Illegal Drugs, weapons, evidence found in Chief Solomon's locker

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Drugs, weapons, evidence found in Solomon's locker

Published: May 13, 2008 07:43 am ShareThis PrintThis

Drugs, weapons, evidence found in Solomon's locker
By Jill Harmacinski
Staff Writer

METHUEN — Marijuana, knives, handguns, pornographic magazines and evidence from sexual assault cases were among dozens of items found in police Chief Joseph Solomon's locker after he was fired last week.

Police cut the lock on Solomon's department locker Thursday afternoon, a day after he was fired, and inventoried the contents which, according to a report, included everything from a water bong to a Valentine's Day card.

Acting Chief Katherine Lavigne acknowledged there were numerous pieces of evidence found in the locker. Police are now investigating whether "all of the cases were processed properly," she said.

The department will "be in touch" with District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office about the matter, Lavigne said. Blodgett declined comment, pending further review of the contents of the locker.

It was unclear yesterday if any charges could be pending against the former chief as a result of the locker inventory.

"It depends where our investigation leads us," Lavigne said. "Everything is being checked."

Solomon, in a statement released through his attorney last night, said he had not accessed the locker since he was named chief more than five years ago. He said he used the locker to store weapons.

"Most of the other items mentioned as being in the locker are not my personal property. My recollection is that many of these items constitute evidence in cases closed long ago," said Solomon, noting the "illicit magazines were evidence in a particularly gruesome sexual assault case."

"At the time that these cases concluded, it was not unusual for such evidence to be stored in an officer's locker at various times," Solomon said in the statement.

Lavigne said storing evidence in a department locker is against Methuen police policy.

"We don't keep evidence in our lockers," Lavigne said.

The department has secure areas for evidence to be stored both temporarily and on a long-term basis, Lavigne said.

Officers' personal lockers are in a separate area and would in no way be confused with evidence storage areas, she said. Solomon's locker bore his name and was secured with a padlock, which the officers cut off at 3:26 p.m. Thursday.

"It's department issued," Lavigne said of the locker. "There is no right to privacy there."

Every Methuen police officer is issued a locker. Lavigne said she keeps uniforms and personal items in hers.

Mayor William Manzi yesterday referred questions on the locker inventory to Lavigne.

Solomon's attorney questioned why the locker inventory "constitutes a story worthy of print."

"I am concerned as to how a document such as this makes its way to the media within four days of its creation," wrote Andy Gambaccini, in an e-mail to The Eagle-Tribune.

Every item in Solomon's locker was inventoried, photographed and videotaped, police said.

Items taken from the locker included: one bag of marijuana, five knives (one double-edged), several pistols, booking photos, baseball bats, nunchucks, tools, white gloves, sneakers, photographs, and two VHS tapes from unspecified rape investigations.

Solomon was fired last Wednesday, in part, because he is the focus of a U.S. Department of Justice grant misspending probe. A newly released document shows that Solomon was the focus of a federal investigation into misspending of $170,000 of grant money on overtime for himself, his secretary and four superior officers.

The 50-page report said it's impossible to tell if Solomon, his secretary and the four superior officers actually worked the hours they were paid for out of a $1.125 million federal Weed and Seed grant. Other patrolmen who submitted overtime paperwork had proper documentation to show how they earned the extra pay.

Manzi also fired Solomon for failing to accept responsibility for his errors and mistakes, ethical lapses and errors in judgment. In a report, a civil service hearing officer recommended Manzi fire Solomon immediately for verbally abusing officers, allowing grant misspending and paying family members with taxpayer money to take care of the department's marine equipment.

Solomon was placed on paid leave on Sept. 28, 2007. He was paid $76,588 until he was terminated last week. The city also paid him $22,940 for unused vacation time and $6,654 longevity. He also is still eligible for a pension, although he has not indicated he's retiring.

Solomon has filed an appeal of his firing with the state's Civil Service Commission and through his attorney, predicts he'll be back on the job in one year.

Click here to download the report
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Solomon, in a statement released through his attorney last night, said he had not accessed the locker since he was named chief more than five years ago. He said he used the locker to store weapons.
QUOTE]

So he hasn't been in the locker in more than 5 years, yet he uses it to store weapons. WTF? Am I missing something?
Click to expand...
 
Baystatesuks said:
This may be a basis for some people to get a re-trial. Certainly raises chain of custody issues with police storing evidence in their lockers. I bet he took some home as well.
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Not just that, but consider the amount of money this is going to cost the state in the long run when every case that he may have touched on is eligible for review by the DA, and the defendants lawyer who may also be publicly funded.

The cost in manpower, finance and later freed criminals is a substantial factor here. It would be nice to see him pressed on additional charges in addition to whats already on the table for this huge and costly error in judgement.
 
