LEYDEN — The Selectboard met Monday to discuss staffing of the Police Department in the wake of the chief and captain’s immediate retirement notices last week.
Speaking before a crowd of roughly 15 to 20 residents, Selectboard Chair Jeff Neipp read aloud the letters from Dan Galvis, who retired as police chief, and his wife, Gilda Galvis, who retired as captain, before the board voted unanimously to formally accept the retirements. The Galvises were originally expected to retire in June 2022.
The letters were submitted Wednesday, Oct. 28, just days after an Oct. 25 meeting where the Selectboard shared the results of an Oct. 18 executive session meeting with Dan Galvis to review racist, misogynistic and xenophobic content from emails he shared with other town employees and officers between 2015 and 2016. Galvis was scheduled to be on vacation until Nov. 4 and did not return calls requesting comment.
With only four members remaining in the department, Selectboard member Erica Jensen told the Greenfield Recorder on Tuesday a schedule will be created and staffing lapses would be covered with support from the Massachusetts State Police and Colrain police through the towns’ mutual aid agreement. A more long-term plan may include a regional agreement with neighboring towns.
The Leyden and Bernardston Selectboards have scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, Nov. 10, at the Bernardston Police Station to discuss the possibility of regional police coverage.
“I’m hoping to get an understanding of whether (Bernardston Police Chief James) Palmeri and the town (of Bernardston) have the time and interest in short-term and longer-term coverage,” Jensen said.
Continued planning would be supported by a yet-to-be-formed steering committee.
Resident Sara Seinberg voiced frustration with slow progress despite a “sense of urgency.” She said roughly a dozen residents signed their names to express interest in joining a police chief search steering committee during a previous meeting, and questioned why the Selectboard wasn’t prepared to form such a committee that evening.
The emails in question were first brought to light in a Sept. 7 meeting when board members discussed the chief’s decision not to recommend Police Sgt. Tina Riddell for reappointment. Riddell, who was not reappointed, in turn questioned the chief’s conduct and shared the batch of emails Galvis had forwarded from what was considered his official work email.
While Dan Galvis has retired as the chief, he remains thetown’s emergency management director until the appointed position ends in June, according to the Selectboard’s discussion Monday evening. Gilda Galvis, who was elected as town clerk in June, will retain this position.
“Right now, as far as the chain of command, Mike Aiken is lieutenant and the other three members are officers,” Neipp said Monday of the Police Department.
Aiken also works full time as a correctional officer at the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction.
Jensen, the current Police Department liaison for the Selectboard, said she had spoken with Neipp about the potential of another officer serving as an officer-in-charge and expressed frustration that her suggestions were not being received.
Resident Barbara Wallace, a former Selectboard member, asked why Jensen, as the board’s liaison to the Police Department, was seemingly not being allowed to lead these conversations. Emily Yazwinski, a resident and member of the Planning Board, similarly said she was “discouraged” that Jensen “has been given no respect and no support” in her role as liaison between the department and Selectboard.
Jensen thanked Yazwinski and Wallace for their support. While saying she and Neipp had “a breakdown of communication,” Jensen spoke to steps for moving forward.
Speaking by phone Tuesday, Jensen said she had talked more with Neipp that morning and they ultimately agreed to reach out to Lt. Aiken, as the most senior officer, to offer him the position of officer-in-charge. While Aiken has seniority in the department, Wallace noted Monday that he was on the force in 2015, and was one of the recipients of the emails that raised concern over Galvis’ conduct as police chief.
The Selectboard also accepted a resignation letter on Monday from Officer Zack Warner, citing a new career opportunity. This resignation leaves just four remaining members of the Leyden Police Department — one lieutenant and three officers. The three officers are part-time employees and all live outside of Franklin County.
This has sparked some concern among both Selectboard members and residents who have asked about the readiness of public safety departments should there be an emergency in the middle of the night. Resident Ann Zavarouah Monday shared updates on initial planning to establish a volunteer EMS team, which would operate under the Fire Department.