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Rutland officer's selfie at O'Connor's showed 'no apparent malicious intent'

Brad Petrishen
brad.petrishen@telegram.com

RUTLAND - Police Chief Nicholas A. Monaco Thursday released an internal affairs report in which he concluded there was “no apparent malicious intent” in a Facebook selfie a sergeant posted in front of O’Connor's Restaurant & Bar in Worcester – where a woman was stabbed to death last week – but said the post did violate the department’s social media policy.

The report did not state whether the sergeant, Troy J. Chauvin, would be disciplined.

Town Administrator Michael J. Nicholson said Thursday afternoon that any disciplinary actions are still being discussed between the police chief and his office. After that process is finalized, he said, the town will review state law to determine "how and if" any information about discipline can be released.

The investigation was opened after multiple family members of victim Amanda Dabrowksi, including her sister, aunt and cousin, said they were deeply offended by the photo, which was taken Saturday night.

“I used to work with Troy and this behavior does not surprise me in the least,” wrote her aunt, Ellen Ethier, who said that she is an ER nurse at UMass. This aunt's name has been corrected.

“I’m absolutely appalled and disgusted,” Vicki Dabrowksi, Ms. Dabrowski’s sister, wrote, adding, “This thing does NOT deserve a job.”

Sgt. Chauvin, in an email to his chief, stated that he originally tried to “speech to text” a message on the photo showing that he was comparing the restaurant’s façade to the façade of a bar called “O’Chauvins” he has modeled after O’Connor’s in his basement. The text function did not work, he wrote, so the photo was posted to his private account without a caption.

He denied any ill intent, and wrote that the episode was “drama” created by a former co-worker of his who saw the post, who he identified as Denise Wilson.

Denise LaBaire, whose maiden name was Wilson, told the Telegram & Gazette Monday that she saw Sgt. Chauvin post the words “never” and ‘lol” after being asked under the Facebook post whether the selfie was posted too soon after the slaying.

The Facebook post was deleted before screenshots could be taken of the comments, family members have said. Chief Monaco said he could not find any screenshots of the comments.

Sgt. Chauvin did not address the allegation about the insensitive comment in his email, and Chief Monaco did not write in his report whether he asked Sgt. Chauvin directly about it.

Chief Monaco did reference the allegation in his conclusion. It was not clear from what he wrote if he believed it was true.

Chief Monaco wrote in an email he could not comment beyond the report because it involves a personnel matter. Mr. Nicholson, citing a policy he said the the town has of not commenting on personnel matters, said he couldn't comment on the details of the chief's investigation.  

Chief Monaco’s conclusion reads, in part: “Taking into account that this post was made on Sgt. Chauvin’s personal social media account, while off-duty, and with no apparent malicious intent, he should still be aware that a photo such as this could be interpreted as insensitive and offensive under the circumstances.

“His alleged response of 'No, lolol” to the “Too Soon?' comment is clearly insensitive and inappropriate. As a seasoned police sergeant, Chauvin should be well aware that anything posted on his personal social media account can easily become public and can reflect poorly upon himself and the department.”

Chief Monaco said he questioned his sergeant in person about the matter, and that Sgt. Chauvin “insisted that he did not post the photo with the intention of making light” of a homicide.

Aside from allegedly posting the photo in reference to his home bar, Sgt. Chauvin “also explained that the face he was making in the photo is the same face he has made in several photos that are posted on his social media.”

Informed of some of Chief Monaco’s findings Thursday morning, Erin Ethier said she was “disheartened to know that someone who is supposed to serve and protect us can potentially get away with such disgusting behavior.”

It appeared Thursday that Sgt. Chauvin's Facebook page had been deleted or deactivated, as a link to it no longer works.

Chief Monaco said Thursday that he passed along a request for comment to Sgt. Chauvin, who declined to comment.