Supermarket has beef with Lynn cop

LYNN – A Lynn police officer under investigation for allegedly stealing meat from a local supermarket he was hired to protect is expected to resign from the department.Patrolman David Galeazzi, 47, has been placed on paid administrative leave while ranking police officers conduct an internal affairs investigation, according to Police Chief Kevin Coppinger.”Allegations were made that involved theft,” Coppinger confirmed Wednesday, referring to accusations made by the management at the Stop & Shop supermarket at the corner of Washington and Boston streets. “There is an active internal affairs investigation.”Galeazzi was in uniform working a paid private police detail at the store when the thefts allegedly occurred on different days.”It is my understanding that he is considering resigning from the department shortly,” Coppinger said.The police chief declined to elaborate on how Stop & Shop managers came to the conclusion that Galeazzi was stealing while working as the store’s armed guard or whether any criminal activity was captured on surveillance cameras.Sources familiar with the investigation said a series of thefts first came to the attention of store managers when Galeazzi was challenged by an employee and refused to pay for a newspaper in which he had completed the crossword puzzle.On another day, Galeazzi was confronted by a Stop & Shop parking lot security guard and asked to show a cash register receipt for the goods he was allegedly carrying out of the store, including fresh produce. Galeazzi purportedly told the security guard he had paid for the goods but lost the sales slip.Stop & Shop management used store video cameras to monitor subsequent thefts, including at least one incident in which the police officer is shown allegedly tucking meat under his uniform before leaving the store, The Item was told.Armed with evidence, the Stop & Shop Loss Prevention staff brought its complaint to Coppinger.Galeazzi, a father of four, joined the Police Department in July 1993.With 17 years on the force, he can avoid jeopardizing his pension by resigning rather than risk a criminal conviction.Gary Brenner, executive director of the Lynn Retirement Board, said a police officer caught breaking the law could lose a pension if convicted. He cited Massachusetts General Law, chapter 32, section 15, which addresses forfeiture of pension for misconduct.The statute specifically states that a pension must be forfeited “if the person is convicted of a criminal office in violation of the laws applicable to his office or position.”Brenner cited as example a City Hall worker caught stealing from the petty cash fund. If convicted of theft, the worker could be made to forfeit his or her pension. “It’s the same for a policeman who is supposed to uphold the laws, not break them,” he said. “But there are lots of cases pending in the courts and they are not cut and dry. Everyone is different.”Stop & Shop management has agreed not to seek criminal charges against the officer once the resignation is submitted.”There might be a desire not to have a finding at any level,” Brenner said.If Galeazzi resigns without incident, he would be entitled to begin collecting his pension at age 55, or immediately withdraw the accrued amount minus early-withdrawal penalties.Galeazzi was paid $100,092 in 2009. He had a base pay of $63,000 plus $37,000 in private detail pay and overtime earnings.Last November, Galeazzi and two other Lynn police officers were taken to the hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after trying to rescue occupants trapped inside a burning home at 18 Clinton St.Galeazzi is represented by attorney Susan Horowitz, counsel to the Lynn Police Association. He would be required to submit his resignation to Coppinger and ultimately to Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, the city’s appointing authority.