Arnold approves settlements with former police chiefs Josh Stanga, Eric Doutt

Arnold Council voted this week to approve financial settlements with two former police chiefs — Josh Stanga and his predecessor, Eric Doutt.

Council agreed to a financial settlement that pays $12,000 to Stanga, whose resignation was accepted on Sept. 9.

He was suspended in August 2024 after being arrested by state investigators who targeted him in what they described as a “sting” operation to test the chief’s integrity.

That involved state agents placing drugs and $300 in cash in a stolen vehicle that city police recovered at Union Cemetery.

The investigators claimed that Stanga took possession of the money and drugs but mentioned only the drugs and just a small portion of the money in his initial report. They also allege that he typed up a secondary report the next day in which the larger amount was mentioned.

At one point, the agents said, Stanga admitted to using some of the money.

Stanga is charged with five misdemeanor counts including theft, obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence and related offenses. He is awaiting trial.

With Stanga’s case still pending after a year, Mayor Shannon Santucci and council decided they could not allow the department to continue without a chief. Santucci said city officials informed Stanga that if he did not resign he would face termination.

She appointed Officer Rob Haus as the new chief, and council accepted Stanga’s resignation in a 4-0 vote with Councilman Adam Zweig absent.

The amount of Stanga’s separation agreement was negotiated by Stanga’s attorney and city Solicitor Gavin Robb, Santucci said.

“In his contract, we have specific language that, should he be terminated due to malfeasance, we had to offer him a specific amount,” she said. “So, we negotiated and came up with that amount.”

Stanga, who was hired in February 2024, was set to earn $82,000 as police chief. A 12-year veteran of several police departments, he had been on the job for just six months when he was arrested.

Doutt buyout

Council consented to pay $4,200 to former chief Eric Doutt in regard to an insurance benefit he was supposed to receive when he retired as chief on Jan. 1, 2024.

Santucci said her understanding is that Doutt’s contract, approved by a previous council, entitled him to buy or take over the payments on a $10,000 life insurance policy he received as chief.

That did not happen, she said, and council offered Doutt a couple of options to correct the situation.

“One option was to offer him another policy or to take a buyout, and he opted for the buyout,” Santucci said.