Saugus cop quits, taped stealing gun

SAUGUS – One town police officer has resigned and another is on paid administrative leave in the wake of two internal investigations that have shaken the police department, The Item has learned.Jason LaBella, 25, of Saugus, sent a letter of resignation to Police Chief Domenic DiMella on Thursday, DiMella confirmed. LaBella, who has been a patrolman for fewer than two years, is facing a criminal larceny charge in Woburn after he was allegedly caught on video tape stealing a handgun from a member of the Mass. Rifle Association, a Woburn-based gun club.DiMella also confirmed that Lt. Howard Wheeler, 57, of Saugus, has been placed on paid administrative leave after he was allegedly involved in a fight with two other men, including a former auxiliary police officer, outside the Fox Hill Yacht Club on Jan. 24. Wheeler, the commanding officer for the 1-to-9 a.m. overnight shift, has been with the department nearly 32 years and was the second highest-paid town employee in 2008, earning a base salary of $145,801 and an additional $11,634 in road details totaling $157,435.In the case of LaBella, Woburn police spokesman Detective Ralph Coakley declined to release the video tape that allegedly shows LaBella stealing the gun. However, DiMella said Thursday that he has seen the tape and positively identified the suspect as LaBella. According to a Woburn police report, Detective Fred Forni also viewed the tape and positively identified LaBella.LaBella, a 2001 Saugus High School graduate who lives at 26 Orcutt Ave., did not return a phone call for comment Thursday.According to LaBella’s Facebook.com page, which features photos of him socializing with Revere police officer Michael Prochilo, he is a six-year Army combat veteran, a self-described “adrenaline junkie” who plays drums for a rock band.LaBella was given the option to resign this week and faced termination if he did not do so. LaBella handed DiMella a one-sentence letter on Thursday.”It said, ‘Effective immediately I resign from the Saugus Police Department,'” DiMella said. “It’s a felony charge, so absolutely I have to take swift action.”When asked how Thursday’s meeting went, DiMella said, “It was not pleasant. It never is.”According to a Woburn police report, a member of the Mass. Rifle Association contacted police Jan. 22 after noticing a 9-millimeter Smith & Wesson handgun with five bullets inside went missing at an earlier date. A member had placed it inside a pouch on a counter in the firing range.The video allegedly shows LaBella pick up the pouch, walk outside the building then return without the pouch approximately 30 seconds later.LaBella had signed in two other men as guests at the time of the theft and their identities are unknown, but they are not Saugus police officers, according to DiMella.LaBella was contacted by Woburn detectives Jan. 29 and he agreed to meet them at the Woburn police station. However, once inside, he allegedly refused to be interviewed and told the investigators, “I’m a Saugus cop.”About two hours later, he called back the Woburn detectives saying there was a “misunderstanding” and blamed the theft on the two guests he brought into the gun club, according to the police report.In the meantime, Saugus police officials placed LaBella on administrative suspension and yanked his license to carry a firearm.Woburn and Saugus detectives went to LaBella’s home on Jan. 29 and retrieved the stolen, loaded handgun from underneath the back seat of his truck, police said.LaBella was not arrested but has been summonsed to Woburn District Court on a single charge of larceny of a firearm. He is scheduled for arraignment Feb. 25.DiMella says State Police are handling the investigation of Wheeler to avoid a conflict of interest.Lynn District Court officials and DiMella confirm that the person involved the alleged confrontation has filed an assault and battery claim against Wheeler in district court and that Wheeler also filed a cross complaint of assault and battery.