An investigation into the off-duty work conducted by Union City Police Chief Charles Everett may conclude as early as this week, said a spokesman for Mayor Brian Stack. However, the investigator tasked with looking into the matter said it might take longer.
Last month, News 12 presented an investigative TV report about the police chief and his off-duty work at the city’s pools and athletic field. Everett is paid over $200,000 a year for his full-time job as police chief. According to News 12, Everett used to provide security at the city’s pools and Jose Marti Athletic Field. He worked for two years on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 4 p.m. until 12 p.m. billing $60 per hour for a total of $45,000 a year.
“It is outrageous” – Joseph Blaettler, former UC deputy police chief.
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News 12 said their videos showed Chief Everett showing up late, leaving early, and even working out at the gym while he was supposed to be at his off-duty detail.
Records obtained by The Hudson Reporter state that for the extra work, the Union City Board of Education paid Everett $34,770 in 2009, $36,840 in 2010, and $17,520 in 2011 for security.
Everett did not return three phone calls last week.
In the News 12 report, he said, “I am not going to talk about the detail.”
The investigation
After the News 12 report aired in August, Mayor Brian Stack hired an outside attorney, Walter Timpone of Morristown, to undertake an investigation.
According to Stack’s spokesman, Mark Albiez, the mayor will decide on taking action once the investigation is completed.
Albiez said that the investigation may conclude as early as this week, but that Stack will not have a comment until it concludes.
Timpone said last week, “We are still working on it. We are waiting for some documents before we can make some judgments.”
Timpone added that there is no estimate on when the investigation will be finished.
Timpone is a former state prosecutor and attorney at the law firm McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney, and Carpenter.
Formal complaints
Joseph Blaettler, a former Union City deputy police chief, has been sending letters about this matter since June to the Hudson County prosecutor, the state attorney general, the United States Attorney General, members of the New Jersey state Senate, and tri-state news agencies. In these letters, Blaettler says, “If the conduct Chief Everett has engaged in was committed by another member of the Union City Police Department, a criminal and internal investigation into these allegations would be conducted.”
Blaettler was the deputy chief of police for four years. He retired in December 2008 and opened a private investigation service. He said a year ago that he was hired by a private citizen to look into alleged waste and inefficiency by Mayor Stack (who is also a state senator).
Since then, Blaettler has brought other issues to light, and spurred a Fox news “Shame on You!” segment about Stack’s ex-wife, who runs the city’s day care center.
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