By Jack Minch

jminch@sentinelandenterprise.com @JackMinch on Twitter

LEOMINSTER — Mayor Dean Mazzarella on Wednesday issued an apology to Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford and to the community at large as he announced that an investigation concluded a Leominster police officer hurled a racial slur at Crawford during a minor-league game this month.

Officer John A. Perreault has been placed on paid administrative leave pending a disciplinary hearing next Wednesday, Mazzarella and interim Police Chief Robert Healey said. Potential punishment could include his firing, the mayor said.

“We apologize not only to the baseball player (and) his family, but the community,” Mazzarella said. “This shouldn’t happen anywhere.”

He later noted that Crawford’s response to the insult was most important.

“All you have to see is Mr. Crawford’s reaction,” Mazzarella said. “It meant something to him.”

The word Perreault used, “Monday,” is seen as a derogatory term for black people.

Perreault, who did not attend the press conference, has made other unrelated comments in public recently that also violate the Police Department’s rules and regulations, Healey said.

Mazzarella said he was dismayed at the allegation but believes the department’s reputation will withstand the blemish.

The city hires employees under Civil Service rules that require a disciplinary hearing for punishments over five days.

The punishment has not been decided, Healey said.

“In fairness, we will let him have his say,” he said.

Mazzarella will preside over the hearing, which could include witnesses, and whatever ruling he makes can be appealed.

“There is a whole system in place,” Healey said.

Crawford has not been invited to attend the hearing, which is open to the public.

Crawford, in an interview reported on WEEI radio Wednesday, said he is ready to move on from the incident.

“It surprised me that he was a police officer,” Crawford said. “It’s disappointing and all of that kind of stuff, but like I said, I just want to put that stuff behind me and not even worry about that anymore.”

It is too early to say if Perreault’s work as a police officer would be affected if he must arrest a minority or answer a call for help involving a minority, Mazzarella said.

“Look at all the Hollywood people that say stupid things and people later forgive them,” he said. “People do stupid things.”

Perreault, 38, has worked for the department about five years. He previously worked for other departments including Winchendon, Mazzarella said.

Perreault has had a clean record with the department up to now.

Red Sox spokeswoman Pam Ganley said the team would not comment on the department’s findings.

Three of Perreault’s nieces stood outside the press conference at the Leominster Office of Emergency Management in a sign of support before the announcement was made.

Perreault’s nieces, who are Dominican, insisted he did not mean the word “Monday” as a slur when he yelled it out.

It was meant in reference to the day of the week that everyone hates because they have to go back to work or school, said Cassandra Mateo, 20, of Lawrence.

The three women wore T-shirts and carried a sign covered with messages, including, “You might be able to bash him, but you’ll never take his pride!” and “Monday is the first day of the week.”

Healey got a tip July 9 that Perreault was involved in an incident in Manchester, N.H., where Crawford was playing a rehabilitation game with the Red Sox Double-A affiliate Portland Sea Dogs against the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league team New Hampshire Fisher Cats on July 5.

He opened an investigation with Lts. Michael Goldman and Scott Bernier.

They did not speak to Crawford or Manchester police officers who investigated, but did get a copy of the original police report, Healey said.

The investigators uncovered some evidence on their own and some of it was offered by witnesses, he said.

They have talked to officials in the Red Sox organization as a courtesy to brief them on the investigation and its conclusion, Mazzarella said.

“We concluded he uttered the word that Mr. Crawford took as a slur,” Healey said.