Reimondo Decides on Discipline for Green, Burgin

East Hampton Police Chief Matt Reimondo has made his decision concerning the Internal Affairs investigations into Sgt. Michael Green and Officer Hardie Burgin.

Green, who is scheduled to return to work on Dec. 8, has been suspended 10 days for conduct unbecoming of an officer and neglect of duty and responsibility. Burgin, who will return to work Dec. 12, was suspended 20 days for neglect of duty and conduct unbecoming of an officer. Half of Burgins’s suspension will be decided at a later date and be distributed over 10 pay periods.

Both disciplinary reports are dated Nov. 22. The Internal Affairs investigations were conducted by Attorney Eric P. Daigle.

“I’m glad to be coming back to work and working with my co-workers that provided so much support for me,” Green said. “I very much look forward to presenting my case at some point and I’m very confident this will be shown as retaliation and I will prevail in the end.”

Green was promoted to lieutenant and put in charge of the department in 2010 after former Town Manager Jeffrey O’Keefe tried to oust Reimondo and abolish the position of police chief. Reimondo was reinstated in November by a referendum vote.

The first investigation into Green began in January.

Reimondo considered termination of employment in both instances, but chose not to, instead giving Green and Burgin one final chance to turn things around.

It was Green being put on paid administrative leave on July 27 pending the outcome of the investigations that created some controversy the past couple of months.

On Sept. 27, local union president Mike Salafia provided the with a petition in support of Green that ultimately was signed by 10 of 13 officers.

“I am here in support of Sgt. Green as a fine officer, one of the best guys we have,” Salafia said at the time.

The previous town council also questioned why Green couldn’t be working during this time, revealing in September and meetings the amount he had been paid for staying home while the department was stretched thin. The council also took issue with the amount of overtime the department was spending, in part to cover for Green’s absence.

Then-Acting Interim Town Manager Anne McKinney told Reimondo on Nov. 1 that she wanted the investigations into Green and Burgin completed by the end of that week. McKinney noted that Reimondo had been in possession of the investigative report on Burgin since July 28 and two reports on Green since Sept. 22 and Sept. 25. She also said that Loudermill hearings on both men had been completed. Reimondo was unable to meet that deadline because he went on medical leave.

The Chief returned Nov. 21.

Reimondo’s decisions, however, do not bring about an end to these matters. Green and Burgin have 15 days to grieve the decisions and both will.

As part of the process, the grievance first goes to the Chief. If necessary, it will go to the town manager next and if there is still not an outcome Green and Burgin are satisfied with, the matter will be assigned a mediator by the state labor relations board.

In 23 years with the department, Green said he has never filed a grievance.

“I am far from a litigious guy or someone who is looking to complain about everything,” he said.

Editor's note: Due to the high number of pages contained in both reports, Patch will follow-up with more specifics on the investigations.