Town Terminates Cop, Criminal Cop Remains On The Job

     In a cost saving effort, The Town of Westfield has reduced the number of employees on it's payroll to reduce the tax burden on taxpayers.  Over the past couple of years, Westfield employees have either been reassigned, retired, resigned, or fired.
     With a municipal hiring freeze in place, staffing levels in departments crucial to the safety of Westfield's citizenry, the police and fire departments, have been reduced.

     Staffing levels are at an all-time low due to the municipality's governing body having to make budget cuts across the board.  No department has been spared but some have seen questionable cuts prompting The Fact of The Matter to ask, "Are the right people being let go?"
     The Westfield Police Department has seen it's staff, once 60 strong, reduced by 7, almost 12 percent.  Recent retirements have accounted for most of the attrition in the police department, however a recent firing has raised the previous question, "Are the right people being let go?"  To answer this question you have to understand the facts surrounding why a Westfield police officer was recently fired but yet a criminal cop remains on the department.

Earlier this year "rookie" Dana Black was terminated from her employment as one of Westfield's Finest. 

The following was reported by the Westfield Patch on January 12th, 2010.

Westfield Patch Photo (Dana Black pictured on right)

Officer Dana Black:  Dana attended C.W. Post University as a criminal justice major. In 2004 Dana joined the United States Marine Corps where she earned the rank of Sergeant. During a tour in Habbaniya Iraq, Dana served as an instructor at the Advanced Infantry Training Center. She also trained female Marines and Iraqi search teams to inspect persons at entry and traffic control points. Dana attended and graduated from the Union County Police Academy where she served as a Squad Leader. Dana joined the Westfield Police Department on January 4^, 2010 and will be assigned to the Patrol Division.

See related Westfield Patch story by clicking on the following link:  http://westfield.patch.com/articles/police-announce-new-officers

The Fact of The Matter has learned that Officer Black was just shy of her 1-year probationary period ending when she was terminated.  The intimate details surrounding her termination are not fully known, but what is known is that the controversial hand scanner that documents an employees signing in and out of work is at the center of the reasons for her termination.

Despite working full shifts while employed as a police officer, it is alleged that she forgot to "clock out" of work, one too many times, which prompted her termination.  She was penalized for working her full shifts but yet another police officer, a supervisor, kept his job after being caught stealing time/$$$ from the town by logging in full shifts and going home early.

Despite the fact that the police department's hand scanner has been the center of controversy in the past, ranking department officials took the necessary steps to seek her termination.

The Fact of The Matter believes that Westfield Police Chief John M. Parizeau can no longer effectively serve the community of Westfield or it's police department based on his tolerance for thievery amongst his own rank and file. 


See related stories posted here at TFoTM by selecting one of the following links below.

Westfield Police Chief has evidence of police supervisor stealing time from the town/taxpayers, criminal cop keeps job:  
http://07090.blogspot.com/2010/12/westfield-police-chief-john-m-parizeau.html

An open letter to Westfield Police Chief Parizeau:
http://07090.blogspot.com/2010/12/open-letter-to-westfield-police-chief.html

Different sets of rules apply depending on who you are:
http://07090.blogspot.com/2010/12/what-you-do-and-who-you-are-vs-what-you.html

Biometric Hand Scanner usage: Memo issued by Police Chief: http://07090.blogspot.com/2010/12/westfield-police-chief-parizeau-issues.html