DIXFIELD — Police Chief Jeffrey Howe will return to work Sunday after serving a 10-day suspension for failing to report for duty, lack of attention to duty and failing to care for town property, according to a Jan. 11 letter he received from Town Manager Carlo Puiia.

Puiia closed the department Dec. 28, 2016, because of a personnel issue, and contacted the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office to provide police coverage for the town. Howe and full-time patrol officer Anne Simmons-Edmunds were placed on paid administrative leave, and the reserve officers were not scheduled to work.

The Police Department will reopen at 6 a.m. Sunday, Puiia announced at Monday night’s selectmen meeting.

“I want to thank this board because they had to sit through this with no knowledge of what the personnel issue was about,” Puiia said. “They were made aware that the department would close on a date and time specified by me, and that was carried out. I want to commend them for their support and also for their confidentiality, and their ability to remain focused and not to feed into any kind of frenzy.”

A copy of the letter was obtained from the Town Office.

It said Howe was suspended for 10 scheduled patrol days without pay.

Puiia said Howe did not appeal the disciplinary action and began serving the suspension Jan. 12, with the last day being Jan. 28.

“I recognize that you, in good faith, believed that it was appropriate to do administrative work at your home during the patrol shifts,” the letter stated. “However, in spite of your good-faith belief, I am of the opinion that this result is warranted. I understand that you admit no wrongdoing, but that you will accept this resolution in the interest of moving forward, which is in the best interest of the citizens of Dixfield.”

Simmons-Edmunds had to be put on leave because the department could not function without a chief, Puiia said. 

A resident asked if steps can be taken to make sure this doesn’t happen again, because the action seemed drastic and the public was not told anything about it.

“Hopefully, the discipline is what deters something like that happening again. That’s my opinion,” Puiia said. “It was a unique situation because we only had two officers out of a four-person department.

“It was kind of a slap in the face to the public, and I’m not going to apologize because it really wasn’t meant as that,” he said. “It was meant to correct what I thought was a very serious situation. I think I did the right thing and I think I did what was beneficial to the town of Dixfield.”

Puiia said the Sheriff’s Office did a commendable job of filling in, and numerous compliments were paid to the officers who were helping.

He said he has spoken to the Sheriff’s Office about returning department property, including patrol cars, computers, firearms and ammunition, that had been secured during the shutdown.

The town will continue its search to fill the two vacant police officer positions, using resources of the Maine Municipal Association, Puiia said.

Selectman Hart Daley, chief deputy of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, said there were a total of 59 calls during the shutdown. 

“I know there was a lot of public concern voiced to me about the coverage between midnight and the seven o’clock hour,” Daley said. “Deputies are usually home by 1:30 or 2 (a.m.), depending upon what zone or shift they’re on. Then they go out and sign on at 7 (a.m.),” he said.

During those hours over the month, Daley said, they handled six calls, all of which were nonemergencies.

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