Hooksett board accepts police chief's sudden resignation

By CORY FRANCER
Union Leader Correspondent

Published Feb 4, 2012 at 3:00 am (Updated Feb 3, 2012)

HOOKSETT — The town’s police chief resigned Thursday after years of controversy. The resignation of Stephen Agrafiotis comes at the end of a lengthy paid administrative leave and after an audit that revealed significant turmoil within the police department.

Police Commissioner Clark Karolian confirmed that the commission accepted Agrafiotis’ resignation during its Thursday night meeting. Karolian said Capt. Jon Daigle, who took over as acting chief on Sept. 22, would continue to serve as chief. Karolian did not offer any further details on how the department would fill the position and he would not discuss the resignation further.

“Chief Agrafiotis was a long-time employee of the Hooksett Police Department. The Commission respects his decision to resign at this time, and wishes him the best in the future,” the commission announced Friday in a short press release.

Agrafiotis did not return a call for comment.

Neither Police Commission chairman Joanne McHugh nor Karolian returned calls requesting information regarding whether Agrafiotis was provided a severance package. Town Administrator Dean Shankle said that the former chief’s weekly salary was $2,032.80, which he continued to receive while on leave. That amount would equate to about $36,000 of pay since Daigle took over as acting chief.

Agrafiotis had been placed on leave previously in 2005 during a labor relations-related investigation. The results of that investigation were never made available. He was also at the center of controversy during the 2009 firing of school resource officer Jay Defina. After the town rallied in support of Defina, he was given his job back in September 2010. In 2005, Defina was one of a group of officers who signed a letter of no confidence against Agrafiotis. Defina, along with former Hooksett officer Gregory Martakos, have filed lawsuits against the town and the former chief.

The resignation comes as the police commission and department are working toward improving the department. Public Safety Strategies Group of West Townsend, Mass., which performed the department’s audit, presented its findings in November detailing what needs improvement. The group cited a lack of communication between the chief and department, which led to widespread distrust throughout the ranks.

The audit group has been hired for another year to help the department implement the recommendations. Kym Craven, Public Safety Strategies Group’s director, said the group will continue to help the commission and department and will continue its monthly reports on the progress made.

“We are continuing our service to the town and the commission,” Craven said. “We will provide an update every month on what is going on.”

The press release states that Agrafiotis submitted his resignation Jan. 31.

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Robt Feldman said:

Hooksett is one of the most screwed up towns. It's a revolving door when it comes to town officials. They are forever attacking each other. Very much like the Town of Weare.
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Mike Redding said:

Hooksett is badly managed. I feel sorry for its citizens. The State should look into the affairs of Hooksett and the FBI should look into the police department.
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stuart urie said:

This is very much a victory for police officer Jay Defina......Whose charges/accusations made against him by Chief Agrafiotis were obviously ** and very personnal from the beginning.Defina's courage in his own convictions and unwillingness to buckle under pressure from the Just-Us system (ask me how I know) have made this come about.Good show. Unfortunately..the rest of us mere civilians only get a closed NH state rubber-stamped grand jury hearing....in which we are not present for the hearing of the "facts" of our alleged cases.http://www.wmur.com/news/25203477/detail.html
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Dawn Jordan said:

Good Riddance to what had to be the worst police chief any town in NH has ever had. It is unfortunate that the spiteful harm he has caused to so many employees under his charge can never be rectified.Year after year of experienced officers jumping ship to work ANYWHERE but there and losing pay and seniority in the process.
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Dave Pearl said:

Hooksett is not a Screwed up place. This shows that Hooksett will not put up with this. It was the State RSA's that were protecting the Chief. The people in Hooksett did not give up and now Agrafiotis is gone.That is not screwed up.
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kevin croteau said:

Hooksett is the worst when it comes to the people that run the town I have ever seen. They are crooked and liers and maybe thief's, that has yet to be proven. Bad from Town Managers down to public works dpt. They are always in the head lines for something wrong. I remember Ken Andrews used to make things up to get back at people.
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Priscilla Giguere said:

"Karolian did not offer any further details on how the department would fill the position and he would not discuss the resignation further.""Neither Police Commission chairman Joanne McHugh nor Karolian returned calls requesting information regarding whether Agrafiotis was provided a severance package."Mr. Karolian & Ms. McHugh, a question or two if I might. It is the citizens of Hooksett whom Mr. Stephen Agrafiotis was sworn to "serve & protect", correct? And is it also accurate to say that those same citizens paid his salary? And is it true that these same citizens pay the salary of you two as well and that YOU (two) are also EMPLOYEES of these same good citizens? If all of this be accurate, then why won't you disclose the details to your EMPLOYERS? Afraid they will be upset or demand to know more? Frankly they have the RIGHT to demand to know all don't you think? Perhaps YOU (two) should resign as well: along with any other EMPLOYEE who refuses to be truthful. Or have you (conveniently) forgot who your employers are? In the private sector you would have been fired by now.And shame on you Union Leader for not insisting on answers to such questions. The public has the right to know the truth. All of it. So much for the "Leader" in your name.
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Bob Hebert said:

I always thought Manchester was screwed up with the police chief there, but Hooksett's chief is clearly worse.
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J. E. Ginger Ferrer said:

The beat just continues to go on. The worn out and weakened do as I say and not as I do seems to have a long history in parts of NH. most assuredly in Manchester, NH.When a wrong doing is perceived, how and why does it take so long to investigate and resolve?How if an individual is found guilty beyond a shadow of proven doubt does he/she get to keep their pension or paid leave salary once they have been found guilty. Personal feelings for an individual have no place if the rule of law has been violated. Cronyism is crippling this country. Same ole, same ole.
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roy lain said:

Why not fire the dude save all the wasted administrative leave money paid to him and appoint a new chief like private industry would probably do.
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Liza Deen said:

UL .. please do a followup on his pension, severance package. My guess, this is costing the taxpayers a bundle of money.
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Dawn Jordan said:

We can pout and bemoan the fact that he will recieve a decent pension and possible severance package. He has earned it. It is a shame that he can now call himself retired rather than fired. Cowards let this behaviour go on unchecked.
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Dale St Laurent said:

Liza Dean = his pension will cost the taxpayers nothing. His severance, if he gets one, will cost Hooksett taxpayers.
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Ross Marple said:

Hooksett has been a little "Peyton Place" my entire life. I grew up there so to me.....groan.....yawn...what else is new. My feeling on this particular issue is probably (as in most cases) the truth lies somewhere in the unreported middle. The reported issue is "lack of people skills", "too tough on his employee's" pretty subjective things IMO. And there is just as much conjecture about the"labor side" on this labor/management issue. It just hasn't been published on the pages of the U.L.
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Hooksett board accepts police chief's sudden resignation

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