Board to hear grievance filed by suspended deputy

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The grievance of a Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department deputy, who agreed to resign voluntarily from his job after a six-week medical leave and two-week suspension, will be heard by Piscataquis County commissioners on Tuesday, July 18.

Larry Bickford, a former sergeant with the department, filed a grievance shortly after his suspension in April. His suspension came after 18 employees of the department and jail signed a petition that expressed no confidence in his demeanor and his attitude toward employees and the public.

During his suspension, Bickford agreed to be demoted from sergeant to patrolman-investigator. Under a written agreement with Sheriff John Goggin, Bickford could return to work for 75 days after his six-week medical leave and two weeks of suspension.

At the end of the 75-day period, Bickford would resign from his job voluntarily. Bickford has about 105 days of benefit time left, which would cover the medical leave and the 75-day work period.

Representing Bickford in the matter, to be held in executive session, will be the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, of which Bickford is a member. Most of the 18 members who signed the petition are also members of AFSCME.

Bickford is protesting the procedure that was used in his suspension because he doesn’t feel his termination is warranted, according to Goggin.

Bickford told the Bangor Daily News earlier this summer that he had been under a great deal of stress and was under medical care. He said the county had no policies or procedures for dealing with stressed or burned-out employees.

He claimed he had not been formally evaluated since 1989. Had an evaluation been done, any weaknesses he had could have been determined and perhaps corrected, he said.