BY ANGELJEAN CHIARAMIDA
SEABROOK — About three months after it began, the
internal affairs investigation into a police brutality incident is complete and
its findings are on the desk of town officials.
According to Town Manager Bill Manzi, the 60-page
report into the Nov. 11, 2009 incident that surfaced this year was delivered to
him on Friday by Municpal Resources Inc., the New Hampshire consulting firm
hired by the town to conduct the investigation. Manzi’s read the report twice,
and will probably read it “two or three more times” before — after he consults
with selectmen — he writes up his recommendations on how to proceed based on
the report’s revelations.
“The Board of Selectmen will have a lot of input into
what I decide because we work together as a team,” Manzi said during a recent
interview. “I want to make sure their voices are heard in this critical
incident. The board sets policy as the governing body, but ultimately it’s my
responsibility to take action.”
It was on Jan. 6 of this year when the YouTube video
of the Nov. 11, 2009 incident went viral, making news throughout the country
and horrifying Seabrook residents. Taken by a police station surveillance
camera the video shows then-19-year-old Michael Bergeron Jr., a Seabrook
resident who had been arrested, being held by the arm by Mark Richardson, with
officer Adam Laurent beside him. Then, as Bergeron is walked without handcuffs
down the police station corridor, Richardson throws him against the wall, where
he hits his head and falls to the floor.
Bergeron is hauled to his feet before falling again.
Shortly after, Laurent can be seen administering pepper spray. At various
points, Laurent looks directly at the surveillance camera and smiles. The video
has no sound.
Officer Keith Dietenhofer is also in the video, but
did not appear to take part in the alleged abuse. At the time, Laurent and
Richardson were veteran officers, but Dietenhofer was a rookie, and had been
with the police department for less than six months.
All three officers were placed on paid leave the day
after the video surfaced.
When the video hit social media and the state’s news
cycles, it drew the attention of not only local, but state and federal law
enforcement agencies.
The case was immediately investigated as a criminal
matter by the New Hampshire Attorney General and the FBI. Those investigation
led to the assault indictment of Richardson in April, which led Manzi to place
him on unpaid leave.
Manzi kept Laurent and Dietenhofer, who were not
indicted, on paid leave. He said that status would remain at least until the
completion of the internal investigation when he would have more information.
Manzi instructed MRI to investigate everything
surrounding the November, 2011 police brutality incident, including all those
in the police department who had responsibilities related to it, in order to
see if everyone adhered to the Seabrook Police Department’s policies and
procedure.
According to Seabrook personnel records, although the
late Patrick Manthorn was the police chief at the time of the incident, he was
on sick leave when it occurred. His sick leave status means current Chief Lee
Bitomske, deputy chief at the time, was acting police chief in Manthorn’s
absence.
The department’s duty roster also shows that then-Sgt.
John Wasson was shift commander when Bergeron was arrested and in the police
station. Wasson currently holds the rank of lieutenant.
Manzi doesn’t believe the recent no-confidence vote
against Bitomske by the Seabrook patrolmen’s union is directly related to the
Bergeron incident.
Manzi said that since reading the report over the
weekend, he had a three-hour, closed-door session with selectmen on Monday,
where they were joined by town counsel Joseph McKitterick.
Although not wanting to characterize the findings
within the report, Manzi said, MRI’s consultants “did a thorough and complete
job,” and their part of their investigation was done through interviews with
officers.
Over the coming week, after selectmen have had a
chance to digest the report, Manzi is planning to reach out for their input
before he sits down to write his own report, which will include the recommended
actions he plans to take.
Manzi hopes to finish his work in about 10 days, he
said, at which time he’ll make that information public.
All three officers were placed on paid leave the day
after the video surfaced.
When the video hit social media and the state’s news
cycles, it drew the attention of not only local, but state and federal law enforcement
agencies.
The case was immediately investigated as a criminal
matter by the New Hampshire Attorney General and the FBI. Those investigation
led to the assault indictment of Richardson in April, which led Manzi to place
him on unpaid leave.
Manzi kept Laurent and Dietenhofer, who were not
indicted, on paid leave. He said that status would remain at least until the
completion of the internal investigation when he would have more information.
Manzi instructed MRI to investigate everything
surrounding the November, 2011 police brutality incident, including all those
in the police department who had responsibilities related to it, in order to
see if everyone adhered to the Seabrook Police Department’s policies and
procedure.
According to Seabrook personnel records, although the
late Patrick Manthorn was the police chief at the time of the incident, he was
on sick leave when it occurred. His sick leave status means current Chief Lee
Bitomske, deputy chief at the time, was acting police chief in Manthorn’s
absence.
The department’s duty roster also shows that then-Sgt.
John Wasson was shift commander when Bergeron was arrested and in the police
station. Wasson currently holds the rank of lieutenant.
Manzi doesn’t believe the recent no-confidence vote
against Bitomske by the Seabrook patrolmen’s union is directly related to the
Bergeron incident.
Manzi said that since reading the report over the
weekend, he had a three-hour, closed-door session with selectmen on Monday,
where they were joined by town counsel Joseph McKitterick.
Although not wanting to characterize the findings
within the report, Manzi said, MRI’s consultants “did a thorough and complete
job,” and their part of their investigation was done through interviews with
officers.
Over the coming week, after selectmen have had a
chance to digest the report, Manzi is planning to reach out for their input
before he sits down to write his own report, which will include the recommended
actions he plans to take.
Manzi hopes to finish his work in about 10 days, he
said, at which time he’ll make that information public.
