The Methuen Mayor’s Office distributed this press release Oct.31. 

“The Massachusetts Civil Service Commission today affirmed the late Mayor Neil Perry’s termination of former Methuen Police Captain Greg Gallant. The Commission ruled that the City had just cause for termination based on multiple factors, including former Captain Gallant’s bad faith insertion of unilateral, unbargained-for terms into the 2017 Police Superior Officers’ collective bargaining agreement. Those changes would have drastically increased the compensation of superior officers – including captains at an annual rate above $400,000 each, to the severe detriment of the City.

“The Commission likewise noted in several instances Gallant’s plain lack of candor, writing at one point: ‘Captain Gallant had a choice to make: He could come clean about the unilateral nature of the last-minute revisions he introduced and potentially jeopardize the agreement, or he could play coy and jeopardize any reputation he may have possessed for trustworthiness. Having chosen the latter course, he must accept the consequences.’

 “ ‘I am pleased that the Civil Service Commission saw fit to vindicate the decisive and bold actions taken by Mayor Perry during a time of shaken public trust in local government,’ said Acting Mayor DJ Beauregard. ‘With the Commission’s thoughtful and reasoned decision, we are able to mark another positive step forward in the City’s ongoing effort to seek justice against those who have damaged the City. None of this would be happening had Neil Perry not led the way,’ continued Mayor Beauregard.

“ ‘I also wish to thank Police Chief Scott McNamara and his team for the Department’s internal affairs investigation that uncovered the evidence against former Captain Gallant. Likewise, I am grateful for City Solicitor Ken Rossetti and his legal team for the Legal Department’s defense of the City’s termination of former Captain Gallant,’ Mayor Beauregard concluded.”

 A copy of the decision, which is a public record, is available here: https://www.mass.gov/…/gallant-gregory-v-city…/download

Former Police Capt. Greg Gallant. ML file photo