Woodstock Police Chief Joe Swanson on administrative leave despite reinstatement
A JUDGE HAS PUT A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER ON THE TOWN OF WOODSTOCK THIS WEEK. AND THAT MEANS THAT THE COMMUNITY CANNOT PERMANENTLY FILL THE POSITION OF POLICE CHIEF. AT LEAST NOT FOR NOW. YEAH. IT COMES AFTER THE FORMER CHIEF IS SUING THE TOWN. NBC5’S JAMES MALONEY HAS THOSE DETAILS. THAT IS ACTUALLY A GOOD VICTORY FOR US AT THIS POINT. AFTER A HEARING ON MONDAY, A JUDGE HAS PLACED A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER ON THE TOWN OF WOODSTOCK, MAKING THEM UNABLE TO PERMANENTLY FILL THE POSITION OF POLICE CHIEF. THE LAWYER, REPRESENTING FORMER CHIEF JOE SWANSON, SAYS THE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION THEY’RE SEEKING WOULD BE IN PLACE AS THEY APPEALED THE DECISION OF THE TRUSTEES TO DEMOTE SWANSON TO PATROL OFFICER AFTER AN INVESTIGATION AND WRONGDOINGS WERE COMMITTED BY THE TRUSTEES. WE BELIEVE THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL BREACH OF CONTRACT, WHICH DOESN’T ALLOW DEMOTION, SHOULD GIVE THE COURT AMPLE, AMPLE AMMUNITION IN ORDER TO RULE ON THAT. IN MARCH, A PUBLIC HEARING BECAME RAUCOUS. AT SOME POINTS, SOME WHO TESTIFIED SAID SWANSON NEGLECTED HIS DUTIES BY NOT RESPONDING TO PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS, SHOWED UP LATE TO WORK AND DID PERSONAL BUSINESS WHILE ON THE JOB. NBC5 WENT TO THE WOODSTOCK TOWN HALL WEDNESDAY FOR COMMENT. A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE TOWN SAID THEY WILL NOT SPEAK ON THE ONGOING LITIGATION, BUT IN COURT DOCUMENTS, TOWN MANAGER ERIC DUFFY SAID THERE NEEDS TO BE A PERMANENT CHIEF IN ORDER TO HIRE A FULL TIME SERGEANT. HE ARGUED THE DEPARTMENT IS SHORT STAFFED WITHOUT IT. ON TOP OF FIGHTING TO GET SWANSON REINSTATED, FRAUD SAYS THERE IS ALSO A $5 MILLION LAWSUIT AGAINST TOWN AND VILLAGE OFFICIALS, INCLUDING DUFFY, FOR DAMAGES. SWANSON CLAIMS THE MONTHS LONG INVESTIGATION AND HIS REMOVAL FROM HIS POSITION AS CHIEF HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO HIS REPUTATION AND EXTREME EMOTIONAL DISTRESS. THE CIVIL LAWSUIT GETS INTO MORE OF THE UNDERLYING ISSUES ABOUT HOW AND WHY THIS HAPPENED, AND OUR ALLEGATIONS ARE THAT IT WAS BASED ON. NUMEROUS UNLAWFUL ABUSES OF POWER. IT’S UNCLEAR WHEN THE LITIGATION WILL BE HEARD ON AGAIN, OR WHEN A JUDGE WILL MAKE A DECISION ON TH
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Woodstock Police Chief Joe Swanson on administrative leave despite reinstatement
Woodstock Police Chief Joe Swanson is back on administrative leave despite being reinstated as the village’s top cop as the prolonged fight to restore his position continues.Top video: See previous coverageSwanson was reinstated as chief of police earlier this month after a judge ruled that Swanson’s demotion to patrol officer in April was unlawful, according to his attorney.In a ruling, Judge H. Dickson Corbett ordered that the decision be reversed because village officials did not properly find cause to dismiss or demote Swanson.Swanson was demoted to a patrol officer after an investigation into alleged misconduct on the job. Swanson later sued the town for $5 million after he claimed he was demoted without just cause following unfair treatment from Woodstock Municipal Manager Eric Duffy and other village trustees.However, Swanson’s attorney Linda Frass said he has now been placed on administrative leave by village officials, as they claim they have other reasons to prove just cause. Corbett ruled that the case must now go back to the village trustees, who will ultimately determine whether cause exists to remove Swanson as chief.A court date has not been set.
Woodstock Police Chief Joe Swanson is back on administrative leave despite being reinstated as the village’s top cop as the prolonged fight to restore his position continues.
Top video: See previous coverage
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Swanson was reinstated as chief of police earlier this month after a judge ruled that Swanson’s demotion to patrol officer in April was unlawful, according to his attorney.
In a ruling, Judge H. Dickson Corbett ordered that the decision be reversed because village officials did not properly find cause to dismiss or demote Swanson.
Swanson was demoted to a patrol officer after an investigation into alleged misconduct on the job. Swanson later sued the town for $5 million after he claimed he was demoted without just cause following unfair treatment from Woodstock Municipal Manager Eric Duffy and other village trustees.
However, Swanson’s attorney Linda Frass said he has now been placed on administrative leave by village officials, as they claim they have other reasons to prove just cause.
Corbett ruled that the case must now go back to the village trustees, who will ultimately determine whether cause exists to remove Swanson as chief.
A court date has not been set.
