PEABODY, Mass. -- A veteran Peabody police officer convicted of illegally accessing the records of some of his colleagues has lost his pension and retirement health benefits.
The state Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission has reversed the city retirement board's decision and ruled that Lt. Edward Bettencourt is not eligible for his roughly $5,000 per month pension. He is only eligible to receive the money he contributed to his retirement account, without interest, for his 24 years with the department.
Bettencourt was convicted in April of 21 counts of accessing the confidential information of 20 fellow officers and one Salem officer in 2004 to look up their Civil Service Exam scores. He was fined $10,500.
Bettencourt has the right to appeal.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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