Plainfield Township, a participant in the planned Slate Belt Regional Police Department, has had numerous problems with its own police force, especially Chief Dean Ceraul. At a meeting on December 11, 2013, Supervisors in Plainfield Township voted 5-0 to fire him for "neglect and violation of his legal duties."
Chief Ceraul sought an arbitration. I learned this morning that an arbitrator reinstated Chief Ceraul late last year. Executive Sec'y Joyce Lambert directed me to the township's labor lawyer, and he has condirmed exzactly what has happened.
Attorney Neil Morris of the Offit Kurman law firm confirmed today that late last year, an arbitrator did order Chief Ceraul reinstated on the basis that Township Supervisors had no just cause to fire him. He was awarded back pay, minus whatever he was able to earn from his private business.
Ceraul and the Township have a contract under which he could be fired without just cause, though the Township then would have to pay him one year's salary as liquidated damages. The Township had urged the arbitrator to affirm the firing and just award one year's worth of liquidated damages, but he declined, noting that he was mediating a "for cause" termination.
As a result of the decision, Supervisors voted at their January 14 meeting to fire Ceraul again, except this time it is on nondisciplinary grounds. Thus, the Township owes Chief Ceral one year's worh of salary and all back pay, minus whatever he earned.
Updated 2:35 pm
11 comments:
You are correct Bernie. This now becomes a very messy situation as far as the regional police force for the three slate Belt communities are concerned. Unfortunate circumstances arise..
Oh my God, this joker is back. He wasn't qualified in the first place and pretty much everyone was happy he was gone. This is like taking 10 steps backwards. Ha - good luck to the SBRP force - they'll need it.
He was ordered to be reinstated as chief of the Plainfield PD. The chief of the Slate Belt Regional PD should say "sorry, we have no place for you on the SBRPD."
Clear as mud but at least they are rid of him..for a price.
Gotta agree with 1:50, this should be a non-issue....
Thanks for the update Bernie! Good reporting.
Word is Plainfield residents were not given any details of Cerual's departure, and in the January board meeting were told the matter could not be discussed.
They deserve to know how much it cost to jettison Ceraul. BOH breaks another news story.
Bernie, good job reporting, apparently the arbitrator showed no cause for dismissal, thus, returned him. The arbitrator's job is not to enforce his personal contract, but the reasons for the dismissal. Shame on the township and the legal entity representing them. I'm sure there will be many more costs and battles for this. What a waste of taxpayer's money!
Dean Ceraul fired from the same job twice - lol
He has been nothing but a loser since the day he was handed a badge. He should have never been a chief let alone a patrolman. Ask any cop whop knows this guy and they just roll thier eyes....Was a screw up then and a screw up as Chief..... Dean your just a loser!
I hear PT has called Chief Cupcake asking if he was interested in the Chief position. Trachta kindly declined saying it was to close to his home. He did however recommend Patrolman Daniel Troxell for the job.
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