Suspended Police
Received Unemployment Benefits
May 10, 2012
By Seth Daniel
Two police officers
that were suspended – one that was facing federal charges from the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – were able to collect unemployment from the City
during their suspensions last year, according to City records.
The Journal has
obtained records that indicate former Officer Todd Randall – who plead guilty
last year to lying to an FBI agent – and current Officer Michael Mullen
collected unemployment payments on the taxpayer dime while facing punishment
for their misdeeds.
So far, the City has
not been able to recover those benefits paid out, but City officials indicated
that they are fighting to recover the funds.
“I understand we’re
in the process of trying to recover the unemployment funds expended on Officers
Mullen and Randall,” said City Solicitor Paul Capizzi. “At the time they filed
we were required to pay it, despite our reservations. The process requires the
city initially pay the claim, after which the city can revoke and/or collect
reimbursement.”
However, Revere
Director of Finance George Anzuoni said that it all comes down to a state
decision, and some times that decision doesn’t go the City’s way. Other times,
the claimants can’t pay even if the decision does go the City’s way.
“It happens
routinely, but we have a company that goes after them,” said Anzuoni. “The
[state unemployment board] makes the decisions and whatever they say we have to
abide by. I have gone up a couple times in the past and got them
overturned…It’s like they’re getting a double benefit. If they were released
[or disciplined], they obviously did something improper. If you did something
improper and got let go, you shouldn’t benefit.”
The FBI arrested
Randall at his home in April 2011, and while they indicated there were more
serious charges they could have pursued, they only charged him with lying to an
FBI agent. He was caught on video and audio taking a cash bribe in order to fix
a case in Chelsea District Court.
He lied to
investigators about that incident initially, but later fessed up to it when
pleading guilty in Boston’s Federal Court last September.
Randall was on unpaid
leave after being arrested and resigned from the force unexpectedly in August
2011. However, records indicate that he applied for and received unemployment
benefits between April and August while out on unpaid leave.
The City has not
recovered those funds yet, and Randall is currently incarcerated at a medium
security federal prison in Butner, NC.
Mullen, unbelievably,
is still employed with the Revere Police.
Last October, he was
caught up in a long-term investigation by the Channel 4 I-Team that showed him
routinely going home during his working hours over a period of several months.
He apparently spent many hours at his North Revere home while he was supposed
to be on patrol and, according to the TV report, routinely put off responding
to incidents while sitting at home.
After the report, he
was immediately suspended for the maximum of five days by former Chief Terence
Reardon and put on unpaid leave pending a termination hearing.
During that time of
unpaid leave, records show that he put in for and received unemployment
benefits from the City.
The termination
hearing finally did happen, and incredibly enough, Mullen was restored to the
force.
He currently works
the night shift on the RPD, and the claims paid to him by the City have not
been recovered yet. Anzuoni said that unemployment claims are much more
damaging to the City than to a private business.
That’s because the
City is on a direct pay system, rather than a Trust Fund/insurance system – as
many businesses are on.
Instead of just
paying a portion of an unemployment claim, the City is responsible for the full
cost of the claim. The down economy and increased layoffs in City government
have led to several legitimate unemployment claims that have taken a toll on
the City’s unemployment budget.
That, officials said,
is why such claims by Randall and Mullen do hurt the City more than one might
expect.
“We’re a direct payer
and so that makes it hurt,” said Anzuoni. “It croaks us these days. It does
hurt and maybe they do need some reforms.”
Due to privacy laws
surrounding unemployment, the exact amount paid to the officers most likely
could not be divulged.