LEWISTON — A police detective placed on leave last month has a history of disciplinary problems as an officer that includes allegations of assaulting suspects on two separate occasions.

Joe Philippon, a 20-year-veteran of the department, had been disciplined four times over the course of his career before he was placed on leave for a fifth time in August.

One criminal justice expert said it is rare, if not unheard of, for a police officer to remain on the force after that many complaints that result in discipline.

“I don’t think I ever saw a police officer who had four of these,” said Thomas P. Peters, a local attorney who served as chairman of the complaint review committee at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. “I’ve seen officers with two, but not four.”

As a result of his discipline, Philippon’s punishments ranged from reprimands to a nearly two-week suspension.

Philippon did not return messages left Thursday.

For two decades, he has been particularly popular with the public for his organization of community events, like movie nights in the summertime, and for his participation in a variety of local groups, many centered around homelessness and new Mainers.

Some members of the community, including a school vice principal and a former city councilor, have suggested that Philippon should be considered as the police department’s next chief.

Philippon started his career as a patrol officer in 2005.

Within a few years, however, he began running into disciplinary trouble at the department, for issues ranging from assault of suspects to misuse of the department’s overtime policy.

In 2007, Philippon was given a 10-day suspension for scratching the word “Rat” into another officer’s locker. In that matter, resulting from a feud between Philippon and another officer, Philippon was disciplined for willful damage to department property, conduct unbecoming an officer and discourtesy to the public and/or fellow employees.

In 2008, Philippon was accused of slamming a criminal suspect’s face into a door at the county jail, leaving the suspect injured and in need of medical treatment.

For that offense, Philippon was given a suspension of nearly two weeks, the harshest punishment he received from the department. Police investigators at the time said Philippon also lied about his actions when questioned, saying that he was attacked when video surveillance footage showed otherwise.

“The investigation determined that you failed to properly maintain control of your prisoner and then reacted with excessive force when responding to his belligerent behavior,” the investigative report states.

According to that report, Philippon had become enraged with a suspect’s behavior after transporting the man to the county jail. When the man turned toward Philippon and appeared to either spit or make remarks, the report said, Philippon grabbed the suspect and slammed him face-first into a door.

He then had to transport the injured man to a Lewiston hospital for treatment.

According to the police records, Philippon later told his supervisors that the suspect had attempted to head-butt and kick him, which surveillance video footage proved to be a falsehood.

In a case, from 2010, Philippon was given a reprimand for charging a suspect and kicking him in the back while arresting the man for criminal trespass on College Street. Philippon was also ordered to undergo probable cause training as a result of that investigation.

In 2016, Philippon was given a one-day suspension when his supervisors determined the detective had hired himself exclusively for overtime details after securing a grant from the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety.

Instead of giving other officers equal chance to earn overtime pay, the report states: “You hired yourself for every detail, totaling thirteen, earning $2,406.28,” according to the police report.

Most recently, Phillipon was placed on administrative leave, with pay, in August for reasons that have not been released. He is expected to go before a review board with union representation sometime in the near future.

According to Peters, the fact that Philippon has been disciplined four times already raises red flags.

“When you see somebody who has four priors, then you know there’s a problem,” he said. “There’s something going on that shouldn’t be going on.”

In each case where Philippon was suspended, he returned to duty. His name has been placed on the national Giglio list, which is maintained by prosecutors’ offices and police agencies to keep track of officers whose credibility has been questioned due to issues including untruthfulness, misconduct or criminal convictions.

Placement on the list severely limits an officer’s ability to testify on criminal matters in court.