By PAUL FEELY
New Hampshire Union Leader
October 17. 2018 9:41AM
MANCHESTER — Members of an aldermanic committee ordered police officials to work with city staff to draft a policy governing the granting of ‘Chief Days,’ after an internal audit released last week reports the controversial practice resulted in more than a year’s worth of extra time off being rewarded to city police officers since 2009
The report, compiled by city auditor Kevin Buckley, found the practice, which began in the early 1990s under former police chief Louie Craig, expanded “without authorization” by department officials, and accelerated under former police chief Nick Willard, now the U.S. marshal for New Hampshire.
That expansion resulted in Chief Days being granted for everything from not using sick time to attending a funeral of a fellow officer, as well as participating in the annual Footrace for the Fallen road race.
“Some of these, I wasn’t even aware they were being given out for,” said Police Chief Carlo Capano. “Some I don’t agree with. But having that discretion to give a Chief Day for service above and beyond is something we’d certainly like to keep.”
The audit found former…
