SMITHFIELD — Public safety officers led the non-schools list in 2006 in a check of municipal salaries.

Three of the top 10 wage earners were police officers. The rest were employees of the Fire Department.

The figures were compiled as part of a statewide effort by The Providence Journal to examine public payrolls.

Fire Lt. Lionel J. Newman took top honors with $129,857. Lt. Michael J. Mousseau was the highest paid police officer, with $112,145.

On the schools side of the payroll, Supt. Robert M. O’Brien took home $124,532, followed by Assistant Supt. Donald W. Holder, at $118,327.

Fire Chief Joseph P. Mollo III was away last week, and not available for questions. Town Manager Dennis G. Finlay, however, said that “without a doubt” overtime pay accounted for the Fire Department salary figures.

Randy Rossi, finance director, said overtime indeed was the culprit, amounting to $6,000 to $30,000 in additional pay for individuals.

“Firefighters have minimum manning requirements,” he said. “If somebody calls out, they need to have somebody come in. For safety purposes, they require a certain number of guys on the trucks and rescues.”

Police Chief William A. McGarry, who placed number six on the list, at $107,914, said there is a minimum manning policy in the patrol division that requires officers be called in on overtime if someone is ill or injured.

Referring to Lt. Alberto M. Fetta, $108,808, and Lt. Michael J. Mousseau, $112,145, McGarry said, “They probably earned that through working vacancies or special details such as Operation Blue Riptide.”

That’s a program financed by the federal government. It aims to curb drunk driving.

Officers assigned to that program earn overtime pay, which shows up as gross earnings on their payroll records, but the extra money does not get charged to town taxpayers, due to reimbursement by the U.S. government.

“There’s a slew of them,” McGarry said of the programs. “There’s a state alcohol grant, and the ‘Click it or ticket’ program. Blue Riptide is divided into both alcohol and speed.”

McGarry said that part of the reason he made the list in 2006 was because he was acting town manager part of that year, when the post was vacant.

“I got paid somewhat extra, but didn’t get full town manager salary,” he said. In fact, he said, when he filled in for that job two other times in recent years, he got no extra pay.

Compiled by Paul Edward Parker

THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL

Source: Town of Smithfield

Compiled by Paul Edward Parker

THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL

Source: Smithfield School Dept.

tmorgan@projo.com