Jail officer fired for inmate assault

BELFAST – A Waldo County Jail corrections officer was dismissed after an internal investigation concluded that he assaulted an inmate, then erased a videotape that recorded the incident, the sheriff said Tuesday.

Sheriff Scott Story confirmed that Officer Tron Hatch was terminated after an internal investigation. A second, unidentified officer who witnessed the tampering with the tape was suspended for not coming forward on his own to report the incident.

Hatch had worked at the jail for approximately three years, Story said.

Story described the incident as a “simple assault” and said the male inmate involved was not injured. He would not offer more details.

Investigation results have been turned over to the district attorney and the state attorney general for review.

State and county offices were closed because of bad weather Tuesday, and neither prosecutor’s office could be reached for comment.

Story said that Hatch was dismissed in January. He said he kept the matter confidential until an appeal period required by law had passed. That period expired last week, he said.

“Although the disciplinary action took place in January, the statutes provide that records of disciplinary action are confidential pending the lapse of appeal time granted by department policy,” Story said.

He said he was “disappointed” about the situation, but stressed that his department would “keep its house clean” whenever such matters take place.

“This was a situation where the proper handling of an outside complaint led to a proper investigation and appropriate disposition,” he said.

Story said he would not identify the suspended officer to protect him from possible repercussions within the jail. He said he was concerned that inmates might single the officer out for harassment if his identity were revealed.

He said the officer witnessed the erasure of the tape, but was not involved in the assault.

Story said neither officer denied the allegations when confronted with them. He said both took full responsibility for their actions.

“I have a lot of respect for [Hatch],” Story said. “I think it says a lot about his character. He made a mistake, and if any of us steps back and says they never made a mistake, they’re wrong.”