OFFICER CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THREATS

Tower Leads the DARE Program at Local School

DEERFIELD - A Deerfield police officer known for working with kids is
being held at the Rockingham County jail on a pair of domestic
violence-related charges.

Paul C. Tower, the town's juvenile officer and the DARE instructor in
the local school, was arrested by the state police Thursday on felony
charges of threatening to commit a crime and tampering with a witness.

On the evening of Nov. 21, Tower, 34, allegedly threatened to grab the
steering wheel of his wife's 1997 Volvo sedan while she was driving,
telling her, "How's it feel to die today?" according to a complaint
filed by state police Trooper Jill Rockey. He then grabbed the wheel,
saying, "I could just veer the car," Rockey wrote.

Later that night, Tower allegedly warned his wife not to report the
incident, telling her that he would have her arrested. When she
replied that she had done nothing wrong, Tower apparently told her
"they're not gonna know that" and "I'm gonna tell them you stole my
phone," causing his wife to avoid calling the police, according to the
complaint.

Tower is being held in Brentwood on $100,000 bail. A probable cause
hearing has been set for tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Hampton, according to
the Hampton District Court clerk's office. The case was originally
filed in Auburn District Court, where most Deerfield Police Department
arrests are handled, but has been moved to Hampton.

Tower's wife, who lives in Manchester, did not return a call for
comment. Tower moved out of the house they shared this fall,
responding to a classified ad for an apartment on Raymond Road in
Deerfield. It turned out to be an in-law apartment attached to the
home of local Selectman Paul Dinneen, who had known Tower since the
latter joined the police department.

"I hope the best for Paul," Dinneen said. "I'm just - I'm disappointed
things have turned out this way. I'm disappointed for Paul. I don't
know what to say. . . maybe I shouldn't say anything beyond letting
the dust settle."

Police Chief Robert Wunderlich relieved Tower of his duties following
the arrest. Tower was not fired and will continue to receive his
pay,pending the outcome of the case, Wunderlich said.

"If he's found guilty, obviously he's going to lose his job," the
chief said. "Other than that, I have to assume he's innocent until
he's proven guilty."

The selectmen have final authority on hiring and firing and typically
act on the recommendation of the chief, local officials said. If the
state Police Academy were to take external action, suspending or
revoking Tower's certification, then the town would have to decide
whether to terminate him or suspend him without pay, Wunderlich said.

Wunderlich described Tower as a popular officer who rose to the rank
of corporal, making him fourth in command on a department of seven
full-time officers, behind the chief, a lieutenant and a sergeant. He
has a special interest in working with children and teens, the chief
said. "He seems to identify with the kids . . . and they can identify
with him," Wunderlich said.

Last year, several kids in town approached Tower about building a
skateboard park, Wunderlich said. Tower met with selectmen and began
soliciting in-kind service donations to construct the park at no cost
to taxpayers. He was supposed to return this fall for a follow-up with
selectmen, bearing blueprints, Dinneen said. "But that's probably when
his home troubles began, and he probably just put it on the back
burner, as anyone else would," the selectman said.

Tower is a "real decent guy" and "a very good tenant, a quiet man,"
Dinneen said. " . . . He gives me a lot of room and respect, and I do
the same for him." Tower generally stayed in the apartment alone,
except for visits from a 5-year-old daughter "who he absolutely
adores," Dinneen said.

Tower has received a couple of commendations for his police work,
including a "Looking Beyond the Traffic Ticket" award given last
spring by the state Police Standards and Training Council. The award
recognized Tower for investigating and arresting a couple that had
been growing marijuana at home after the couple first called to report
a burglary.

The state police are handling Tower's case to avoid any possibility of
conflict of interest, Wunderlich said, and the investigation is
ongoing. The probable cause hearing was set sooner than usual,
Rockingham County Attorney Jim Reams said, because of the significant
size of the bail figure. He could not comment on how the police
learned of the Nov. 21 incident. Pending the outcome of the
investigation, the case could be presented to a grand jury, Reams
said. A grand jury indictment would bring re-arraignment in superior
court, Reams said.

DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) classes are scheduled to begin
next week at the Deerfield Community School, Wunderlich said. Lt.
Michael Greeley will teach the DARE course, while Sgt. Steve Turner
will handle juvenile matters in Tower's absence, the chief said.