By George Brennan
SANDWICH – Daniel Perkins, a
Sandwich police officer charged with operating under the influence of alcohol
in an off-duty crash, was suspended for 60 days for his role in the crash,
Police Chief Peter Wack said Monday.
Perkins, 38, was cited for
criminal conduct, conduct unbecoming an employee and failing to report for duty
after an internal investigation, Wack said. The police department is
withholding the details of the internal investigation at the request of Cape
and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe’s office because of the ongoing
criminal case, he said. The chief said Perkins has already served the majority
of suspension unpaid, but is back at work performing police duties at no cost to
the town as part of his punishment. If Perkins were to serve the complete
suspension without doing patrols, the department would have to fill his shifts
with overtime, Wack said.
Perkins was allegedly involved
in a single-vehicle crash Nov. 30 in Mashpee near the Sandwich town line. The
crash occurred just after 11 p.m. and Perkins had to be freed from the truck he
was driving using the Jaws of Life hydraulic tool. He was taken to Cape Cod
Hospital where he was treated and released.
A second police officer, John
Manley, was also punished with a three-day suspension for his role in the
off-duty incident, Wack said. Manley, a two-year veteran of the department, was
cited in the internal investigation for conduct unbecoming an employee and
neglect of duty. The officer allegedly arrived at the scene of the crash after
it occurred Nov. 30, Wack said.
Details of why Manley was
punished were not released.
“The investigations will be
released at the appropriate time,” Wack said.
Perkins is scheduled to be
arraigned on the charge of operating under the influence of alcohol Feb. 19,
according to a Falmouth District Court clerk. He appeared at a magistrate’s
hearing Jan. 15 at Falmouth District Court and, during the closed door hearing,
a magistrate determined there was enough evidence to proceed with the drunken
driving charge against him.
