Selectman: Entire Investigation 'Stinks to High Heaven'

A Salem selectman cleared of interrogating an on-duty, uniformed firefighter in Market Basket is questioning why he was even investigated now that new details have surfaced indicating that the firefighter never felt interrogated or verbally assaulted.

Above is a copy of the firefighter's written statement to Town Manager Keith Hickey, a statement which was shared on Dec. 5 before local union officials and others spoke out against Campbell's actions during what they described was a heated conversation with the firefighter.

The statement was recently shared with the Salem Board of Selectmen and recently became public record, and Campbell said he was shocked to read that the firefighter — whose name has been redacted from the document at the request of Patch so the document could be printed — states "I did not in any way shape or form feel harassed, threatened or interrogated by any one at the store."

The firefighter also writes in the statement that he was "only mentioning my shopping experience as a conversation" while having coffee with two commanding officers at the station.

Campbell said it's "very interesting reading" because he said it shows the "investigation" into his behavior was unwarranted.

"This whole thing stinks to high heaven," said Campbell in an e-mail to Patch. "The complaint is not really a complaint and they launched an investigation without the complaint being in writing and yet a union can accuse me of harassing a firefighter when in his written complaint it says I did not harass him."

The conversation in question occurred on the morning Nov. 17, although Market Basket video surveillance has conclusively shown Campbell never spoke with the firefighter that morning.

The written statement is the only written testimony submitted by the firefighter, and it was submitted at the request of Assistant Fire Chief Paul Parisi. Hickey said the contents of the letter haven't been revised or altered since it was submitted, although he said that it does appear that the written account of what happened "was different from what [the firefighter] had recounted had occurred at Market Basket after returning" to the fire station. 

"I can only speculate as to why his written testimony was not as definitive as his oral accounting a week or so prior to that," said Hickey. "Where the term 'interrogation' came from specifically and where it started, I don’t have an answer."

Hickey denied the fact that Campbell was under "investigation" for the incident; rather, Hickey said he diligently looked into the validity of the possible verbal altercation after it came to his attention.

Those efforts have been concluded, and Hickey has said additional research into the matter and appropriate reactionary or disciplinary measures won't be taken unless new information comes to light.

The first time the word "interrogation" appeared in written form in regard to the conversation between the firefighter and a man inside Market Basket came in a letter from the Salem Public Administrators Association.

The 1 1/2 page letter outlined several issues the union has had with Campbell and behavior the union feels is "abhorrent," a small portion of which referred to the Market Basket incident.

Hickey said that letter was written by the union and submitted to him by SPAA President Shawn Patten after Patten "had conversations with the assistant fire chief and the fire union president and the lieutenant on duty the day the incident occurred."

"[Patten] relied on information he received from members of the fire department in writing that letter," said Hickey, who said he didn't know if the word "interrogation" was first used in a conversation by the firefighter or if it first appeared in the union's letter.

Regardless of the first time the word was used, Hickey said it's "an unfortunate situation," but a situation he feels "has been put to bed." It's "not giving Salem a positive image" across the state, and Hickey said he hopes the town, its officials and its residents can now put it behind them.

"It would be nice to learn from what occurred and to move on," he said.