The Fact of The Matter has learned that a Westfield Department of Public Works employee has been suspended pending the results of an investigation into how custom rims removed from a Westfield police vehicle allegedly ended up on the employee’s personal vehicle.
This investigation comes on the heels of another investigation into theft of overtime by Westfield DPW workers.
Donnell Clark Jr., an employee at the Westfield DPW on North Ave. was allegedly suspended a week ago pending the outcome of an investigation into how he allegedly obtained town property for his own personal use.
Wayman would ultimately commandeer the Chevy Tahoe as his own police department assigned vehicle for daily use and take home transportation. Wayman had the D.A.R.E. decals removed and the customized gull wing doors restored to their original factory hinge locations.
Chief Battiloro had the custom rims and tires removed from the Chevy Tahoe, along with some other gadgets Wayman had authorized installed in the vehicle. The custom wheels were removed by the Westfield DPW’s vehicle maintenance department which services Westfield’s fleet of municipal vehicles.
Soon after, what appear to be the custom rims removed from the police department vehicle, appeared on Westfield DPW employee Donnell Clark Jr.’s personal motor vehicle, a Chevrolet Tahoe.
A TFoTM source has confirmed the employee suspension pending the outcome of the investigation.
Was one of the extra gadgets Driver 1 had installed possibly an Interlock Breathalyzer device? Probably should have been.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't appear that intelligence is a pre-requisite for DPW employment in Westfield.
ReplyDeleteWho screens these people???
Jim Gildea and Greg Oneil do all the interviews.
DeleteAsk Gildea about the hiring of his daughter’s friend.
DeleteIf Wayman was able to leave (be fired) in good standing, after stealing from the evidence room, how could they possibly fire this gentleman? Also a supervisor in his department (Rob K) who stole $35,000 worth of overtime, and literally nothing happened to him, not even a suspension......Is it because if his skin color? I smell another lawsuit coming against the town. How can two people in superior positions be let off without any disciplinary action, and then this gentleman (of color) be fired? Something isn't passing the sniff test here.
ReplyDeleteRight now he is suspended, not fired.
DeleteHe might be offered the opportunity to resign instead of being fired. Guys stole gas and were able to go quietly.
DeleteNice truck. What do these guys make? Eh...Probably a bad question...
ReplyDeleteYeah, he wasn’t stealing overtime ;)
DeleteHe makes around $72,000, without overtime.
DeleteLet's remember that when Wayman got the newer black Tahoe, he had the DPW take the "pimped out" rims off of the older Tahoe and put on the newer Tahoe. After Wayman left in disgrace, Chief Battiloro had the newer Tahoe taken to the DPW to remove any resemblance of Wayman by having the DPW purchase new black police style steel rims and tires to put back on the newer Tahoe , however the "pimped out" rims being on the newer Tahoe caused damage to the transmission which allegedly had to be repaired.
ReplyDeleteChief Battiloro had the "pimped out" rims removed because they are not practical for police use and more importantly that Wayman was ridiculed amongst the law enforcement community for having them, when Wayman was at the National FBI Academy he took his Tahoe to Quantico and after being ridiculed by classmates , Wayman returned to Westfield and went back with a different vehicle.
After the rims were removed from the Tahoe, the proper procedure would have been to put them out for bid as Westfield frequently does on "municibid.com" which would be the DPW's responsibility
After the D.A.R.E. Officer held the fundraiser, the older Tahoe was purchased from then Norris Chevrolet with those funds, however at the time the older Tahoe had original equipment "Chevy Tahoe" rims on the Tahoe, what ever happened to them when the custom rims were put on ? How about we investigate where those rims wound up.
DeleteNothings going to happen the chief stole Rob stole and now this guy stole the town lets people steal and get away with it
ReplyDeleteHe was actually told he could have them by a mechanic.
DeleteWill the mechanic be reimbursing the town for the cost of the rims and tires?
DeleteBad boy bay boy, whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
ReplyDeleteThere is no way he just stole the rims! I can assure you that he asked either Greg or his direct supervisor and asked hey can I have these rims and they were like go ahead! By the way nice rims they look awesome on your truck!
ReplyDeleteIf that’s the case, then the direct supervisor and/or Greg O’Neil have some explaining to do.
DeleteEveryone knows that the employee has been suspended.The exact reason has not been stated. That is confidential.
ReplyDeleteWhat is NOT confidential are the answers to the questions appearing above.
What happened to the wheels?
In the event the Town suspects an employee of theft, the Town is required to refer the matter to the Prosecutor. What they tell the Prosecutor is confidential but the reference of the matter to the Prosecutor is not.
If the employee is considered a legal owner of the wheels, then the manner of his possession does not enjoy employee confidentiality. The wheels cost thousands of dollars when new. To effect a legal ownership, the employee would have to show how he received them and what he paid. Most importantly, he'd have to state the agent of the Town who transferred ownership to him.
At the Council meeting last night, the Mayor specifically evaded an answer to questions about whether the Town referred the matter to the Prosecutor or if the possession by the employee is considered legal.
Why is the man suspended? You don't suspend someone unless he has done wrong. If so, the Prosecutor should be called.
The Mayor had no problem telling the world that the questions surrounding the former chief of police was in the hands of the Prosecutor. Since she could pannounce that, why does she claim confidentiality here? Why does she evade unless being open and transparent might prove an embarrassment.
We can all remember that she took the "easy way out" letting Wayman "retire" and then she had to deal with lackeys he left behind.
You mention the "wheels cost thousands of dollars when new" is correct, however the Town did NOT purchase the older D.A.R.E. Tahoe with Town money, as mentioned above, the DARE Officer held a fundraiser in conjunction with a North Ave business and the funds raised were earmarked for an upgraded DARE vehicle. Did the Town pay to maintain the vehicle absolutely, but the vehicle was basically donated to the Police Dept. Either way the Town owned those wheels and tires. I also don't think the DPW employee simply "stole" the wheels, why would he put them on his own personal vehicle and then drive that personal vehicle to work. There may be other people left out to dry when the investigation is complete.
ReplyDeleteThe procurement of town property was done without going through a bidding process where others should have an equal opportunity to bid on the wheels and tires and the town obtains compensation for the sale of an asset.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, which would have off set the purchase of the black police style steel rims and tires that the new Chief had installed.
DeleteHmmmmm why isn't the mechanic & union rep. Being investigated too?
ReplyDeleteBecause the mechanic is the union rep.... actually he's the shop steward.
DeleteTo answer your questions about the mechanics Cj was not hired at the time when the wheels were given to the employee at the time Tracy didn't want them laying around and said if you want them you can have them cause they were going to throw them away and Mr O Neal wasn't the supervisor at the time to so there was no theft of any rims
ReplyDeleteA town employee doesn’t get to decide what is town property and what is trash.
DeleteThose rims had a monetary value and a listing of those rims never appeared on Municibid NJ.
Just because someone wasn’t the supervisor at the time of the employee putting the town owned rims on his personal vehicle, doesn’t mean there was no theft or other crime, including a lesser violation of employee misconduct.
Charles was working at the time. it wasn’t Tracy who didn’t want the rims. It was Batiloro who didn’t want them and he knew all about where those rims went before this article came out... O’Neil was also working for Dpw at the time.
ReplyDelete