Punishment looms for Girard’s top cop

GIRARD — Attorneys for Police Chief Frank Bigowsky have provided responses to the seven charges filed against him. Now city officials have to make a decision on punishment.

Mayor James Melfi said city officials are still mulling over the answers provided by Bigowsky’s attorneys and will likely have a decision on the chief’s punishment by the end of the business day.

Atty. Dennis Haines and another unidentified attorney, both representing Bigowsky, arrived at city hall just before 10 a.m. for the closed-door meeting with Safety Service Director Jerry Lambert and Mike Esposito, attorney representing the city. The meeting lasted little more than an hour.

City officials last week released a complaint about Bigowsky. It contains a list of charges: teaching private classes while on city time, engaging in conduct that undermines the civil service hiring process, disregarding a valid direct order, challenging a validly issued directive, making false accusations against the mayor, failure to properly monitor overtime expenditures in the police department, and making derogatory statements concerning the appointing authority.

Haines would not comment on the specifics of the meeting, but did say the charges against the chief are frivolous and without merit. He also said Bigowsky wants the charges dismissed and is ready to return to work as soon as possible.

Melfi said the city will decide on a punishment for the chief. He would not be specific, but said punishment could range from a simple reprimand to termination. He said Bigowsky would have to option of appealing any decision by city officials.