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WEATHERSFIELD Trustees suspend police officer
By Mary Smith
MINERAL RIDGE
Weathersfield Township trustees suspended Patrolman Richard Mattessich without pay, effective Friday, for malfeasance, non-feasance, failure to obey orders and misconduct in office.
Mattessich, a full-time officer in the department since 1999, was on paid administrative leave retroactive to Nov. 10, which expired Friday.
His suspension stands, pending a hearing by trustees on written charges, which will be at the trustees regular meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 20.
Mattessich has the right to have a private (nonpublic) hearing, trustee chairman James Stoddard said.
Mattessich is accused of making false statements in 2010 and 2011. He claimed on Dec. 12, 2010, that another officer had come on duty 10 minutes after roll call for the shift. An internal investigation showed that it was Mattessich who arrived 30 minutes after the start of the shift. He was also the officer in charge that night, and failed to hold a roll call.
He was suspended for 30 days for that violation.
In the second instance, in September, Mattessich told Police Chief Joseph Consiglio, Capt. Michael Naples and an Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association representative in a meeting that he had not had counseling while he had been on sick leave.
Another OPBA representative reported in October that Mattessich had given proof that he went to counseling. In further questioning by the chief and captain, he admitted he lied in September about the counseling. Consiglio sent trustees a letter Nov. 10, saying: “ I believe that this act of dishonesty constitutes malfeasance and misconduct in office and is grounds for immediate suspension without pay and dismissal by the board of trustees.”