Date: Fri 09-Jul-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

edink-lysaght

Full Text:

ED INK: A Police Department In Limbo

Newtown's Police Commission placed the career of Newtown Police Chief James

Lysaght in limbo this week by putting him on administrative leave, while a

town attorney prepares the way for his removal from office. The action also

puts the police department itself in limbo, leaving it without a chief while

the commission sorts out the leadership crisis.

While the removal of a police chief from office is a serious matter that

deserves careful consideration, we hope the Police Commission will now move

quickly to resolve the matter one way or another. Commission members this week

were reluctant to speculate how long the proceedings against Chief Lysaght

will take or even to outline their plans for an expeditious resolution of

their differences with the chief. We hope, however, that they do not intend

simply to hang Chief Lysaght out to dry on administrative leave, hoping he

will become isolated and discouraged and just go away.

Newtown needs a police chief. While this interim period may be necessary to

resolve the significant conflicts between the Police Commission and Mr

Lysaght, it should not be allowed to continue for long.