Indicted cop placed on unpaid suspension
Officer Whitman facing fed gun, bank fraud counts
TYNGSBORO » Taxpayers will not be paying indicted Patrolman Daniel Whitman’s salary and benefits for the immediate future.
By a unanimous decision of the new Board of Selectmen Wednesday night, Whitman was suspended without pay after nearly two years of being on paid administrative leave, during which he made nearly $135,000 while not working.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Police Chief Richard Howe said, “The town and Police Department has reserved the right to commence termination proceedings against him in the future for his alleged conduct as part of a process of managing employees who engage in wrongdoing or conduct that violates Massachusetts or federal law.”
Town Administrator Matt Hanson was able to confirm Whitman’s change of status, but declined further comment.
Selectman Ron Keohane, who until Tuesday’s election was often the sole voice on the board to support Howe, deferred to the chief ’s and town administrator’s remarks.
An attempt to reach by telephone Whitman’s lawyer, Oscar Cruz, was unsuccessful Thursday.
Elected on Tuesday night, Selectmen Eric Eldridge and Katerina Kalabokis cast their first official votes to take Howe’s recommendation to change Whitman’s status.
Whitman, 36, was indicted two weeks ago by a federal grand jury on nine counts of felony firearms charges and more than $9 million in bank fraud. He pleaded not guilty.
Howe said that he was making the recommendation to change Whitman’s status because he is unable to perform the duties of a police officer. Whitman went on paid leave in August 2019 because Howe sought to protect the town from a lawsuit while the investigation was in progress.
A trial is many months or more away, and, in the meantime, Whitman is prohibited from carrying a firearm. That prohibition on carrying a firearm and the likely length of time were cited as the reasons he cannot perform the duties of a police officer.
he federal indictment is not the first problem Howe had with Whitman. Howe recommended firing Whitman in 2017 when it became clear that he was operating his Middlesex Road firearms business while on his shifts for the Police Department. But selectmen ignored that recommendation.
Whitman was prominently mentioned in an internal police report, which became public in May, involving the alleged misuse of police union funds.
Among the claims made against Whitman is he often picked up the tab for fellow officers when they were out for a meal or drinks. If one of them tried to pay his share or leave a tip, the report alleges that he took the cash and put the bill on his union debit card.