Barnstead police chief returns to duty after 3 months on paid leave

BARNSTEAD — Police Chief Paul Poirier returned to duty Monday, three months after he was placed on paid leave pending a personnel investigation, Select Board member Lori Mahar said Tuesday.

Municipal Resources Inc. prepared a report on Poirier, which the Select Board reviewed before deciding in a non-public session that he should resume his job.

The board placed the chief on paid leave at an emergency meeting on Aug. 15. The reason he was taken off the job, details of the report and the reasons for allowing him to return have not been released.

Poirier drew criticism from Mahar and others over allegations that he used town time and resources for a Women For Trump event that included Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law; Pam Bondi, the former attorney general in Florida; Trump campaign adviser Katrina Pierson and Mercedes Schlapp, former White House director of strategic communications. He did not seek the Select Board’s permission for the event.

There are provisions in state law prohibiting public resources from being used for partisan campaign events.

The chief said he didn’t regard the appearance of the Women for Trump group as a campaign event, but more of an attempt to thank officers for their service. He estimated the event cost about $600 in city employee overtime.

The town’s website includes mention of the decision to place Poirier on leave:

“While it may appear this a direct result of the Women For Trump event held on July 23rd, there was additional information provided that the majority of the board felt warranted further review. The actions taken by the board protects our town in addition to the Chief of Police. We ask for your patience while the investigation is ongoing.”

Mahar said the Select Board should opt for transparency and publicly release the report on Poirier.

“People have a right to know what the heck is going on,” she said. “We work for the public.”

More than a dozen emails were sent to the Select Board regarding the chief. Most were in favor of his reinstatement, including one from Pierson, the Trump campaign adviser.

“The Women for Trump coalition of the President’s re-election campaign is proud to support Barnstead Police Chief Paul Poirier and the brave officers performing their duty throughout the country,” Pierson said.

“The city should reinstate Chief Poirier and allow him to continue doing what he loves so much — defending and protecting Americans. Chief Poirier treated the Women For Trump team with great respect and we ask for that same respect to be shown to him.”

Poirier did not return a call for comment on Tuesday.