Fired Sanbornton detective plans to appeal his dismissal

Insisting that he's been treated unfairly by the Sanbornton Board of Selectmen, former detective Jeff Buskey vowed yesterday to challenge his dismissal from the town's police force. "I'm going to appeal to Superior Court," the highly decorated officer said yesterday. "I'm being crucified for something I didn't do."

The selectmen held a hearing Tuesday evening to consider a request by police chief Mark Barton that Buskey be fired for having written a bad check in the amount of $1,000 to Bernie Salvador, owner of the Sanbornton Country Store. Following testimony from Buskey, Barton and Salvador, and the presentation of evidence, the board voted unanimously to accept Barton's recommendation that Buskey be "terminated for cause."

But according to Buskey, the incident is more complicated than it appears. While admitting that he did give Salvador the check in the amount of $1,000, the officer insists that it was part of a loan transaction. "He approached me and said he knew I was having a tough time financially because of my mother's estate, and he offered me the loan to tide me over," Buskey recalled. "Bernie and his wife have always been great people, so I wasn't surprised by the offer."

Buskey's recollection is that what Salvador asked in return was that Buskey give him a check for the amount and to let the storekeeper know when he could deposit that check.

Shortly thereafter, Buskey says he was promoted to detective and began spending less time at Salvador's store because of his new responsibilities. Buskey hinted that Salvador liked the attention of the officers patrolling the town. "I think maybe his feelings were hurt when I wasn't coming around as much," he said.

For whatever reason, according to the official record of the selectmen's hearing, Salvador deposited the check on or around March 22, and it was returned for insufficient funds shortly thereafter. The storekeeper then sent the statutory "14 day" warning letter via certified mail, which Buskey signed for on or about April 1.

"He never told me he was going to deposit the check," Buskey said. "When I went to see him he started chewing me out because I wasn't stopping in as often."

Buskey claims that he did pay $200 of the amount on May 5, and the remainder was paid in July. "He had told me to pay him when I could, and that was the agreement," Buskey recounted.

By late May, however, Barton had learned of the situation and launched an investigation. "According to town policy, the chief had to let me know that I was being investigated, but he never did," Barton complained, suggesting that if he had the circumstances could have been explained. "I think I deserve a little more respect than that."

Though Buskey concedes that in retrospect he can see that accepting the money from Salvador was an error in judgment on his part, at the time he didn't consider it out of the ordinary. "Kevin Roy took out a loan from Bernie for $25,000 when he was on the force," Buskey asserted. "Then, when he left the police department he became a selectman and voted on issues affecting Salvador."

One town official who did not want to be named, verified Buskey's account of Roy's transaction with Salvador. "I don't think it was a big secret," the official said. "Everyone knew about the $25,000. Kevin told everyone."

That official recalls as well that once Roy was a selectman, it was not uncommon for him to vote on issues that directly affected Salvador. "Kevin signed a lot of building permits for Bernie," the official said. "I know, I've seen them."

Buskey, who was recognized with an award for valor following his participation with Belmont police officer William Wright in a shootout with Douglas Ainsworth, who had fired an assault weapon at the officers as they responded to a report of a domestic disturbance, believes he has risked his life for the town and has served it well. "I was a decorated officer," he said. "Maybe I used bad judgment, but I didn't bounce a check or do anything else that deserved my getting fired."

The town official concurred, to a degree. "It's really unfair for Jeff, but at the same time I have to agree with the selectmen that we have to uphold the rules," the official said. "But I can see why Jeff thought it was okay."

According to the official, a former police chief reportedly took a $4,100 loan from the town, which was later defended as an advance. "It was no advance," the official insisted. "There weren't any payroll taxes deducted."

And at least one other former officer had borrowed money from the town, the official recalled. "There's been a pattern over the years that probably had an influence on Jeff," the official added. "I don't think he considered what he was doing to be wrong."