# Kingston officer fired for leaving work



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*Cop has been disciplined before*

_By KAREN GOULART
The Patriot Ledger_
KINGSTON - A police officer with a record of being late and skipping work has lost his job for going home to Wareham while he was on duty.

Selectmen fired Robert Santos last night on the recommendation of an independent hearing officer who upheld nine of 10 disciplinary charges against him.

Hearing officer Paul Hodnett determined that Santos left town during his overnight shift on Aug. 11, used an unmarked police cruiser without permission and failed to stay in radio contact.

Santos, who was the shift supervisor, was not available to respond to a resident's call.

Hodnett said the only allegation the town could not prove was that Santos went home to sleep.

After reading Hodnett's recommendation, Selectman Mark Beaton said the case involves litigation. The vote was unanimous and there was no discussion.

''This is holding an individual accountable for leaving his post and failing to back up his fellow officers,'' Police Chief Joseph Rebello said.

Santos has been a Kingston police officer since 1995. He made $91,751 last year in base pay and overtime.

Santos has been disciplined several times in the past. A closed hearing was held Oct. 4 to hear the latest charges against him.

According to testimony, Santos left the police station at about 1 a.m. on Aug. 11 and made a traffic stop on Elm Street at 1:10 a.m.

At about 4:30 a.m. dispatcher Patricia Bernard tried to reach Santos to send him on a call. He could not be reached by radio, cell phone or pager. The two other officers on duty, John Lind and Michael LaNatra, were tied up.

Lind eventually responded to the call and tried to reach Santos. He was later joined by LaNatra. When the two returned to the station LaNatra tried to contact Santos on the radio. When there was no response both officers went out to look for Santos in vain.

Officer Daniel Fowler of the sheriff's department was contacted and went to Santos' home. Santos answered the door in uniform pants, a T-shirt and no duty belt.

In a statement, Santos said he had returned home that morning to retrieve his gun and did not call in to say he was leaving town because he told Bernard he could be reached on his cell phone.

Since 1996, Santos has been reprimanded several times for being late or not reporting for duty. Punishments ranged from verbal warnings to a reduction in rank.

In 2002 he was the subject of an internal investigation for abuse of sick time while working at a second job. He was suspended without pay for five days.

The reduction in rank from acting sergeant and 40 hours of punishment duty were the result of a felony criminal complaint for larceny against him in 1998.

In his recommendation, Hodnett said Santos' explanation of his absence was not credible. He said there was no evidence that Santos was treated unfairly.

''Kingston has proved its case against Santos,'' Hodnett wrote. ''The seriousness of the allegations, combined with the progressive discipline previously imposed on Santos, warrant termination of his position of police officer with the Kingston Police Department.''

Santos may appeal the decision.

Copyright 2006 The Patriot Ledger
Transmitted Wednesday, November 01, 2006


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## j809 (Jul 5, 2002)

> He made $91,751 last year in base pay and overtime.


 Every time an officer is fired,suspended, charged, reprimanded, they always bring up his salary in the article. How about we bring up someone's salary for everyone that is ever arrested, doctors, lawyers, gangsters, newspaper reporters and etc.


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## adroitcuffs (Jun 3, 2006)

I agree, an officer's salary is irrelevant to a case like this. If that's his true discipline history, he's a pure & simple bonehead.


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

oh my goodness!


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## redpara (Jun 7, 2004)

Problems since at least 1995; why did it take so long? Not being available to back-up other officers is a cardinal sin is it not? And the department placed him in a supervisory position (a couple times)?

I know, easy to critize but in this instance, give me a break!


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## Duff112 (Apr 14, 2006)

What a real flippin' nitwit. The other guys on his shift probably NEW EXACTLY WHERE HE WAS when he didn't answer dispatch. He's a disgrace....


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## PBC FL Cop (Oct 22, 2003)

Was this Kingston, MA??


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## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

Santos said he had returned home that morning to retrieve his gun 

HE FORGOT HIS GUN!!!! bullshit


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## 94c (Oct 21, 2005)

adroitcuffs said:


> I agree, an officer's salary is irrelevant to a case like this. If that's his true discipline history, he's a pure & simple bonehead.


Maybe it is relevant. After all, he is going home to sleep on the midnight shift so he can be fresh in the morning for the overtime and details.


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## sherifflittle (Apr 19, 2005)

j809 said:


> Every time an officer is fired,suspended, charged, reprimanded, they always bring up his salary in the article. How about we bring up someone's salary for everyone that is ever arrested, doctors, lawyers, gangsters, newspaper reporters and etc.


now we all know here that in the media it is very relevant how much we make...the public pays our light bills and cable bills and my sons future little league endeveors...God Bless us ..everyone


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## 4ransom (Mar 1, 2006)

Isn't at least a 1/2 hour from kingston to wareham? That is a little ridiculous, leaving your two co workers high and dry, being that far away if there is an emergency.
If he had his eyes closed in his cruiser in town, that would be one thing, at least he is close by to back up his officers. either way he obviously doesn't appreciate the job he has. good ridance.


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## NBC515 (Dec 26, 2004)

he made a mv stop at 0110 hours... with no gun on his belt? I totally understand someone who may "accidently" fall asleep in the cruiser...but to be at home with no uniform on is a different story. I hate to see police officers in general bashed by the media but IF the article is correct and there were more incidents like this one then I think he is getting what he deserved.


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## MM1799 (Sep 14, 2006)

Forget this loser. He's a disgrace and whatever other word you want to find in the dictionary. I am just thankful that the officer(s) that was working aswell (and was counting on this lazy bum to have his/her back) was not put into a situation that required his/her backup to respond immediately to defuse the threat.


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## rocksy1826 (Nov 12, 2006)

that's just disgraceful



j809 said:


> Every time an officer is fired,suspended, charged, reprimanded, they always bring up his salary in the article. How about we bring up someone's salary for everyone that is ever arrested, doctors, lawyers, gangsters, newspaper reporters and etc.


if that starts happening, i'm going to go get myself arrested. Maybe if they publish how much i actually make someone will be shamed into upping it to something i can actually live on!


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## Andy0921 (Jan 12, 2006)

Once you become a medic they make decent money, don't they?


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## rocksy1826 (Nov 12, 2006)

andy0921 said:


> Once you become a medic they make decent money, don't they?


barely

as an emt, i make 12 per hour

as a medic? you typically make about 15 an hour your first year as a medic... top out at about 21 an hour.

this is why i'm trying to get into Boston EMS's academy. EMT's make 20 starting in municipal EMS.


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