Cop fired, but why?
Union Prez: Vernon Street home the key
By George P. Hassett

Scott Trant was an honorable police officer in 2004. That year he entered a burning building at 78-80 Flint St. to help rescue an elderly couple from the second floor. But two weeks ago, Trant was fired from the Somerville Police Department by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone.
    Curtatone and other city officials refused to comment on why Trant was fired, but Patrolmen‚Äôs Union President Jack Leutcher, who is advising the officer in his appeal with the state Civil Service Commission, said the firing is a result of Trant‚Äôs attempt to purchase a Vernon Street home.

  ‚ÄúThe city‚Äôs hands are covered in mud on this one,‚Äù he said.
   Trant‚Äôs effort blocked an underhanded plan concocted by city officials to seize the home, sell it to a known third party at auction, and then inflate the asking price for the state, who would have to buy the home and knock it down when construction for a Green Line train station began, he said.
  Leutcher said City Solicitor John Gannon stated at Trant‚Äôs disciplinary hearing that he was disappointed Trant was buying the home, because the location was being eyed as a possible train station and the purchase would complicate the Green Line extension. At the time, the home had accumulated over $25,000 in fines for various violations and was in danger of being seized by the city, Leutcher said.    
   ‚ÄúThe reason Scott Trant is in trouble is he got in the way of the city taking this property and flipping it to the state for an inflated price,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúHe screwed up their deal.‚Äù
    Leutcher said his conclusion of the city‚Äôs true intention for the property is based on Gannon‚Äôs statement at the hearing.
    ‚ÄúIt‚Äôs conjecture but it‚Äôs conjecture that slaps you in the face,‚Äù he said.
    City spokesperson Thomas P. Champion said he could not comment on Trant‚Äôs case because it is pending and to comment would be illegal. He said he was ‚Äúshocked and disappointed‚Äù Leutcher would publicly discuss the details of the case.
    Leutcher said the city claims Trant used his inside position as a police officer to take over ownership of the home. Trant met the woman who owns the home after responding to her call for police assistance and eventually committed the woman‚Äôs husband to a mental health facility, he said. Leutcher said Trant didn‚Äôt do anything illegal in his handling of the case, ‚Äújust different.‚Äù   
    Before moving forward on the deal to buy the home Trant contacted the state Ethics Commission and Gannon to ask if buying the home would be inappropriate. The state Ethics Commission did not have a problem with it and Gannon never got back to Trant, Leutcher said.
   The union president said he would be contacting the attorney general‚Äôs office and the state Ethics Commission to investigate Curtatone‚Äôs actions against Trant.
    Champion said the city encourages close examination.
   ‚ÄúWe welcome the scrutiny from the attorney general‚Äôs office and the Ethics Commission,‚Äù he said.  ‚ÄúAs a matter of policy we self-refer any accusations of wrongdoing within the administration to the appropriate office.‚Äù
   Leutcher said if the city had legitimate motivations they should have been happy the Vernon Street home was being purchased and the fines paid. But, he said, the city‚Äôs actions have sent a chilling message to homeowners.
  ‚ÄúDo the taxpayers want an administration that is after their property, not fines?‚Äù he said.   
   Scott Trant did not returned repeated phone calls.