Gloucester Police Chief Fired Among Allegations of Misconduct: Update

Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello, who spearheaded the Angel Program to combat the city's opioid abuse, was notified Monday that the city is in the process of terminating his contract.

Campanello was placed on administrative leave last month after "disturbing allegations" involving "certain aspects of his relationships with women" came to light, according to a statement from Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken's office. No further details on the allegations were available.

Campanello tweeted his thanks to the city after the press conference.

After the city launched an investigation into the accusations, it appeared Campanello was misleading investigators, the mayor's statement reads. His city-issued cell phone, which possibly contained information on the allegations, went missing. Campanello told city officials he had left it in his locked office at the police station, but it was not there when they went to retrieve it.

Terrence Kennedy, Campanello's attorney, told officials that the phone and other items — a key and security fob — were mailed to his Everett office with a return address of the Gloucester Police Department. All communication on the phone had been erased.

Campanello originally suggested to investigators that someone else in the department sent the phone, but an investigation by the Essex County District Attorney's Office revealed that Campanello had mailed the phone from the Everett Post Office, according to the statement.

"The Mayor has lost confidence in Chief Campanello as a result of his actions, in destroying evidence contained on the cell phone and especially in deceiving the city by suggesting that employees of the Gloucester Police Department had broken into his office," said the news release.

A statement from Kennedy's office calls the investigation a "fishing expedition" and "witch hunt," and says Campanello fully intends to hold the city to its contractual obligation.

"This investigation has been a witch hunt from the beginning and the reasons given by the city for terminating the contract had nothing to do with the original inquiry they were conducting," said Kennedy's statement, which also alleges the city violated Campanello's contract.

Theken's aide, Christopher Sicuaranza, said there would be no further comments from the mayor's office when asked about the nature of the allegations.

Campanello will have the opportunity to present evidence at a future hearing, to be scheduled. John McCarthy will continue to serve as acting police chief.

Media tweets from the news conference Monday afternoon:

mayor says the angel program will continue
— Sean Horgan (@SeanGDT) October 3, 2016

Photo courtesy of Gloucester Police Department