Girard police chief is center of investigation

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

The chief has been ordered to appear at an investigatory interview Friday.

GIRARD — City officials acknowledge a probe is centered on Police Chief Frank Bigowsky, but no one will explain what is being investigated.

A letter was sent Monday to Bigowsky ordering him to appear in Safety Service Director Jerry Lambert’s office for an investigatory review at 10 a.m. Friday with Mayor James Melfi.

The letter informed Bigowsky that he is “entitled to be accompanied, represented and advised by an attorney” should he choose to do so. The meeting will be behind closed doors.

Melfi was guarded about what exactly will be discussed behind those closed doors.

“This is an internal investigation to discuss certain matters in the police department involving the police chief,” the mayor said. “There are some issues that have to be discussed and we feel that doing it in a formal fashion is important ... that is what we are going to do. We are going to discuss more than a few issues.”

Melfi said the formal investigation is being handled by Atty. Michael Esposito, who represents the city in human resources matters.

Bigowsky could not be reached to comment Wednesday afternoon.

The investigation comes amid a recent city council discussion on whether Bigowsky and Fire Chief Kenneth Bornemiss should receive pay increases.

Council was set to give pay-increase legislation a third and final reading and make a decision but tabled the issue when suggestions were made to allow city administration the opportunity to give the chiefs evaluations before raises were offered.

Melfi said he would veto any raises to any employees unless there was an evaluation process.

Bigowsky and Melfi have had several recent public disagreements.

Bigowsky recently sent a letter to the civil service commission detailing a meeting between himself, Melfi, police Capt. Jeffrey Palmer and Lambert after a disagreement over the hiring of a police officer. In the letter, Bigowsky said the mayor was threatening, demeaning and irate during a mid-April meeting.

Melfi said the letter contained information that was not true.

Melfi also said Bigowsky failed to attend mandatory morning meetings in his office. Bigowsky, however, at the time said he was on light duty per a doctor’s order and in the office only a few hours each day.

The April exchange was not the first time Melfi and Bigowsky opposed one another. The two officials have bumped heads over police department funding, buying police cars, pay raises and department staffing levels.