TURNERS FALLS — Montague Police Chief Charles “Chip” Dodge has been placed on administrative leave for unspecified reasons, pending a planned closed-door meeting with the Board of Selectmen Monday night.
Montague Selectmen’s Chairman Richard Kuklewicz confirmed Saturday that Dodge had been placed on paid administrative leave late Thursday and that his status would be one of three executive session topics for the Monday meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.
The selectmen’s meeting agenda includes two executive session topics that invoke the open meeting law exemption for discussing charges and complaints against individuals.
The agenda says two of the topics involve “reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, rather than professional competence, of an individual, or the discipline or dismissal of, or complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual. Votes may be taken.”
Kuklewicz told The Recorder that Dodge’s status was related to an ongoing investigation by the Attorney General’s Office.
He said Dodge was placed on leave following a visit to Montague Thursday by representatives of the attorney general’s office. He said that was the first time the selectmen became aware of the matter at issue. At the same time, Kuklewicz asserted that the chief has been “doing a fine job” and that he still holds that opinion of the chief. He noted that the chief had not been arrested or charged with anything.
The selectman said more information that is being collected would be discussed Monday, but he declined to be more specific about the nature of the information or who was gathering it.
Dodge, 45, has worked in Montague for his entire law enforcement career, beginning as a part-timer in 1992 and hired full time in 1993.
In July 2012, he became acting chief after Christopher Williams stepped down. The Board of Selectmen officially voted to offer Dodge the position as the permanent chief in November 2012, and he was sworn in the following month.
Dodge was not immediately available to comment and the police department referred calls to Kuklewicz.
More details as they become available.