Peabody fire chief won’t suspend jake without facts

PEABODY – Peabody Fire Chief Steven Pasdon knows the severity of the charges against firefighter Ernest Perrone, but says he will not make a decision on suspending the embattled employee until he knows all of the facts.”As of right now he is not suspended, but he will not be working for the city of Peabody until I can review all of the facts of the situation – that is to say, not what I have read in newspapers,” said Pasdon. “Right now he is out on his own personal time, but he is not suspended. I realize the severity of the charges, I am not trying to downplay it, but at the same time, you are innocent until proven guilty and it seems like there is some kind of neighborhood conflict going on there and I want to make sure I review the facts of the case.”Perrone was arrested Monday on a warrant for threats, harassment and assault charges stemming from a year’s worth of incidents involving he and his neighbors.According to police, Perrone has allegedly been harassing his Elmwood Street neighbors since children accidentally sprayed water on his truck last July, making menacing gestures with a chainsaw, photographing the children and shouting inappropriate and derogatory remarks.Perrone was arraigned this week and released on $2,500 bail. He is due back in court July 31.Pasdon said he is aware of the case only through newspaper reports and talk in the department and he wants to look at the facts more closely before deciding what to do with his employee.One option the chief said he is considering, pending approval from his superiors in the city, is hiring a private investigator to take a close look at the arrest and the history of Perrone’s feud with neighbors.”At this point in time it is only something I am considering, but I am considering talking to my superiors about the hire of some sort of private consultant type investigator to look in to the case,” he said. “Like I said, I can’t base my facts on what I have read in newspapers and I can’t wait for the court case to work itself out, so that is something I am considering. What I want to do is make a decision that is best for everyone involved, that is the neighbors, the city, this department and that includes Mr. Perrone, too.”