Swampscott Select Board members expressed their “disappointment” this week over a code of conduct violation.

An investigation was conducted into Select Board Member Mary Ellen Fletcher’s actions after she received an email from a non-town resident regarding fellow Select Board Member David Grishman. Fletcher was later found to have “inappropriately inserted herself into a police matter” and to have shown a “lack of professional respect” toward Grishman, according to the investigation reviewed by the Swampscott Tides.

Here is the investigation document:

According to the investigation, reviewed by the Swampscott Tides, on November 26, the Swampscott Police Department responded to a report of a motor vehicle hit-and-run at the Vinnin Liquors and Whole Foods parking lot. A man, whose name has been redacted from the report, also emailed Fletcher and Phelan “accusing Mr. Grishman of hitting (redacted name’s) car.”

In an interview as part of the investigation, which was conducted by Clifford & Kenny, LLP, Grishman was asked if he hit the car, to which he responded “No, I didn’t hit your (man who emailed) car” and left the parking lot.

The email sent to Fletcher and Phena said, “Needless to say I contacted the police and Vinnin Liquors owners for their security camera footage…Waiting for the video footage to prove it. I’m going to get to the bottom of this and make sure whoever hit my car and ran will be accountable.”

After the investigation team asked Fletcher whether she replied to the email, she initially suggested she did not “but later acknowledged, through her attorney, that she did in fact reply,” according to the investigation. 

The investigation goes on to say that at 8:05 p.m., just over two hours after receiving the first email, Fletcher drove to the police station and had a conversation with the officer in the lobby, whose name has also been redacted from the report reviewed by the Swampscott Tides. 

Fletcher asked the officer whether he had received an email reporting the motor vehicle incident. The officer told the investigators into the incident that Fletcher requested that the police “send a cruiser to [Mr. Grishman’s] residence.” After the officer explained that the police department cannot search Grishman’s vehicle without a warrant or his consent, the investigation states that Fletcher said “I want to get this guy.”

“I said I made a mistake,” Fletcher told the Swampscott Tides. “I got an email from somebody. I don’t want to participate in any cover ups…I made a mistake. There’s no harm there.”

Grishman, however, told the Swampscott Tides that he is calling for Fletcher’s resignation. 

“I firmly believe the Select Board needs to hold Mary Ellen Fletcher accountable for her actions,” Grishman told the Swampscott Tides. “I do not feel that a surface level apology for an offense like this even scratches the surface…Mary Ellen should be embarrassed. She should be more remorseful than she was.”

Select Board Chair Katie Phelan reiterated at Wednesday’s meeting that the “allegation is unacceptable” and that the board agreed to a code of conduct that they have to hold themselves to.

“That is what we did here, and it’s unfortunate that we had to do that,” Phelan said. “My commitment is to continue to do that (hold the Select Board accountable) and that is what needs to be done. It is important for two new members to come on and understand that it’s not just a piece of paper you’re signing and that we’re going to hold each other accountable to it.”