SALISBURY — Former police Chief David L'Esperance, who retired in January amid accusations of criminal wrongdoing, is seeking a nearly $69,000 annual pension from the Essex Regional Retirement System.
Selectman Don Beaulieu, who served as chairman of the board during the investigation into L'Esperance, said the town knew the former chief had submitted his retirement paperwork to apply for his pension. The Associated Press reported that he is looking to claim an annual $68,957 pension.
"It's my understanding that the Essex County Retirement Board has re-scheduled a hearing on this for some date in the future," Beaulieu said yesterday. "I don't know when that is."
In addition, Salisbury in March paid L'Esperance almost $44,700 in unused sick/vacation leave, as required by state law. When L'Esperance left the department, he had built up 65 unused sick days, 13.96 hours of unused vacation hours, one personal day and two holidays that the town had to compensate him for under law.
Selectman Fred Knowles acknowledged many residents are upset that the ex-chief appears to be getting rewarded for his alleged behavior.
Retirees' pensions are computed on a sliding scale based on age and years of service. Essex Regional Retirement System executive director Chuck Kostro said yesterday that in general, police personnel are listed in group four of the system's employees. In group four, to qualify for the maximum pension, police personnel must be 55 years old and have 32 years of service. The maximum pension any person can receive is 80 percent of his or her salary.
Salisbury Town Manager Neil Harrington said that when L'Esperance's left his salary, which included a Quinn Bill supplement, was about $130,000 a year, or $63.15 per hour.
L'Esperance, 51, had at least 24 years of service — four years in Salisbury preceded by 20 years on the West Newbury police force — when he retired.
A lawyer with a degree from Massachusetts School of Law, L'Esperance passed the bar in 2003 and holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Springfield College. He has recently begun to practice law again and has a law office in Lynn.
Kostro said that according to Section 15, Chapter 32, of state law, there are reasons why a member of the ERRS could be denied a pension.
"A person could lose his or her pension if convicted of a crime related to dereliction of duty or convicted of a crime of moral turpitude," Kostro said. "If a person lost his or her pension, the person would be refunded the money he or she contributed into the system without interest. That's state law."
Kostro said hearings on pension applications are not standard procedure, but the retirement system board must vote to approve pensions before they are received.
L'Esperance was relieved of duty and placed on paid administrative leave on Dec. 6 by Harrington after allegations were made against the former chief by women facing criminal charges who claimed he had traded money and drugs for sex.
On Jan. 18, the day he was supposed to be interviewed for an internal review of his tenure as chief, conducted for the town by former Salem police chief Robert St. Pierre, L'Esperance retired, effectively resigning as Salisbury's police chief.
St. Pierre's report, released Jan. 28, concluded L'Esperance had "undermined the public trust" and "discredited himself and the police service." Harrington forwarded St. Pierre's report to a number of agencies, including the Essex county district attorney and the FBI, for review and possible action. As of today, no criminal charges have been brought against L'Esperance.
In February, St. Pierre was re-hired to further investigate allegations of L'Esperance's mismanagement of the department as chief, with a second report on that ongoing review due out by the end of June, Harrington said recently.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
