The Board of Police Commissioners had a few questions for Police Chief Michael Metzler Thursday. Outside of executive session though, Metzler didn’t have much to say in response.
The board wanted to question Metzler about a tallied 413 hours of compensatory time (comp time) he submitted to the commissioners. The hours have been carried over and accrued since 2006.
One such entry, for Sept. 12, 2006, is recorded as “Derby” and claims 12 hours of comp time earned. While the description is vague, the board was further perplexed by a claim that the chief took eight hours off on the same day.
Also questioned was a claim of three hours on Nov. 26, 2006 marked as “Board of Finance.” Board members were not immediately aware of any Board of Finance activity the police chief would be involved in on a Sunday.
Metzler called the board’s attempt to question him publicly on the hours an illegal discussion of his performance. He refused to respond to any question on the matter outside of executive session.
However, there was no executive session attached to the monthly meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners.
Commissioner Frank Conroy questioned if Metzler expected to save the comp time until he retired, then file a claim for any unpaid comp time.
Conroy estimated the accrued time at more than $23,000. Though Metzler refused to respond to the claim publicly, Conroy felt pretty certain of the chief’s intent.
“He expects to be paid,” Conroy said.
Conroy said he is willing to let Metzler take 10 weeks off, but has no intention of letting Metzler make a financial claim.
This isn’t the first time the comp time issue has come up, according to Conroy.
Conroy was elected to the board in November, but has served on it previously.
The chief put in for nearly 400 hours of comp time during Conroy’s last turn on the commission, Conroy said. In the past, the board allowed the chief to take the time off instead of offering financial compensation, Conroy said.
“You would think he would have learned,” Conroy said. “Maybe he didn’t think I’d be back.”
Part of the problem seems to be the lack of a policy governing the acquisition and compensation of comp time for town employees.
The commissioners were unaware of any actual policy.
First Selectman Paul Roy said he was investigating the matter.
“I want to study this comp time,” Roy said. “I’m not sure how it came about and how it used.”
The First Selectman said he was planning on establishing a committee to examine the issue.
Police commission member James Simpson called any request for comp time by a salaried employee unjustified.
He said there are certain expectations for salaried employees, including the possibility of extra work hours.
Compensation is predetermined and not based on any hourly rate, Simpson said.
“The bottom line is, I don’t want to pay for it,” said Simpson.
Metzler declined to comment on the compensation issue or any of the questions on the submitted dates and times.
