Arbiter OKs Swampscott’s firing of police Lt.

SWAMPSCOTT – A state arbitrator has ruled the town had cause when it fired police lieutenant Peter J. Cassidy II.According to town officials, the town attorney received the arbitrator’s written decision, which runs more than 40 pages long, Friday.State arbitrator Richard G. Higgins ruled there was just cause for selectmen to terminate Cassidy from his position as a police lieutenant on April 6, 2006. The specific reasons cited by the arbitrator for his decision, however, were not immediately available.Sunday, Cassidy said he has still not seen a copy of the decision.?It is no surprise that (Town Administrator Andrew) Maylor in his attempt to humiliate me was quick to go to the newspapers before I was even notified,” Cassidy said. “I still haven’t heard anything.”Cassidy said he intends to file an appeal.?I have not seen the decision yet but I have every intention of appealing,” he said. “This has been dragged out and dragged out for three years. It cost me three years of my life already. I’m not a quitter and I’m not quitting.”The arbitration process started immediately after Cassidy was fired by selectmen for conduct unbecoming and criminal. Cassidy served with the department for 29 years and received numerous commendations. One of the incidents mentioned at the time of his termination was an off-duty drunken driving arrest in Vermont on Jan. 13, 2006. Cassidy who pleaded guilty to those charges, said after his gastric bypass surgery he replaced his compulsive eating with alcohol but his metabolism had changed, which resulted in alcohol addiction.Cassidy admits he made a mistake and said his arrest served as a wake-up call. Cassidy said he has been clean and sober since that time.There were almost a dozen incidents in Cassidy’s personnel file, which were brought up during the arbitration process by the town.?(Police Chief Ronald) Madigan and Maylor stuffed my folder with things that never should have been in there,” Cassidy said. “I was not notified of the charges and never signed off on them. Maylor presented these charges to the selectmen that should not have even been in my file. Maylor and Madigan were on an all-out hunt.”Cassidy pointed out during his tenure with the department he received 14 commendations.Cassidy said when he lost his job that he lost everything including medical insurance.?I have not received my pension,” he said. “I haven’t received a dime from the department.”Detective Sgt. Tim Cassidy said his entire family is extremely proud of the way Peter handled the adversity in his life the last three years.”We’re proud of what he accomplished over the last three years,” he said. “He has stayed clean and sober. No one can take that away from him.”Tim Cassidy added members of the Cassidy family have been on the police force in town for more than 50 years and he’s disappointed the town turned its back on his brother.”Every time we’ve been called on we’ve been there,” he said. “I think it’s disgusting the way the town turned its back on us the minute one of us got in trouble. It’s a disgrace. I guess that’s what you get for putting your life on the line every night when you go to work and that’s what we do ? we put our life on the line for this town.”