A February date has been set for a disciplinary hearing for a suspended Oneonta police officer who allegedly drank alcohol and had sex while on duty.
Mayor John Nader said he learned Tuesday that the hearing will be Feb. 23 at City Hall.
Officer Daniel Fetterman is among three officers implicated in what city officials have deemed “conduct unbecoming an officer” and misuse of city property.
A document obtained by The Daily Star outlines the disciplinary charges Fetterman faces and shows he was allegedly involved in a series of encounters with women while on duty from July to September that included sex, drinking, giving rides in a police car and allowing one of the women to drive a police car while intoxicated. The women were not identified.
City officials, including Nader and Personnel Director Kathy Wolverton, have not named Fetterman as the officer who is the subject of the hearing or released any details of the allegations. The officials cited civil-service law and union contracts.
However, sources and documents obtained by The Daily Star indicate Fetterman, a seven-year veteran of the department, is the suspended officer. City officials have said they seek to terminate the officer’s employment.
Two officers, Sgt. Andrew Barber and Joseph Stockdale, resigned Oct. 5, and their names were released by city officials.
The allegations came to the attention of Police Chief Joseph Redmond and Lt. Dennis Nayor on Sept. 29 through an internal source, city officials previously said.
Fetterman, who opted not to resign, was initially suspended without pay when he was served with disciplinary charges by the city Oct. 15. He is now suspended with pay after that initial 30-day period lapsed without a hearing.
Fetterman’s attorney, E.W. Garo Gozigian, declined to comment Tuesday.
On Oct. 22, Gozigian submitted a written response to the city to the disciplinary charges. The response indicates that Fetterman denies each of the eight allegations against him.
No criminal charges have been filed.
Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl has reviewed the police department’s internal investigation for evidence of criminal activity and said he found nothing to merit the arrest of any of the three officers. Because Muehl has a working relationship with OPD, he forwarded the investigation to Delaware County District Attorney Richard Northrup for an outside review.
That review is still pending but is expected to be completed soon, Nader said.
Muehl has said he does not believe any other officers were involved, and the investigation by the police department and city officials was thorough and exhaustive.
Records from SeeThroughNY show Fetterman made $50,932 between April 1, 2008, and March 21, 2009, which indicate a weekly average salary of $979.46.
At that rate, Fetterman will be paid nearly $4,000 by the time the hearing is held, without having to work a day.
SeeThroughNY is a website sponsored by the Empire Center for Public Policy.
Actual salary records for Fetterman were unavailable from the city Personnel Department on Tuesday.
Nader said the city, which is being represented by the Albany law firm Roemer, Wallens & Mineaux, has been prepared for the hearing since the charges were first levied and is eager to see the matter resolved.
But Nader said scheduling conflicts on the part of the independent arbitrator hired by the city in October have led to the delay. The arbitrator, Peter Prosper of Clifton Park, was contracted by the Common Council to preside over the hearing.