MAcciard said:
Publius, Please accept this as an article submission.
The Complaint against Chief Consentino.
I have heard many of my fellow townspeople who were understandably outraged at the official letter that Chief sent to me, ask exactly what was my complaint to the selectmen about this matter. Well, the complaint itself is a public document, and as such I have asked the Atkinson Reporter to post it here as they did, the letter itself.
The issue here is that I, and everyone else has a Constitutional right to question or criticize my government in just about any manner in which I choose. The government DOES NOT have the right to threaten or take away that right.
The fact that I didn't write the article he is complaining about is immaterial. The issue is that even if every word written here came from me, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY IT! Law Enforcement does not have the right to stop, or curtail that right.
Now as you will see from the actual complaint if the Blog owner will post it, What I filed was not an administrative complaint, but a CRIMINAL COMPLAINT! This means that I am not coming to the selectmen saying "the officer stopped me and he was rude, and I want him punished." I am saying that there is AMPLE PROBABLE CAUSE to believe that the NH CRIMINAL CODE HAS BEEN VIOLATED by Atkinson's chief law enforcement officer!
This should be a big deal, especially to the selectmen! It should be of concern to everyone in town, because if he can do it to me today, and to Brian Kaye, and Carol Grant at will, then he can do it to you, the next time you criticize him.
This is unacceptable, and the selectmen are probably negligent in their duties to supervise and curtail this behavior.
For the last three years I and my family have put up with the indignities of hearing myself slandered in live selectmens meetings, the lies and mischaracterizations broadcast by our selectmen to the entire town. I have read defamatory remarks written about me and published in the town report. I have sufferred the outrage of having my company's main vendor, and customer ask me why I was "under investigation by the Police" after having received a phone call from Chief Consentino, informing him that I was. Now ask yourself; Would YOU be angry if the chief of police called your boss to tell him you were under investigation by the police, when there were no open cases against you? I have had MY Honor and integrity called into question for asking my town officials to obey the law, and getting a court to do so when they refused, and the very people defaming me are the same town officials, that evidently think laws do not apply to them.
I have gone away, moved on, gone back to my life, or whatever other euphemism Jack would like to use, 8 times in the past three years, and they keep coming back to harm myself and my family again, and again. Like cockroaches they will not go away. Well, I will not back down again. Their abusive behavior will stop here!
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ATKINSON's Vietnam HONOR ROLL as VOTED and PASSED by 2005 Town Meeting and re-approved at Special Town Meeting Sept. 12
EDITORIAL-
A voice of compassion, an example of fairness and reasonable government.
One who believes in the strength and comfort you, your children and your family can draw from good government leadership.
A person who knows Atkinson is our home -- our most important possession that must be preserved and protected through fair taxes and sound community planning and where our children must be safe to grow to become a new generation of leaders.
One who knows that the citizens of Atkinson are all neighbors with her leadership to be dedicated and responsive to all.
One who believes that when those from Atkinson have served our nation and honors are deserved, those honors must be given.
In Valerie Tobin, we now have a leader we know we can entrust with these responsibilities because they are part of her character.
It is our honor to endorse Valerie for election to Atkinson’s Board of Selectmen.
Just a note for those who wish to count the deer.
In January 08 this blog had 16,000 hits and 1,500 unique visitors (for the month).
In 2007 this blog had over 100,000 hits and 5,750 unique visitors (for the year).
In 2007 this blog had over 100,000 hits and 5,750 unique visitors (for the year).
EDITORIAL-
"I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense . . ." [TP, 1776]
We take no small measure of umbrage at such a hostile official act against this BLOG’s patron. Therefore, a timely Editorial comment is both appropriate and necessary.
Discussion of Atkinson’s financial direction, from any viewpoint, is fundamental and encouraged and we will always attempt to limit and correct errors.
However, Righteous indignation towards purported error of such inconsequential nature is not appropriate.
The ENTIRE car deal is problematic. If it was caused by poor judgement, improper exercise of authority, neglect or mistake or even specious reasoning, this will never trump the facts that the entire questionable transaction started and ended within a very small circle of confidants.
