that you know about, you let us know."