BOSTON (WHDH) - The Massachusetts State Police issued disciplinary actions Thursday against 22 troopers for their involvement in the state police overtime scandal.
One trooper has been fired, five more face termination pending a hearing in front of a Department Trial Board, and according to Colonel Christopher Mason.
Fifteen of the remaining 16 troopers were issued punishment of suspension without pay for various lengths of time, ranging from 60 days to 841 days.
Three of those members have been credited for varying amounts of time served for time already spent many months suspended without pay since the Department uncovered their transgressions in 2018.
In each case the punishment was coupled with a stipulation that they pay full restitution of the amount they were found to have stolen ranging from $2,941.32 to $15,901.89; be reduced in seniority; be removed from any promotional list they may currently be on; not be eligible for programmed overtime for a two-year period; complete all mandatory time and attendance of remedial training; and waive all rights to either Civil Service or court appeal.
Those disciplined are:
- Trooper John Adams;
- Trooper David Perrault;
- Trooper Jeffrey Reger;
- Trooper Jeffrey Russell;
- Trooper Anthony Bozko;
- Trooper Mark Augusta;
- Trooper Kevin Fogwill;
- Sergeant George Hamilton;
- Trooper Christopher Brown;
- Trooper David Berra;
- Trooper George Beaupre;
- Trooper Gerald Johnson;
- Sergeant Arthur Hebb;
- Trooper Michael Thorpe;
- and Trooper Robert Church.
The remaining trooper was alleged to have improperly billed for a total of four overtime hours. The MSP Internal Affairs investigation revealed that the payroll entry was an administrative error and improperly documented.
Twenty-four other members were either already terminated following criminal convictions or retired while under investigation — an action the department cannot prevent.
The initial MSP audit of Troop E revealed that 46 Department members, over a three year period from 2015-2017, had potentially submitted false payroll records or bills for overtime not actually worked.
Ten of those members were criminally charged by either the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office or the United States Attorney’s Office. Of those 10, all have been convicted, and one still awaits sentencing.
Fourteen of the remaining 36 members had retired before or shortly after the MSP internal investigation cases were opened in March 2018. Their cases have been turned over to the State Retirement Board for pension forfeiture consideration and the Office of the Inspector General, Division of State Police Oversight, for potential civil proceedings to recoup any identified taxpayer losses.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)