City worker fired in time clock case

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - An East Providence city worker has been fired and is in trouble with the law after police said they caught him on hidden camera tampering with a time clock.

Scott Cook, 50, of East Providence pleaded not guilty to one count of vandalism,a misdemeanor. Police said he used a ballpoint pen to scratch a biometric reader on a time clock at the city's Department of Public Works yard.

DPW employees are required to scan their finger when clocking in and out of work each day. City officials said the technology was put in place to clamp down on "buddy punching."

"[The reader] ensures the data collected by the device is linked to an individual which allows us to pay people with taxpayer money to a high degree of certainty it’s correct," said City Manager Peter Graczykowski.

East Providence Police Chief Joseph Tavares said the investigation was launched after multiple time clocks were damaged, at least three intentionally. Police tell Target 12 it may have been part of a group revolt by some public employees angered by having to use the new technology.

"At first there was an in-house attempt to find the person responsible and when the damages continued to occur, we were called in," Tavares said.

In all, the city has repaired or replaced eight damaged time clocks. Graczykowski said it cost taxpayers $1,200 apiece to repair the broken biometric readers.

• See 2009 investigation into time clock tampering in Cranston

Tavares said they installed a hidden camera immediately after officials replaced a broken time clock.

"[Cook] was observed scratching in a motion back and forth inconsistent with a simple placing of the index finger on the reader," Tavares said. "It was obvious for the length of time he was going back and forth with his hand and with the implement in his hand that he was doing damage to that piece of equipment."

Tavares said police confronted Cook with the video which caused him to admit to damaging the time clock.

"He initially denied it because he originally described himself as someone who had gone up to the reader and found that it didn't register his fingerprint," Tavares said. "As the interview continued and he realized that he had been captured on video, he became remorseful and subsequently made the admissions."

According to the police report, Cook stated he scratched the glass because a manager's attitude that the reader could not be damaged "angered him."

• Read part of the arrest report of Scott Cook

Flanked by his attorney, Cook didn't say anything when he was questioned outside of court. His lawyer also declined comment.

Graczykowski said Cook was fired after a disciplinary hearing.

"He was afforded due process under the collective bargaining agreement related to destruction of city property," Graczykowski said. "The union does not agree with [the termination] and I understand they are pursuing arbitration."

Reached by phone Judith Dufault, President of United Steelworkers Local 15509 representing East Providence municipal workers, declined to comment.

Tavares said they have linked Cook to only one of the damaged time clocks but the investigation is ongoing.

"The message is out and will continue to be out," Tavares said. "These are the tools we'll continue to use to make sure we're getting the most out of our people in a professional way."

Tim White ( twhite@wpri.com ) is the Target 12 investigative reporter for WPRI 12 and Fox Providence. Follow him on Twitter: @white_tim