Folly Beach council to discuss officer’s suspension Tuesday

Folly Beach City Council will discuss a grievance committee’s recommendation to reverse a public safety officer’s suspension Tuesday.

Council will discuss the recommendation concerning Officer Ron Avallone in a closed session near the end of the meeting, according to the agenda. Any formal action, such as a vote, would take place in open session after that closed-door discussion.

The council meeting starts at 7 p.m. The closed session to discuss Avallone is on the agenda at the end of the meeting.

The grievance committee recommended last month that the council reverse Avallone’s suspension.

Public Safety Director Dennis Brown suspended Avallone for a week without pay after Avallone escorted 67-year-old Fred Rogers off the beach June 23 for causing a disturbance and Rogers was arrested later that day after a woman said he fondled her at a swimming pool.

Avallone told the committee that he had no idea Rogers was accused of sexually assaulting a girl at the beach and left to handle another call.

Brown said Avallone should have checked out the complaint more thoroughly, which would have headed off the second complaint.

The two-member grievance committee said there was no evidence to back up the suspension.

Reach Dave Munday at 937-5553 or twitter.com/dmunday.