TURNERS FALLS — Selectmen voted on Monday night to discontinue administrative leave for Montague Police Chief Charles “Chip” Dodge.
The police chief came before the board during executive session for undisclosed reasons, pending an ongoing investigation by the Attorney General’s Office, said Montague selectmen’s Chairman Richard Kuklewicz.
“We are not here to lynch Chip. We are here to find out what’s going on,” said Kuklewicz before closing the meeting to the public for executive session.
Upon opening the meeting to the public, the board announced that Dodge’s administrative leave is over and he will be returning back to work shortly.
“I am pleased with the Board of Selectmen and their decision,” said Dodge. “I think they were very thorough and did a great job. I am very thankful they allowed me to return to doing the job I love doing so much — protecting this community.”
The selectmen’s meeting agenda included two executive session topics that invoked the Open Meeting Law exemption for discussing charges and complaints against individuals.
The agenda said that 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.”
Dodge’s parents, who came to the meeting to support their son, said they don’t believe there was any wrongdoing.
“I don’t think it’s anything. He is a rock,” said his father, Butch Dodge. “I just hope it will all be over with real soon.”
Following the meeting, the board issued a statement to the public announcing that the chief will be returning to the station. “The chief has the full support of the board and we are confident in his abilities. The chief has been open and forthright in his handling of this situation,” the statement said.
At least one selectman also expressed their support for the chief on social media.
“The Montague selectmen believe our chief does a fantastic job. This is a personal matter with the chief that we are very hopeful will be cleared up quickly,” said Selectman Michael Nelson in a Facebook post before the meeting.
Montague Chairman 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.
The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office will not confirm or deny that there is any ongoing investigation, said Chloe Gotsis, a spokeswoman for the AG’s office.
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.
You can reach Lisa Spear at:
lspear@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 280