POLAND TOWNSHIP Trustees decline to reinstate Carl Massullo as chief of police

The change is effective immediately.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- Township officials say they are looking to make a few changes in how the police department here operates.
Trustees, at a reorganization meeting Tuesday, decided not to reinstate Carl Massullo as the township's police chief. Massullo has been chief of police for 12 years and worked part time for the department before that.
Massullo's removal from the chief's position was effective as of Tuesday night.
Trustee Mark Naples would offer no specific reasons behind the decision not to reinstate Massullo. He said trustees simply wanted to go "in a different direction."
"We just needed to make a change. We talked to Carl and he saw that we needed to do something as well," he said. "[Massullo] has done a good job for the community, but the time has come for us to go in a different direction. He will still be around and I am sure he will continue to add to the community."
According to Naples, Massullo was not terminated. He said the decision was a mutual agreement between Massullo and the trustees.
Naples said trustees are prepared to offer Massullo a position within the police department. That position, however, will come at a reduced rate of pay and rank. Massullo was paid an hourly rate of $29 and benefits, including a car allowance.
Trustees, Naples said, have not received any word from Massullo as to whether he would like to continue working in the police department. Massullo could not be reached to comment.
Trustees will begin searching for a new chief in the next few weeks. Naples said he is not sure if trustees will promote from within the department or bring someone in.
"We will know within the next few weeks what our plan of attack will be," he said.
In the meantime, Sgt. Gary Abeid will serve as interim chief of police. Abeid has been with the department since 1987. He could not be reached to comment.