A Salem police officer has been
fired after being charged with assaulting a man during an arrest in October.
Officer Joseph Freda was
charged last week with two counts of simple assault stemming from the Oct. 6
arrest of 39-year-old Thomas Templeton. Freda is accused of striking Templeton
in the head with a flashlight and stepping on his hand while Templeton was sitting
on the ground, handcuffed.
Freda was put on paid leave
when the investigation began Oct. 23, then was put on unpaid leave. He waived
administrative hearings. Town Manager Keith Hickey terminated his employment
Tuesday, upon recommendation from Police Chief Paul Donovan, citing the town’s
no-tolerance policy with respect to excessive use of force.
In 2009, following a June 5
traffic stop, Brookline resident Sharon Ryherd, accused Freda of using
excessive force and charging her with a crime without cause.