We find the entire circumstances surrounding the disposition of the police Cruiser highly irregular at the least and the "explanations" somewhat trifling and exhaustive of our intellect.
Mr. Consentino: It’s time to go. Being Chief of Atkinson’s Police Department is NOT a birthright. That is a fabled legend of yesteryear.
Historically in Atkinson, police chief appointments were made "under the hand of the selectmen" for terms of one year at a time, as was also the case in the beginning of Mr. Consentino’s assorted and discontinuous stream of appointments to this position.
Your only remaining credential established on a claim of indispensability has faded.
So time is neigh. Plan a graceful exit, Clean out your desk, Accept the gratitude and tearful sentiments from some. We plan no editorial recriminations. It is time. Thank you for your service, We wish you a long and happy retirement. Bon Voyage.
LETTER
"To All Atkinson Residents,
I am writing to ask for your help. A member of the Atkinson Police Department needs our help. I am here to ask for your help in Corporal John Lapham's fight for his life. As you are aware, John has been diagnosed with Leukemia. He has been once again hospitalized with an infection that is threatening his life. He is one of the bravest people that I have ever met. He has never asked of anything from the residents of the town. Now is our chance to step up and help both him and his family out. As everyone is aware John has been out of work for a few months. His family has been busy helping John to get better. He needs our help, and I am hoping that this town can step up to the plate and help. From the moment that I met John, I have admired him. He does alot, but never asks for anything in return. He has helped so many people in this town. I for one am one of those people. Please help him.
There is a fund set-up in his name at TDBanknorth in Plaistow. Any amount will help John, while he is out of work. It would be great if this town could help ease a burden off his wife.
Thank You
Also if anyone would like to send a card, please address it to:
John Lapham
c/o Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Ctr.
Inpatient mail
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
United States
Please show Corporal John Lapham, that this community can stand up and show our support to those in need. I for one, miss John and can not wait until he can get better and return to work. Please show him that we support him. "
27 comments:
I knew there was a complaint, and I couldn't believe the letter that Phil wrote, But I REALLY can't believe that the selectmen are ignoring THIS!
Mr. Acciard is right, if they can crush HIS freedom of Speech, how long will it be before they trample on mine?
I didnt believe any of this. I thought it was just more attacks against the chief, but now that I can see the documents I have to agree. If he did this to me, I would be very angry too.
No police officer should be able to do this.
The selectmen need to do something
The Chief started his Atkinson PD career by bullying the kids in town as a part time Knuckle dragger.
Mark and I knew him then. Neither of us are the least bit surprised by his criminal abuse of adults today. He has been escalating ever since because he see 40 somethings as children.
The people of Atkinson should count their blessings that he is not firearms qualified.
He is an angry old man. The time for him to go is long passed. Every day the BoS does not fire him, is another day he can do something else to cost another civil rights law suit.
Small towns have problems with people volunteering in the public and political areas. I'm not defending the chief as I feel he is guilty of over stepping his bounds and duties as the chief of police. They say power in time corrupts and I'm afraid this may be the case with the chief and his many hats of town service he is and has given to its residents. What I think is fair is that the selectmen give him a choice of full apology to all concerned with ample opportunity to avoid further embarrassment to the town government and its residents and then retire with his head held high as best he can. There can be no doubt he has given good long past service to the town but that same service has been abused to the point of legal remedies being the only outcome to resolve the past and current issues before the town. I'm fairly confident the people offended by the chiefs actions to date do agree he has gone past his usefulness and his mistakes are obvious to everyone as was his using town letter heads to make his written statements to those involved. In a court of law there can be no doubt of the verbal and written evidence before it would be damning to him . I think its time the chief rides off into the sunset to enjoy what he worked for before he isn't able to do it with any honor and self worth left.
Two Futures:
One: Phil looks at the abyss, realizes all is lost and submits his resignation Monday. He hopes this will make the tidal wave of lawsuits and media attention die off and he tries to step into retirement with his head held high.
Two: He fights it like a junk yard dog, thinks he can win and make all this go away as he has done in the past.
