Lysaght To Attend

Chiefs’ Conference

By Andrew Gorosko

Police Chief James E. Lysaght, Jr will be representing the town as its head law enforcement officer at an upcoming conference of the International  Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in Charlotte, NC.

Chief Lysaght, who has been on administrative leave from the police department since early July, informed the Police Commission by letter of his plans to attend the week-long conference, which starts October 30.

Three months ago, Police Commission members placed Chief Lysaght on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until their move to dismiss him as chief is resolved. Commission members say the chief has neither the management nor leadership skills to effectively run the police department. The chief’s attorney has said the matter amounts to the chief being the victim of “petty politics” over a philosophical dispute about how the police department should be run. An arbitrator will be chosen to conduct the chief’s termination hearing.

The police chiefs’ conference was listed as an agenda item at the Police Commission’s October 5 meeting.

Commission Chairman James Reilly told panel members the topic did not require commission action, noting that Chief Lysaght will attend the conference. Chief Lysaght attended the session as an audience member.

 Before the meeting, Chief Lysaght said the Newtown chief of police attends the IACP conference annually as a matter of course, adding that attendance at the conference is a budgeted expense specified in his job contract.

The chief plans to drive to the conference. Charlotte is about 750 miles from Newtown. When the commission placed the chief on administrative leave, it allowed him to continue using the unmarked police car which is assigned to the head of the police department. The vehicle is fueled with town gasoline.

In Chief Lysaght’s absence from the police department, Captain Michael Kehoe is in charge.

Attorney John Kelly, who represents Chief Lysaght, said Tuesday that although the chief is not running the department, he sees no problem with him attending the police chiefs’ conference on behalf of the town.

 Of the chief’s planned motor trip to Charlotte, First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal said Wednesday, “He is still the chief of police. He is on administrative leave. It’s unclear if he will remain the chief of police.”

The town would benefit from the chief’s attending the conference if he stays on as the police chief, the first selectman said. But if the chief is dismissed, then the town would not benefit from his trip to the conference, Mr Rosenthal said.