String him up. Every PD has an appropriate storage area for weapons, drugs and evidence and it isn't in the guys locker. Items need to be logged in, logged out, and disposed of according to policy and law when a case is closed. Solomon is full of crap.
 
<Major T. J. "King" Kong>

One bag of marijuana, five knives (one double-edged), several pistols, booking photos, baseball bats, nunchucks, tools, white gloves, sneakers, photographs, two VHS tapes from unspecified rape investigations, one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings. Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.

</Major T. J. "King" Kong>
 
"Most of the other items mentioned as being in the locker are not my personal property. My recollection is that many of these items constitute evidence in cases closed long ago," said Solomon, noting the "illicit magazines were evidence in a particularly gruesome sexual assault case."
Click to expand...

Am I the only one who thought of this classic Porky's line:

"I sat through every frame of this disgusting film. Twice."
Click to expand...
 
"Most of the other items mentioned as being in the locker are not my personal property. My recollection is that many of these items constitute evidence in cases closed long ago," said Solomon, noting the "illicit magazines were evidence in a particularly gruesome sexual assault case."
Click to expand...

I was thinking that maybe he was framed until I read the above.[laugh2]
 
I'm not trying to defend what he may or may not have done...

BUT, I did get a Class A non-restricted from him, and also a Machine Gun License. He seemed nice enough when I met with him. I don't personally know him beyond my meetings regarding the licenses.
 
Chipperman said:
....
BUT, I did get a Class A non-restricted from him, and also a Machine Gun License. He seemed nice enough when I met with him. I don't personally know him beyond my meetings regarding the licenses.
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I'm sure others would love to hear about your application(s) process on how you accomplished getting those licenses thru Solomon.
 
VTpro said:
I'm sure others would love to hear about your application(s) process on how you accomplished getting those licenses thru Solomon.
Click to expand...


The application asked to please enclose the following items :

One bag of marijuana, five knives (one double-edged), several pistols, booking photos, baseball bats, nunchucks, tools, white gloves, sneakers, photographs, two VHS tapes from unspecified rape investigations, one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.

and deliver to Chief's locker. [smile]
 
Half Cocked said:
The application asked to please enclose the following items :

One bag of marijuana, five knives (one double-edged), several pistols, booking photos, baseball bats, nunchucks, tools, white gloves, sneakers, photographs, two VHS tapes from unspecified rape investigations, one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.

and deliver to Chief's locker. [smile]
Click to expand...

[rofl][laugh2][laugh] Good one!
 
Half Cocked said:
The application asked to please enclose the following items :

One bag of marijuana, five knives (one double-edged), several pistols, booking photos, baseball bats, nunchucks, tools, white gloves, sneakers, photographs, two VHS tapes from unspecified rape investigations, one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.

and deliver to Chief's locker. [smile]
Click to expand...

LOL! now that's funny. the rest of the story, not so much.
 
I'm sure others would love to hear about your application(s) process on how you accomplished getting those licenses thru Solomon.
Click to expand...

Well, I already had a Class A ALP license when I moved there. I don't know how much that may have helped my situation. I applied for an MG license, including my C&R (to establish myself as a "bona-fide collector") and a letter explaining who I was and why I wanted the license. I also stated in the letter that I was happy to meet with him and discuss it.

I was told by the Officer in charge of the licenses at the time that there were two MG licensees in the town at the time, and both were Police Officers. He spoke to a Sergeant, who met with me. I spoke to him about guns and who I was, my training, etc. It turned out that he was one of the guys with an MG license. He decided to speak to the Chief and put in a good word for me.

A couple of weeks later, the Chief met with me. It was a pretty friendly meeting, but he explained his reservations about giving me the license. He asked whether I would be willing to jump through a couple of hoops to get it. He wanted a letter from a physician basically saying that I was mentally sound, and he wanted an Officer to inspect my storage situation to be sure that the guns would be safely and securely stored. I was ok with the letter, as some towns require that for a Class A anyway. Luckily my Primary care doctor didn't even hesitate when I asked if he would write a letter for me.

I was a little leery about having an Officer into my home for the inspection, but agreed. The Sergeant came to my house and inspected my safes. "Good enough", he exclaimed, and I was all set.

I probably would never have gotten the license if the Sergeant had not pulled for me. I'm sure that being in the medical profession helped as well.

When it came time for my Class A renewal, it was never a question whether I'd get it, b/c I aleady had an MG license.
 
Chipperman said:
He asked whether I would be willing to jump through a couple of hoops to get it. He wanted a letter from a physician basically saying that I was mentally sound, and he wanted an Officer to inspect my storage situation to be sure that the guns would be safely and securely stored.
Click to expand...

And since when are physicians capable of determining whether a patient is "mentally sound?" [rolleyes]
 

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