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Injured Police Chief On Sick Leave

Newtown Police Chief James E. Lysaght, Jr, is on sick leave, having ruptured

his right Achilles' tendon.

The chief injured himself while playing Ping-Pong with his son July 4. He had

surgery Monday to reconnect the ruptured tendon.

The Achilles' tendon is the major tendon that connects the back of the heel to

the calf muscles.

Chief Lysaght said Wednesday he expects to be out of work for one to two weeks

as the healing process starts. For the first week, he must rest on his back

and keep his leg elevated higher than his heart.

The chief is wearing a cast that will be kept on his leg for one week. A

second cast will be kept on the leg for four to six weeks as will a third

cast.

It remains unclear if he will be able to drive while recuperating, the police

chief said.

Chief Lysaght, who was planning to move to town with his family from Bristol

July 15, has rescheduled the move to July 22. One of the terms of his

employment by the town in July 1996 was that he move to Newtown within two

years.

While the chief is on sick leave, Captain Owen Carney will serve as acting

chief.

The Police Commission had been scheduled to evaluate the police chief's job

performance at a July 7 commission meeting. But neither Chief Lysaght nor

Chairman Robert Connor, Jr, was present. That job evaluation is now expected

to occur August 4.