Newton Police Chief Matthew Cummings told NECN he kicked former secretary Jeanne Sweeney Mooney Mooney but says it was an innocent act.
Newton Police Chief Cummings plans to fight to get his job back.
by Village 14 | Aug 30, 2012 | Newton | 8 comments
yes, stay tuned – it ain’t over – unfortunately, the true harm is the loss of rank & file morale.
This is a really upsetting situation. No matter how you look at it, everybody loses.
It’s ironic the mayor was trying to command a level of collegiality and respect — but firing in this way and not allowing the chief to resign just ain’t the way that’s done. If the chief now needs to fight for a pension, I hope he has the best lawyer for the job and stops answering press questions.
I find it curious how the guys with the pseudonyms lead the way in defense of indefensible behavior.
Sorry but you can’t kick an employee as a joke then expect you can win your job back.
I agree with Greg, that Cummings behavior, at least based on the last 20 years or so, ought not to be condoned by anyone. I was a bit surprised that in another thread Gail Spector was feeling sorry for this guy. I’m not a woman of course but I’m offended by his behavior, and any woman should be. Sounds like he’s still l=ving in a 60s mode.
And Hoss, did you ever consider that the mayor did offer the opportunity for Cummings to take the graceful way out, but he’s so boorish that he thinks he’s being wronged?
Come on, Cummings has only himself to blame. Stop feeling sorry for him.
Dan –
I can envision a scenario where office banter is just like what we read in the report. It could even go on that way for a few years. And then something happens — where one of the people becomes unhappy with the other — and all of a sudden, what was once understood-to-be acceptable behavior is language in a lawsuit.
Doesn’t excuse his behavior, but I still feel bad for the guy.
Sorry Gail – I can see the comment to the pregnant woman being part of normal office banter between friends (though not when the person doing it has so much power over the others), but not calling someone a bitch and saying they look like a whore, not to mention the kick.
I cannot imagine the editor of my paper, say, trying to kick my shoe off as a joke. That’s just bizarre behavior for someone in a position of authority.