MTA’s Security Boss for 11 Days Is Paid $27,461

Seeking to avoid a lawsuit, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority gave $27,461 in severance pay to a man who worked for just over a week as the agency’s chief of police before resigning under a cloud, according to records obtained by The Times.

The MTA hired Stan Reeves in December after he had resigned his post as chief of police in Vancouver, Wash. Reeves left that job in May citing health reasons, but with state police investigating whether he intervened in the drunk-driving arrest of a woman with whom he had a romantic relationship.

Washington officials did not press charges against Reeves, but criticized him for using poor judgment.

MTA officials discounted the Washington investigation and highly touted Reeves as he was brought aboard Dec. 9, agreeing to pay him a $140,000 annual salary.

But on Dec. 20, after a report on the Vancouver matter in The Times and as a restraining order placed on Reeves became public, he officially resigned.

An agreement signed by Reeves that day shows the MTA agreed to pay him 408 hours’ worth of salary, while he gave up his right to sue the agency.

Copies of his pay stub obtained after a public records request show that Reeves took away $14,000.96 after taxes.

MTA officials refused to discuss the matter, instead issuing a one-paragraph press release calling the payment “a mutual agreement with Stan Reeves to provide him with two months’ severance pay when he signed a release agreeing not to contest his departure from the MTA.”

MTA board members reached by The Times said they were not told of the severance deal and also would not comment.