The only problem is this time its 2007 and we are in a media frenzy. Not just the Eagle Tribune, but also major Boston TV news is looking for stories like this. He might even get another mention on CNN like he did with the Halloween flap a few years ago. When the big media picks this up, it will take on a life of its own. Too late to go back in time and resign, he will be booted out like a two bit criminal.
The future is coming whether he likes it or not. As they say, "Choose carefully grasshopper".
"Mistake:1: to blunder in the choice of 2 a: to misunderstand the meaning or intention of : misinterpret b: to make a wrong judgment of the character or ability of3: to identify wrongly : confuse with another
None of these definitions fit the actions of the Chief. His actions are calculated, with malice and fore thought, to inflict fear and discomfort on his targets in his pursuit to maintain or increase his power.
Make no mistake about it. The chief did not accidentally harass Atkinson residents.
He can not leave "with his head held high" unless the entire town sticks their collective head in the sand as he leaves.
Does the town want to spend more money and further its embarrassment on this matter ? Does the town want to spend more time in the legal arena ? Does the town want to send a man to prison or jail at the cost upwards of twenty five to thirty thousand dollars per year? Does the town need a feeling of guilt if the potential prisoner dies in imprisonment wether it be natural causes or fowl play over some thing that can be resolved much more easly? Forced retirement because of failing mental and or physical capacities is only one way to do this. Another is to fire him but ,again ,at the price of legal proceedings to do so and to the cost and embarrassment to the towns taxpayers.
It is so much more powerful to see the documentation than just hearing about it.
It is also so much more apparent how Mr. Acciard has been misportrayed and misprepresented by Consentino and his cronies. It is they who have been the problem all along, not Mark.
And our Selectmen do NOTHING when they get a criminal complaint!
It is time for this harrassment from our "chief" to stop. He needs to go. Our Selectmen need to be replaced for doing nothing to reign in a bad cop.
The situation is absolutely beyond ridiculous.
Dah and Dah again.............
To Anon 10:06
WAKE UP. What is wrong with you. You obviously read this blog. Have you not been able to determine that until another state agancy gets involved, The chief is not going to go away. And until enough noise has been made, another state agency is not going to get involved. So I say to you WAKE UP and PAY ATTENTION!
Boy this has got me fired up!
Lets go get him boys!
I have to say, it is really hard to believe that Consentino is a victim, when I see him abusing his authority to bully a resident.
This has got to stop, and if our selectmen won't do it then they should go with him.
I think that is time the whole police department should be investigated. Sounds like there is illegal activity going on through out the entire department. How many things are being buried in the sand?
I read in the tribune about other chief getting fired for fairly small dishonesties. I see ethics being the issue of the day from Congress all the way down to Derry and Londonderry,
Why is it such a problem in Atkinson?
FYI, an Atkinson resident has arranged an open meeting with the HS principal:
SpeakoutDanville Posting
Fishgutz forgot to finish the quote from me ,[anon. 10/20 @ 9:03] that said " head held high" by leaveing out "as best he can". When I wrote what was left out by fishgutz it was intended ,as was written, knowing the chief will be never able to do that even if the BOS sucessfully "white wash" the complaints before them. At tonights meetings the town should have the state police attend rather than use the towns police department to avoid any problems with predudicial accusations . I'm sure there will be alot of recordings of the past to present meetings and they will be used in the many legal persuits to follow. Its been said that only in our country do we taxpayers pay so much to so few because of one or more persons screwups because of the misuse of power. Its time for more stringent laws to over come this and other problems especially in our state where its obvious that there are to many loop holes in the present laws .
I do not know Mr. Acciard personally, but I have to say he earned my respect for his performance on the budget committee.
He was always calm, courteous, knowledgable, and had the ability to see and explain both sides of the issue, and once the committee voted, all was done, and without yelling and screaming.
I saw that he was always courteous, gracious even, when Chief Consentino would come in to the budget committee, but whenever Mr. Acciard came into the selectmen's meeting he was yelled at, demeaned, outright slandered, or worse, and yet he took it all with class.
I can only say that having followed this latest outrage, after reading Chief Consentino's threat to him, and it was a threat, and Mr. Acciard's complaint in response to it, and the selectmen's abomination in response to that, that I no longer have any degree of respect for Mr. Consentino, he is nothing more than a petulant childish bully, while Mr. Acciard has, once again, reacted within the rules, and with class and honor.
