Saturday, October 18, 2008 6:10 AM EDT
By Amanda Pinto, Register Staff
MADISON — Acting Police Chief Robert Nolan and his wife usually travel to Florida the first week of October to spend the next six or seven months in the sun.
Nolan and town officials had thought, when he began his duties May 1, that investigations into the troubled Police Department would be over by the time the leaves turned in the fall.
But that hasn’t happened, and neither has Nolan’s trip to Florida for the winter.
“I think initially everyone hoped that we would move faster, but there was no set time,” Nolan, who is retired, said of his temporary position.
He said he has not set a date for his departure because he is still needed in the Madison department.
“If at all possible, I hope to stay until they get everything back in alignment,” Nolan said.
It is difficult to say when that time will be, officials said this week, because all internal investigations into the Police Department have been taken over by the state police.
The department has received no timetable on when those investigations will conclude, Nolan said.
Ten full-time cops have resigned, retired or been fired since a series of scandals began to surface in the department two years ago. Five have faced administrative or criminal charges.
The force, authorized for of 25 officers, is down to 18.
Nolan, who is being paid $2,300 weekly, according to First Selectman Al Goldberg, took over when Chief Paul Jakubson was put on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation into his conduct.
Jakubson has since submitted a proposal requesting enhancements to his retirement package. That has been tabled until the investigation has concluded.
Madison cannot begin looking for a new chief until the situation with Jakubson is resolved, officials said.
Jakubson does not currently face any charges.
Board of Police Commissioners Chairman Emile Geisenheimer said the commission was very happy with Nolan’s service.
“If we can keep him until we don’t need him, that would be a wonderful outcome. But, I understand he wants to escape the snow, so it’s not something that has been resolved,” Geisenheimer said.
Asked what the commission would do if there was a gap between Nolan’s departure and a new chief’s takeover — whether they would promote an acting chief internally, hire one from an outside department or use state police resources — Geisenheimer declined to comment, saying he had not yet discussed the issue with the board.
“We hope we can keep (Nolan) until we no longer need him. I’m hopeful the need won’t arise,” he said.
Amanda Pinto can be reached at apinto@nhregister.com or 789-5734.
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