Former Red Bank Police Chief Darren McConnell by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
Former Red Bank Police Chief Darren McConnell received a $176,000 payout for unused sick and vacation time after resigning to settle misconduct allegations last year, the Asbury Park Press newspaper reported Tuesday. The paper also reported McConnell will keep his $138,000 a year pension.
You can read the Asbury Park Press story by reporter Olivia Liu here.
McConnell was suspended when investigators with the state attorney general’s office last March recommended his firing for having a romantic relationship with a subordinate officer and taking official actions, including quashing internal affairs cases, to benefit her. He resigned in September.
McConnell was able to amass large amounts of unused sick and vacation time because his employment started before such payments were capped at $20,000 by a 2001 contract between the borough and the Police Benevolent Association, the paper reported. The total equalled more than 300 sick days amassed over McConnell’s 36-year-career.
Rather than fire McConnell outright – a move that would have made him ineligible to collect on the accrued time – borough officials decided on an out of court settlement in which he agreed to resign, according to the report.
The paper says borough officials and attorneys made the calculation that firing him outright could have sparked a lawsuit that would have cost taxpayers even more to defend.
To read the full App.com story, click here. For previous redbankgreen coverage see below.
RED BANK POLICE CHIEF RESIGNS, SETTLING ETHICS CHARGES
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