EASTHAMPTON - A city police officer may be retired from the department against his wishes, according to city officials, after an injury he sustained while on duty has prevented him from working for over two years.

The Easthampton Retirement Board accepted a request from Police Chief Bruce McMahon to begin involuntary retirement proceedings for Officer Anthony Covalli, 30, who has been on the force since 2004.

Covalli, of Easthampton, broke his leg Nov. 10, 2009, when he jumped over a chain link fence behind 7-Eleven on Union Street while searching for a suspect. He injured his lower leg or ankle when he landed, according to a report of the incident provided by Sgt. Bruce Nicol.

He was expected to be back to work by May 2010, but Personnel Director Raisa Riggott confirmed that he is still out on paid leave. "It's tough because he really wants to get back to work, but he's had so many complications with his injury," she said.

Riggott said McMahon is acting to retire Covalli because the paid leave is "costing the city money." McMahon is on vacation this week and could not be reached for comment.

Tina Schneider, administrator for the city's Retirement Department, said she has started paperwork she will submit to the state's Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission to start the involuntary retirement process because "he seems unable to continue working."

Next, a panel of doctors will examine Covalli and make a recommendation about whether he should be retired because of the injury, she said.

If the board decides to retire Covalli, he will receive the same retirement package as any other officer who has had to retire because of an accidental disability, Schneider said. She said she did not know how much he would receive.

Covalli has the option to appeal the Retirement Board's decision in district court within 30 days, according to the retirement administration commission's guidelines.

According to Massachusetts state law, police officers or firefighters who are injured while on duty must receive their full, untaxed wages while they are "incapacitated." Riggott confirmed that Covalli has been receiving his regular salary since his accident and that the law does not include any limit on the length of time the officer can be on paid leave.

The base annual salary for Covalli's position is $49,587, but he may be receiving additional pay based on his level of education or training, Riggott said.

Covalli, who grew up and attended schools in Easthampton, became a full-time police officer in 2004 when he was 23 years old. He was a lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and left Easthampton to serve in Iraq for six months in 2006.

Efforts to reach Covalli at his home were unsuccessful.

Rebecca Everett can be reached at reverett@gazettenet.com.