GALVESTON — The police department’s fleet service manager has been suspended without pay for giving former Councilman Tarris Woods’ District 1 address as his own before speaking at a city council meeting last month.
Former patrol officer and union president John Bertolino was suspended for three days last week after Woods lodged a complaint that the city employee had falsified a government document by using his East End address.
The government document in question was a registration form used by city hall to identify people wishing to speak during the public comment section of city council meetings.
During a meeting last month, Bertolino was one of many who pleaded with council members not to lay off police officers and firefighters in order to meet City Manager Steve LeBlanc’s proposed 2010-11 budget.
During his address, the 24-year police department veteran referred to the budget as "smoke and mirrors."
It was an unusually harsh public criticism of his ultimate boss by a civilian member of the city hall staff, but it was what he wrote rather than what he said that brought his disciplinary action.
He put Woods’ address on the form instead of his own.
Using that information, Mayor Joe Jaworski wrote a few days later to thank Bertolino for his contribution to the meeting, as he does for everyone who speaks before the city council.
Woods said Friday he opened the letter when it arrived at his address and reacted angrily, recalling that Bertolino had been vociferous in opposing his support for the creation of the city’s civilian police review board in 2008.
He took the letter to city hall and filed a complaint, leading to an investigation of the matter by Police Chief Charles Wiley.
"Mr. Bertolino probably intended the reference as a joke, but the fact is that it was a falsification of a government document, which I had to deal with," Wiley said Monday.
"We consulted the district attorney’s office about it and also talked to the Houston postal inspector about Mr. Woods’ action in opening mail addressed to someone else.
"Both authorities said the men’s actions were illegal but there was little they could do about it."
"I can’t do anything about Mr. Woods’ actions, but I can’t have a police department employee breaking the law, so I sent Mr. Bertolino home for three days."
Wiley said he had interviewed Bertolino on his return to work Monday morning.
"I’m not sure he agrees with my decision, but he has a good attitude about it," he said.
Attempts to reach Bertolino late Monday were unsuccessful.
Woods, meanwhile, said Friday he had yet to receive a letter from city hall about Bertolino’s suspension.
"There’s a report in Police News that says he was disciplined for speaking out, but I’ve been assured verbally it was because of my complaint. I’d like to read it officially, though," he said.
Wiley and LeBlanc both confirmed the suspension was due to Woods’ complaint and not because of Bertolino’s remarks at the city council meeting.
"Nobody questions his right to speak," Wiley said. "Employees do that all the time."
LeBlanc said: "I have no problem with employees being critical, as long as they’re truthful."
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