Officer Joseph Freda Charged with Excessive Force Waives First Court Appearance

Joseph Freda was fired by the town after being arrested for using excessive force against a suspect.

 A former Salem police officer charged with assaulting a Maine man following a motor vehicle pursuit has waived his first court appearance.

Joseph Freda, 33, entered a not guilty plea in 10th Circuit Court to two counts of simple assault by an on-duty law enforcement officer.

He also passed on having his Feb. 24 arraignment in district court, according to a notice filed by defense lawyer Donald Blaszka.

Freda faces up to two to five years in state prison for allegedly striking Thomas Templeton, 39, of York, Maine, while he was being arrested on Oct. 6.

The charges against Freda are misdemeanors, but carry enhanced penalties because the alleged assaults happened while he was working as a Salem police officer, according to court complaints filed by state prosecutors.

Salem Town Manager Keith Hickey terminated Freda from his job on Jan. 21.

An affidavit filed by N.H. Attorney General Investigator Richard Tracy said that at least 12 people were interviewed – including other police officers and Templeton himself – before an arrest warrant was sought for Freda.

The pursuit began about 1:50 a.m. on Oct. 6 when Windham police Sgt. Bryan Bliss began pursuing a black Jeep Cherokee driven by Templeton heading southbound on Interstate 93.

State Trooper Andrew Monaco became the lead vehicle in the pursuit as it neared Exit 2 in Salem. The Jeep was traveling  90 to 100 m.p.h. when it took Exit 1 in Salem and kept driving in the opposite lane of traffic along Veterans Memorial Parkway, according to court records.

Monaco was ordered to back down by his supervisor, but the pursuit was then picked up by Salem police officers as Templeton headed east onto Main Street, according to Tracy’s affidavit.

Templeton eventually stopped in the Nissan Car Dealership at 343 Main St. near the Massachusetts state line and hid in nearby brush. Monaco and Salem police Sgt. Marc Prescott arrested Templeton without incident, the affidavit said.

Monaco had escorted Templeton from the wooded area, but “at some point along the way” two Salem police officers assumed control of him. Monaco went on to speak with Prescott and Bliss about charges and the booking process, when he heard a commotion near his cruiser, Tracy said in the affidavit.

“Templeton reported that after he was taken into custody in the rear of the dealership, while handcuffed and being brought back to the area of the cruisers, he was struck twice on the top of his head with what he believes to be a flashlight by one of the officers at the scene,” Tracy said in the affidavit.

After being assaulted, Templeton said one of the officers continued to taunt him. While seated on the ground, that officer also stepped on Templeton’s hand, according to investigators.

Templeton, who was charged with reckless driving and disobeying a police officer, received five staples to his head to close his wounds. He remains held at the Rockingham County jail.

Freda apparently was worried about his interactions with Templeton the day after the pursuit, according to court records. Freda approached Monaco, the state trooper, “asking if he had anything to worry about,” while the two worked a construction detail along Interstate 93.

"Not wishing to engage Freda in conversation, Monaco told Freda 'no,'" Tracy wrote. State police forwarded the matter to the Attorney General's Office on Oct. 22.

Former Officer Frank Suprenard Trying to Clear His Name

A former police officer accused of doctoring his time sheets is trying to clear his name.

A court found Frank Suprenard guilty of stealing from the town of Freedom, N.H., while he worked for the Police Department. The Carroll County Attorney’s Office said Suprenard now wants a jury to reconsider that conviction.

Suprenard’s appeal is scheduled for later this month.

Suprenard is free because the court decided not to sentence him to jail time for the conviction.

Officer Bradley Jardis Called Unstable by Fellow Officers Returns to Work

A police officer who was called "unstable" by fellow officers and described by his chief as someone who "shouldn't wear the badge" of a law enforcement agency says he'll be back on the job tomorrow.

Officer Bradley Jardis is returning to work after passing a psychological evaluation ordered by selectmen who refused to fire him despite Police Chief Gregory Dodge's recommendation that he be terminated.

