Girard chief placed on paid leave

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

The investigation should take two weeks, the mayor said.

GIRARD — Police Chief Frank Bigowsky has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation — a probe that no one will speak about.

Bigowsky had been on sick leave because of an injury to his foot, but returned to work Monday morning. He was given notice of the administrative leave during a mandatory daily meeting with Mayor James Melfi and Safety Service Director Jerry Lambert.

“As of this date, June 9, 2008, 9:15 a.m., you are hereby placed on paid administrative leave of your duties of chief of the Girard Police Department until an internal investigation is complete. At this time, all building and office keys, automobile keys, automobiles and your cell phone are to be turned in to Service Director Jerry Lambert,” the brief letter reads.

The decision to place Bigowsky on paid leave comes after a lengthy interview session in Lambert’s office last week.

The meeting, which began just after 10 a.m. Friday, lasted more than four hours behind closed doors. Bigowsky arrived for the meeting, accompanied by Atty. Joseph Kondela. Neither Bigowsky nor his attorney would comment on the proceedings at that time.

Kondela could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon. Bigowsky, reached Monday evening, said he could not comment on the administrative leave.

Melfi said the investigation into Bigowsky should take about two weeks to complete. Other than that, the mayor is being tight-lipped about what is being investigated.

“We are not going to say a lot about this until the investigation is complete,” he said.

Lambert also is keeping the reasons for the investigation secret, but did say the outcome could lead to the termination of Bigowsky or any range of disciplinary action. “At this point, anything is possible,” he said.

Melfi said the administration is reviewing who will lead the police department over the next few weeks while a decision about Bigowsky is being made, but Lambert will oversee daily operations in the meantime.

Bigowsky and Melfi have had several recent public disagreements.

Bigowsky recently sent a letter to the civil service commission detailing a meeting among 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 each other. The two officials have bumped heads over police department funding, buying police cars, pay raises and department staffing levels.

Later in the evening council approved pay raise provisions for the police and fire chief’s positions. Council had been debating the pay raise issue for months and Monday decided to approve pay raises for the chiefs’ after they are given evaluations.

The pay raises will be up to four percent. Councilmen Brian Kren and Joe Shelby disagreed with the pay raises saying they would be enough to bring the pay of the chiefs above the rate of a captain — something they say needs to be done.

jgoodwin@vindy.com