"In a mutual agreement between the city of Utica and Utica Police Chief C. Allen Pylman, after 37 years of service to our community he wishes to retire," Roefaro said.
Pylman became police chief in 2001 after serving with state police for a number of years. Pylman had a contract with the city and he will receive more than $249,000 in a payout. After taxes that figure will be about $180,000.
WKTV has a few more details:
Mayor David Roefaro has appointed current Public Safety Commissioner, Daniel LaBella, as acting Police Chief until further notice. Roefaro says LaBella will act in dual capacity as Public Safety Commissioner and Police Chief for the time being.
Roefaro also addressed the rumor, stating that it is true, that he is petitioning the state of New York to make the Police Chief position a non-civil service position. This means that a civil service examination would not have to be taken or passed in order for someone to take the Chief position on a regular basis.
So Pylman gets a $250,000 payout and the city of Utica now has a police chief that, allegedly, couldn't even pass the exam for Sergeant. Oh, and Mayor Roefaro is doing everything in his power to remove even the basic civil service qualifications required for the post, presumably so someone unable to meet them can take over the position permanently.
It would appear the Roefaro "Friends and Family" employment plan is setting it's sights pretty high.
Update: That was fast. An anonymous emailer claims that all the paperwork surrounding the Pylman "investigation" has already vanished. That sounds a little iffy to me, since I think multiple copies have already been made, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were fenced off for "privacy" reasons.
Update: Here's the alleged narrative- "It's all Julian's fault!" It's already been arranged that the other high-scorers on the Chief's test will be leaving the department with hefty payouts of their own. That's going to be a major chunk of change, so Mayor Roefaro, purely for reasons of fiscal responsibility, will have LaBella take over "until the financial crisis is resolved".
Update: From the November 8, 2007 Observer-Dispatch:
Mayor-elect David Roefaro won't consider buying Utica police Chief C. Allen Pylman out of his 18-year contract, he said Wednesday.
Whoops!
Update: A kind emailer points out that Dan LaBella isn't actually the interim police Chief. During an interview on WKTV Mr. LaBella stated, in his inimitable speaking style, that he'll be the "intrum chiff for dose guys".
