Atty: Gilmanton chief buoyed by judge’s ruling

LACONIA — The attorney for Police Chief Matt Currier said Friday that he is hopeful that a court injunction curbing the Gilmanton selectmen's ability to order the chief to report to them certain department information, such as officers' schedules, will lead to an an amenable resolution of the matter.

Superior Court Justice James D. O’Neill III granted an injunction Thursday barring the selectmen from enforcing a series of directives regarding police department operations, including scheduling, use of cruisers, restrictions on officers’ ability to travel beyond town limits, and selectmen’s access to information in officers' personnel files. O’Neill ruled that allowing the regulations to take effect while the matter is still before the court could cause serious harm to the department and its officers.

“We are certainly pleased with the judge’s decision. It was a thorough and comprehensive ruling,” said Attorney Edward Philpot. “It affirms the position that the chief has been taking since the beginning.”

Currier has maintained that the selectmen’s orders interfere with his ability to operate the department in a safe and efficient way and free of political influence.

The injunction will remain in effect until there is a ruling after a trial on the merits of the case, or the chief and selectmen reach an out-of-court settlement.

Calls seeking comment from the selectmen’s attorney, Mark Broth, were not returned Friday afternoon.

It has been the selectmen’s position that the directives are a legitimate exercise of their administrative authority over the operation of all town departments.

Philpot said he expects O’Neill will now order the selectmen and the chief to enter into mediation in an effort to resolve their differences.

“Hopefully there can be some reasonable dialogue [between them],” he said.

Philpot said a hearing in the case is already scheduled for December.