Assault probe not first for Plaistow chief

May 11—SALEM, N.H. — Plaistow police Chief Douglas Mullin, currently under investigation by the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office for an alleged assault against a subordinate officer, has been questioned for similar behavior in recent years.

According to Salem police reports, Mullin assaulted officers during a response at his home on Dec. 25, 2019. Reports say Mullin dialed 911 just before 10 p.m., after finding his 20-year-old son, Jake Mullin, dead by suicide.

Jeff Padellaro, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters 633, has provided details on behalf of the Plaistow police union regarding the most recent allegations. According to him, Mullin demanded to see an officer in his office and became irate when that person showed up with a union representative.

"The chief started screaming and tried to kick out the union rep," Padellaro said. "Because the situation was so volatile, the member said, 'I'm trying to create a little space,' and tried to back away. The chief grabbed him and tried to prevent him from leaving the office."

Several witnesses were able to separate the two, Padellaro said, but not before the officer was assaulted.

Salem police Chief Joel Dolan said Mullin was not charged at the time of the 2019 incident, but civilian administrator Brian Pattullo requested that county officials investigate his behavior, as well as Salem officers at the scene who Mullin claimed injured him.

The probe landed at the Grafton County Attorney's Office, Dolan said. Rockingham County Attorney Patricia Conway said she cited a conflict of interest and therefore did not handle the case herself.

According to Dolan, the decision to withhold criminal charges stood. The officers at the scene were also determined to have acted legally, he said.

Reports explain that Salem police responded to the Christmas Day call with limited information — dispatch operators were only able to convey that a caller was yelling an address and something about suicide.

Records show that the first to arrive was officer Arthur Harvey, who wrote in his report, "I was still unsure of what exactly was occurring at the residence and approached the house with caution," noting the unpredictability and danger associated with suicidal subjects.

He went on in his report, "In the driveway I could see a male, later identified as Douglas Mullin, pacing back and forth."

The report states that Mullin "immediately began yelling" at Harvey, including phrases like "where the (explicative) have you been" and "what the (explicative) took you so long. I have a suicide in here."

Another report, written by officer Jeffrey Czarnec, describes similar, erratic behavior.

"I observed Mullin, who appeared extremely upset and distraught," his report reads. "He was pacing back and forth and yelling unintelligibly and also yelling at Officer Harvey and myself, stating something to the effect of, you (explicative) took too long to get here; He's gone, he's already gone."

Czarnec said he watched Mullin "push Harvey with enough force to move him from where he was standing, yell at him and tell him that he did not know how to do CPR."

Both officers reported that it was clear Jake Mullin was dead, but they continued chest compressions on him until members of the Salem Fire Department arrived.

Upon the arrival of Salem firefighters, Cznarec said police turned their focus to removing Mullin from the room with his son.

Once outside, however, reports state that Mullin told officers he wanted to get back inside.

"I put my hands and arms up and advised him that he needed to stay outside, and tried to attempt to explain to him that I understood he was upset," Cznarec wrote.

He quotes Mullin as stating, "(explicative) you, I'm going inside, this is my house."

"He then proceeded to engage me and push me with a large amount of force in the center of my chest, driving me backwards and to the left into the truck that was to my left and behind me," Cznarec's report reads. "He then moved to my right side as if to try and get by me."

It is noted elsewhere in documents that Cznarec's shoulder was injured and continued to be sore the next day. He said a pre-existing injury was aggravated.

Several officers describe in their reports a struggle in which Mullin was brought to the ground in a grassy area next to the garage. He was told to calm down several times, officers say.

"He refused as he continued to push himself off of the ground and attempt to violently break free from us," Cznarec wrote. "... I put my weight on his back to keep him from pushing up off of the ground and gained control of his left arm."

The reports state that Mullin was handcuffed.

Mullin is said to have identified himself as the police chief in Plaistow, and threatened to call the Salem officers' supervisor to complain about their actions.

Sgt. Stephen Lundquist wrote in a report of his own that, "Mullin complained of shoulder pain. Due to his level of grief and complaints of physical pain, I removed the handcuffs from Mullin."

Lundquist said Mullin "complained that he was assaulted by Officers Czarnec, Carpentier and Harvey."

He complained of pain in his shoulder, wrist and face, the report states. He further complained that his handcuffs were not double locked and one of the officers drove his knee into the back of his head while they were trying to handcuff him.

According to Lundquist, Dolan and retired Salem police officer Mark Pearson — now the Plaistow town manager — showed up at the scene.

Pearson reportedly told police that he would stay with Mullin and that they would likely leave the house for the night. The two are known to be close friends.

Back in 2019, Pearson appointed Mullin to the top Plaistow police job following the retirement of the previous chief.

Mullin told The Eagle-Tribune at the time that he worked under Pearson when they were both on the force in Salem, and it was Pearson who approached him about the interim police chief job.

Mullin said he worked at the Salem Police Department for 23 years as a patrolman and then in the Detective Division, where he was in charge of the evidence room and some undercover assignments.

The union representative, Padellaro, said he is not aware of how the AG became involved in the recent case. He expressed concern only to Assistant Town Manager Greg Colby, the Human Resources Department and selectmen, he said. He did not go directly to Pearson because of his close, personal friendship with Mullin.

"I don't have confidence there would have been a transparent investigation," Padellaro said.

Pearson and Mullin could not be reached for comment.