Jardis, 29, of Hooksett, is returning to the force after being suspended and placed on paid leave following an internal investigation. The probe resulted from a disagreement between him and then-Sgt. Sean Gallagher over the handling of a case last July.

In August, Dodge ordered that Jardis be suspended for insubordination and violating police procedures. Dodge recommended that Jardis be fired in October.

Jardis fought the suspension and demanded that a hearing on his appeal held on Nov. 30 be done in public.

Jardis has long claimed that he's been targeted by other officers who don't like him because of his political views and his affiliation with Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a group pushing for the legalization of drugs.

Selectmen upheld the suspension, but decided against firing Jardis, who argued that the town had no grounds for termination.

During the public hearing, Dodge painted Jardis as a man who couldn't be trusted, has used poor judgment, and is a "liability to the town." Dodge also told selectmen that other officers voiced concern about Jardis' return, saying they feel he isn't stable and could exploit them by exposing personal and work-related issues. A statement of those concerns was signed by five officers.

Jardis has insisted that the chief brought up incidents from years ago during the November hearing that never resulted in any disciplinary action against him.

Dodge was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Selectmen agreed to reinstate Jardis depending on the results of a psychological evaluation. That test was completed on Jan. 5 with a doctor in Manchester at a cost of $5,775 to the town.

In his written report, Jardis said the doctor concluded that he was "fit for duty." Yesterday, Jardis said there was not a "single shred of evidence (submitted at the hearing) to prove anything to the contrary about my mental status, with the exception of a signed statement by five obviously disgruntled coworkers." Jardis also said it was "unfortunate that people were embarrassed by my choice to exercise my right to inform the public of everything, but embarrassment of other town employees does not make me 'mentally unstable,' nor does it make me unable to do my job effectively."

When asked whether he has concerns about returning, Jardis said, "I am a professional and will do my job appropriately. I would expect nothing but the same from my fellow co-workers."

Chief Michael Daley Arrested for Drunk Driving

Police Chief Michael Daley was arrested in North Hampton on drunken driving charges, the Portsmouth Herald reported today.

Daley has been placed on paid administrative leave and has announced he will retire June 1, though the latter was not attributed to his arrest.

Daley was arrested by North Hampton police at 1:41 a.m. April 11 and charged with driving while intoxicated and transporting alcohol, according to Lt. John Scippa of the North Hampton Police Department.

"I can’t confirm anyone’s employment, but I can confirm that a Michael J. Daley was arrested for DWI and transporting alcohol at North Hampton State Beach," Scippa said.

Asked what brought Daley’s vehicle to the attention of a North Hampton officer, Scippa would not comment.

"I can’t get into the details of the case because the matter is pending in court," the lieutenant said. "I can confirm the arrest and that his car was towed."

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New Hampshire Firefighters Mad at Newport Officers

The Professional Firefighters Union of New Hampshire is upset with the Newport Police Department after officers disguised themselves as firefighters to make an arrest.

Police devised the plan to take 34-year-old Matthew Miller into custody. Police went to his apartment Tuesday night for a noise complaint. When Miller answered the door he was holding a baby, and allegedly pointed a shotgun at the officer's face.

The officer, who knew Miller had a violent past, left the scene to avoid a confrontation. So the next day the officers came back in a fire truck dressed as firemen. They told Miller he had to evacuate due to a carbon monoxide issue. He was then arrested without incident.

"We need to have the trust of the public when we respond. If we allow others to co-opt our image, trade on our good name, no matter the circumstances, we'd create a breach of trust with the public that will be impossible for us to repair," said David Lang, of the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire.

"If we as police didn't handle it correctly it was going to be disastrous for innocent people. This was the best possible scenario. It worked and it was very quick. It was not harmful to anybody. It's not to degrade those professions, to make those professions unsafe in any way. It's to accomplish our mission safely, without causing harm to anybody," said Newport Police Chief David Hoyt.

Hoyt went on to say he'd rather have firefighters criticizing his decisions than others questioning why innocent people were injured and killed.

Newport Fire Chief Wayne Conroy was in on the plot, and says he does not think residents will lose trust in his department.

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http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090305-NEWS-90305055