As soon as the Hooksett Police Department wraps up its internal investigation regarding the professional conduct of officer Benjamin Beauchemin, Police Chief Stephen Agrafiotis said he will deliver a final decision regarding Beauchemin’s employment status to the Hooksett Police Commission for final review.

It will be up to the Police Commission to make the final call, he said.

“I don’t have an exact time frame but the bottom line is we want to get it done as soon as possible,” Agrafiotis said. “We want to make sure the internal affairs investigation is as thorough as possible.”

Beauchemin was arrested last May for driving while intoxicated after he rolled his car off Cedar Crest Lane in Auburn. He was acquitted of the charges on Sept. 10 in Candia District Court. Agrafiotis said the court ruling will come into play in the department’s internal investigation, as well as other factors such as 911 calls that were made on the night of Beauchemin’s accident. Agrafiotis will review the internal findings, formulate his opinion and pass his recommendation along to the police commission for final approval. He also said he will notify Beauchemin on his recommendation before the commission votes on its final decision.

The commission meets the third Tuesday of each month, but Agrafiotis said he anticipates a special meeting will be called for the Beauchemin investigation.

“The Police Commission does the hiring and firing,” Agrafiotis said. “They will review (the recommendation) and make a decision from there.”

Dave Gagnon, chairman of the Police Commission, said he cannot form an opinion until he reviews the final results of the investigation.

“It’s in the best interest of everybody. I need to see the internal investigation before I make the final decision. That’s where the facts are. That’s where our information is,” Gagnon said. “It’s pretty vague, but until it’s done, there’s not much we can say.”

Also undetermined at this point of the investigation is whether or not the decision will be made during an open meeting. Agrafiotis said it is the right of an employee under a discipline review to request a closed meeting.

“Once I make a decision, I sit down with the employee and let them know what my decision is. If they want to appeal that decision, that’s when we have to set up meetings with lawyers and the commission and the employee decides whether its open or closed. That is a right they have.

It is still a personnel matter,” Agrafiotis said. “(The employee) can choose to open it up to the public if they want to.”