Report criticizes police chief for involvement in Trump campaign

BARNSTEAD — A consultant’s report released Wednesday found fault with Police Chief Paul Poirier for his involvement in the Trump campaign and for his hiring of a police candidate who was not recommended by a psychologist.

The 173-page report, which was prepared by Municipal Resources Inc., said these two matters “are significant and from a technical standpoint require legal review, but in the opinion of MRI show a lapse in judgment that undermines the Chief’s credibility.”

Several other allegations against the chief were characterized in the report as unfounded.

The board placed the chief on paid leave on Aug. 15 pending a personnel investigation. He was allowed to return to duty on Nov. 9.

Poirier drew criticism 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.

Poirier said the report does not show serious problems.

“There’s nothing there,” he said. “If there was, I wouldn’t be back here sitting as police chief.”

Poirier also said some members of the town’s Board of Selectmen have not treated him properly.

He said he would like the town to release the board’s minutes from the non-public session in which he was placed on leave.

“I want transparency, 100 percent,” he said. “I would ask them, why are they not sharing that information. I, being the police chief, was the victim of this, and I’m willing to lay all my cards on the table. I would expect them to do the same.”

Poirier said the investigation has cost the town $50,000. Town Administrator Karen Montgomery said she would not comment on the cost, and referred questions to Diane Beijer, the board’s acting chair. Beijer did not immediately respond.

“People in this community who paid for this investigation want answers,” Poirier said.

He called the investigation a “witch hunt,” but said he would like to get past it and focus on priorities, such as filling four full-time openings in his small department.  

Barnstead police officers Derik Bettencourt, Patrick Ryan, Valentina Gigli and Trish Lizotte sent a letter to the Board of Selectmen on Oct. 15 asking that Poirier be allowed “to return as our department head and valued leader.

“We feel that we can move past this as a team and come out stronger and better.”

The report’s conclusion section mentions that some employees have been unhappy with him.

“Many of the grievances expressed by current and former employees can be attributed to Chief Poirier’s management style, chief’s prerogative, or poor communication,” the report stated. “This, along with other issues related to pay and benefits, has contributed to a poor working environment and the high rate of turnover at the department.”

The Board of Selectmen also released a letter it sent to Poirier saying he could return to duty subject to a 1-year probationary period and specifying that he must complete two management classes and begin an accreditation program for the police department.

He was also required to remove from the police department’s Facebook page any postings that could reasonably be construed as tending to influence voters, and place no further such postings.

The Women for Trump event, which was held on July 23, had been on the Facebook page.

“On your own time, and as an individual (i.e., not holding yourself out as the chief of police or having any affiliation with the Town of Barnstead) you may participate in partisan political events,” the letter stated. “However, while in uniform or otherwise holding yourself out as an employee of the Town of Barnstead, you shall not organize, promote or participate in any partisan political activities.”

There are provisions in state law prohibiting public resources from being used for partisan campaign events. There is also the federal Hatch Act, which, among other things, restricts political activity by employees of local government agencies that receive federal funding.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel sent a letter to the police department in response to a complaint that the department had violated the Hatch Act. The office found there was no violation because the federal funding of the department is so minimal, consisting only of a traffic safety grant that covers 23 hours of officer overtime.

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. He said he never encouraged people to vote in any certain way.

All officers as well as the prosecutor got an email from the chief asking that they attend the event. If they were off, overtime would be authorized, according to the report. They were told to be clean shaven, their hair cut, their boots, brass and belts polished.

“Whether he violated the letter of the law is a determination for the town attorney,” the report stated. “In this investigator’s opinion the chief certainly violated the spirit of the law.”

Photos from the event shows that participants were not wearing masks.

“One symptomatic individual at the event could have led to the whole police department being quarantined for up to 14 days,” the report said.

The day after the event, the chief participated from home, in uniform and on duty, in a video for the Trump campaign.

Jules Rudkin, strategic communications director for the campaign, also wrote up a quote for Poirier, which the chief allowed to be used in Trump campaign material:

“The left’s praise and protection of the violent rioters wreaking havoc in our communities communicates a clear message Biden does not care about the safety of the American people,” said Paul Poirier, chief of Barnstead Police Department. “President Trump will always stand with law enforcement and understands police departments must be fully funded to protect citizens from harm’s way.”

The report also criticized the chief for hiring an officer after a psychologist declined to recommend this person, noting the individual lacked some personality traits and behavioral characteristics typically seen in people who succeed as law enforcement officers.

The report said “this showed poor judgment and put the Town at risk.”

On the Web:

MRI report: www.barnstead.org/documents/mri-police-report.pdf