The selectmen should be ashamed to let this circus continue.
This is no longer Mr. Acciard's battle, the town needs answers from its board of selectmen.
I dont know, I'm not a lawyer, but I read those two laws Mr. Acciard quoted in his complaint, and it seems Chief has done both of those in his letter, and committed the town to it as well.
This doesn't look good.
I can't believe the Chief is not qualifies to carry a gun. The embarrassment continues.........
To 10/21/07 Anon 0946:
Please do not lump all the officers of the police department in with their chief. I know for a fact that the full time officers have families to support. They are fully trained and qualified. Don't you think that the problem lies with the Town's overreliance on part time cops to provide the bulk of the police force? Another poster said it: This is 2007. This is not 1970. The world has changed. The town needs more qualified FULL TIME officers and most importantly...a fully qaulified FULL TIME police chief. To say that the entire department is corrupt and involved in illegal activity is slanderous and drags the names of good cops through the mud.
To anon 9:46pm
There has been many things buried in the past. Look at the Childs issue about hours. The Chief works more hours than he is allowed. And yet noone tracks the hours. I too think that the whole department should be investigated. If there is nothing to hide, then make it public.
If I had to bet, I would bet our Chief and Selectman just created/generated a lawsuit against the town. Solely by their actions:
A: Chief sends harrassment letter on town letterhead, certified mail no less (using federal postal employees - uh oh)
B: Selectmen DO NOTHING ABOUT IT!!
How naive is our town counsel not to help craft a course of action to protect the town - and then our selectmen to DO NOTHING??? How dumb is that?
They just assured us taxpayers of more legal fees, higher town insurance rates and more fiscal mismangement from Consentino. MY WALLET ALREADY HURTS. These guys are costing us a fortune. And I am including town counsel Sumner Kalman in with this pack of incompetents.
I think we should look into a signature petition to have the "Chief" removed from the position - a sort of Vote of No Confidence put together by us citizens.
Consentino is no good!
The entire police department is mismanaged because it starts from the top and trickles down to each of the puppets.
He is about as vindictive as one could ever become!
anon 12:45 Totally agree about the full time officers.(even a few of the part time men are ok in my book) But let's leave it at some of them. Even if there is one bad one you can't say all. They are hard working (except when they log on to read this blog and respond while on the payroll) and are proud of what they do. Who else in their right mind would put up with that old, rude dog of a chief, unless they enjoyed and took pride in their jobs. That old bull needs to be put out to pasture.
I cannot believe what I just heard and saw.
The issue with the sign is beyond ridiculous. Jack just admitted that if a incorrect decision by the BOS may need to be decided by a judge. Why does everything the BOS do require a legal opinion? If people cant recognize this it is quite sad.
Here is something that has not been mentioned as of yet. Why does the town not seek new legal counsil. The current counsil does not seem to have the towns best interest in the forefront of thought.
I think we need only one more full-time police officer, and that would be a chief. If you look at the police data, published annually in the Town Report, Atkinson doesn't have that much crime. Neither do we have to deal with major shopping areas, restaurants or bars. And if you listen carefully, the Chief spends most of his time focusing on his elderly. If we had a full-time chief, instead of someone who devotes most of his time charming the elderly, I believe the department would be much more efficient.
And I'm not too sure we use the part-timers all that much. (We used to, but I don't think that's the case any more.) There's an overtime line in the police budget, which would allow the full-timers an opportunity for more money. And I'll bet they fight over details, which are double time and a half!
We have 5 full-timers now, and I wonder how many of them are resentful of the fact that their boss is unqualified as well as uncertified?
To anon 6:20
You are right, there are some full-time officers that take their jobs seriously. But some don't. One only needs to look at the town report and see the total they made two years ago in pay. Since it was not in last years report, because they did not want the townspeople seeing how rich they were getting. Ask yourself, are they here to work or get rich?
Still waiting to hear about the old cruiser that was traded in, bought and then sold. Has that issue been resolved, dropped or just forgotten?
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