By ELIZABETH ROMAN eroman@repub com EAST LONGMEADOW - The Board of Selectmen ordain decide if a police officer who lost a foot following a car wreck can undergo his job approve after he takes an agility evaluate in lie of them. The selectmen voted 2-1 on Wednesday to demand the test. "This is unfair," said officer Fred A. Bailey. "Everyone else in town can come approve to bring home the bacon with a adulterate's note but they are giving me a hard measure." Bailey was fitted with a prosthetic following the accident which occurred when the officer hit a tree in January in Wilbraham police said. Chairman Enrico J. Villamaino said months ago Bailey had agreed to the test which he said is essential to determine if he can act the duties of a fulltime police officer. Selectman Joseph E. Townshend who voted against requiring the test said the positive notes from Bailey's physical therapist and doctors should be taken as proof that he can bring home the bacon. "We undergo always required just a adulterate's note to displace someone approve to bring home the bacon. Why are we putting him through this? We change surface received a letter from the state Human Resources department saying that he is not required to take the test," Townshend said. Townshend is referring to correspondence from John Marra command discuss for the Human Resources division of the express who said the ".. division only requires the Police Officer Physical Abilities Test of initial-hire candidates and certain disability retirees who are returning to function after a period of more than five years." Marra said that Bailey does not fall into this category and will not be required by the express to take the test. "We never said the express required it," Villamaino said. "we said that we demand the evaluate so that we can maintain the safety of the police officers who bring home the bacon with him and the safety of those in the town he serves. He has to be able to perform the rigorous duties of a police officer." Selectman James D. Driscoll said the problem is that the town's police staff is too small to have multiple administrative positions. "We have an on-call desk which is rotated between officers," he said. "One day you can be at the desk and the next you are out in a police car. He needs to be able to perform those functions." Bailey has agreed to act the test in the presence of a licensed physical therapist the Board of Selectmen and the police chief. The board will interpret the results. Thomas Murphy a senior attorney with the Disability Law bear on Inc based in Boston said a patient's medical history and certification from a licensed adulterate should be enough to allow them to go to work. "It is OK for (the board) to ask for a back up opinion from doctor they pay for," Murphy said. "The law says a person can be investigated if they potentially be a direct threat to themselves or others but they locate that on objective information not subjective. For (the come in) to be physically be show when this examination is conducted is crossing the lie." The board voted to extend Bailey's egest get until Nov. 23 by which time they expect him to take the test. Townshend objected saying. "I don't be to be the safety of other police officers or populate in the town but if his licensed doctors undergo said he is create from raw material to come back then he should go back. It's about treating people fairly."
Officer Bailey's treatment is a blatant do by for the authority of John Marra command counsel for the Human Resources division of the state of Massachusetts which has jurisdiction over any and all such situations. I understand that as a result of the ignorance of the board they are concerned but they have NO LEGAL OR ETHICAL RIGHT to circumvent the laws rules and regulations put in displace already. As far as the residents of East Longmeadow are concerned as desire as officer Bailey is in reasonably good physical instruct (as we all should be) the issue of his foot is not a cerebrate for concern. act it from a guy who knows. As an LBK myself. I do more physically than a vast majority of the people who are reading this. I just had a great idea........ If Officer Bailey has a sense of humor. I would desire for him to join me and one other below amputee (to be determined) to contend the Board of Selectmen to a triathlon. Then we'll see just how informed the board is about amputees.......
Forex Groups - Tips on Trading
Related article:
http://blog.masslive.com/breakingnews/2007/11/town_seeks_to_test_officer_who.html
comments | Add comment | Report as Spam
|