Thank you so much, Eric. He was named acting chief when Chief Michael McDonald announced his retirement from the department. - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. "The Town of Westminster is very fortunate to have an excellent police department and staff, and we have the utmost confidence in their ability to handle any and all public safety matters during this time," Lahtinen said. Here's what we know so far 1 min read. Alot of these times, particularly with Officer Siaw and Officer Alexa Morgan, the officers were doing details and just reached out when they saw something that was happening. Today, the city's new mayor, Sheng Thao, fired the police chief for failing to hold a police officer accountable. Ryder said he immediately instituted changes to prevent such mistakes from happening again and to collect the money paid out over the previous year. criminal justice, Municipal Government Fr nhere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie. January 26, 2023 / 5:46 PM / CBS Boston LAWRENCE - The City of Lawrence has placed Police Chief Roy Vasque on leave during an ongoing investigation involving the department. The sergeants have all stepped up to make sure their communication has increased. Mayor Neil Perry said Friday that Chief . When the. The final vote tally was 41-1. But he said the town was so divided over the controversy that an outside investigation was required. Nicholson: One of the jobs Lieutenant Maroni has is as the police departments grant writerwere constantly, probably 3 or 4 times a week submitting grant applications for new equipment. Jennifer Law, who served as Gardner Dispatch Director also got a no-confidence vote and voluntarily left her position. GARDNER The City Council unanimously confirmed the appointment of Richard Braks to serve as Gardner's next police chief. The Philadelphia Inquirer, Eagle Tribune Carrier Route Opportunities, Baker's home still covered by state police details, About Notre Dame Cristo Rey and its mission, Haverhill woman charged with making, distributing 30K of pills containing fentanyl, Duo charged with stealing Honda Pilot with toddler in backseat, BOSA restaurant and BOSA BAR to open this summer, Police identify duo charged with stealing SUV with toddler inside, Toddler in stolen SUV dropped off unharmed at Lawrence hospital during intense police search, DA releases details on Andover murder-suicide, Derry man convicted on multiple counts of sexual assault, Pike hired for 'dream' job as Haverhill football coach, after program rocked by scandal, Lawrence's Canery named MVC Player of the Year: Coach Jesus Moore honored, West Newbury police arrest Haverhill suspect in break-in. Nicholson made the announcement Wednesday in a letter to the City Council. January 25, 2023 at 6:31 pm EST. I grew up in Framingham,and ever since I can remember, we would make the long trek out to Gardner because that was about the only place you could buy furniture, Alfano said, adding that he continuesthe tradition of making shopping trips to Gardner with his own family. The police chief in Lawrence, Massachusetts has been placed on leave from his position by the city's mayor, officials confirmed Wednesday. 0. In their words, it exposed systemic deficiencies, you know, in how the department investigates its own. WESTERVELT: Yeah. And he said he signed off on the internal review based on, you know, what he was told and what he knew at the time. Lawrence Police Chief Roy Vasque speaks during a recent groundbreaking ceremony for the new police station. But what's been the reaction so far to this new development - yet another chief getting sacked? Alfano, who lives in Lancaster, has been the acting chief of the Gardner Police Department since Feb. 1, when he was appointed by Mayor Michael Nicholson to serve in the interim while Chief Richard Braks is on paid administrative leave. . Officers put in an extra effort during Distracted Driving Month in April to help prevent car accidents and save lives. The vote came as the employees three-year appointments were set to expire, according to officials. We serve each day with integrity. We serve each day with integrity. The investigation is expected to be completed within a few weeks. The cause of the error is not known but indications point to human administrative error, the police department said in a statement. A North Carolina police chief has been placed on unpaid leave and probation for telling officers about a "clinic" that would issue them a Covid-19 vaccination card without actually receiving the . Poegel: Do you have some other additional tools you believe the Gardner Police could use to enhance services, and if so, where would that funding come from? CHANG: So real quick, Eric, what do you think comes next for Oakland and its police department? Emergency Phone: 911. He also reported for the Globes Spotlight Team, winning a Loeb award in 1992 for coverage of conflicts of interest in the states pension system. Gardner is expected to appear in court on Monday, Oct. 3, for a pretrial at 9 a.m. Police said teenagers and parents at schools in the Gardner school district were sent two distressing emails in the middle of the night through the online learning portal. , Gardner PD A Department of Pride and Integrity. City officials announced Wednesday night that the Lawrence Police Chief has been placed on paid administrative leave following an ongoing investigation. That is NPR's Eric Westervelt. Alfano, who worked at the Framingham Police Department for 20 years, is no stranger to stepping in and helping to run a police department, having initially served as acting chief in Bolton and Ashland; the former position turning into a 10-year job,the latter becoming a three-year appointment. Even though his time in the city is limited, Alfano said he is satisfied with some of things he has manageto accomplishin the department so far. And it really - that's the crux of the 20-year federal oversight is how Oakland disciplines and holds officers accountable. Emergency 911. He then said that four police officers involved in the arrest have been placed on administrative leave, including Hopp, Tyler Blackett, Sgt. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Previously, the. The chief of the Mattapoisett Police Department was put on paid leave Monday after being arrested over the weekend for allegedly driving while intoxicated. Between the drone and Rocky coming to the Police Department, its really gonna help us, that if ever there is a situation where someones missing or theres someone whos run away from the police,caught doing something they shouldnt be doing, it severely reduces the time our officers are on the streetit helps get the individuals being looked for quicker. Bruce came to CommonWealth from the Boston Globe, where he spent nearly 30 years in a wide variety of positions covering business and politics. An outside investigation is underway. This is the same process we have done for employees at all levels in the past., 'We can gear our tests to what we want. 395 were here. They'd held weekly protests in front of City Hall and the police department. Its something thats now a discussion that needs to be had until any finalized plans happenIts not disciplinary in nature, but its problem-solving in nature.. Wayland police chief to resign after he was placed on leave in March By Nick Stoico Globe Correspondent, Updated November 27, 2022, 5:42 p.m. Email to a Friend A Lathrop High School teacher identified only as 'Ms. Gardner' has been suspended after telling students in a Zoom meeting that George Floyd would still be alive if he complied with police. ': Police departments leave 'archaic' Civil Service. It still holds true. (Alfano) became acting chief in Ashland following a resignation in their department, which ended up turning into a three-year appointment from which he recently retired from., 'Will make roads safer': State bill to grant undocumented immigrants driver's licenses clears House. He denied the allegations at the time, according to court filings. There have been a lot of little things that weve tweaked and some daily problems that weve solved as they come up, but this is a very smooth-running department, and were trying to keep it that way, he said. The move has angered many, sparking more calls to end two decades of federal monitoring. More: Gardner Police Chief Braks, Deputy Chief Trifiro placed on leave. In a Jan. 31 letter to members of the City Council, Mayor Michael Nicholson explained that the two men were placed on leave while an outside review of the matter was conducted. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. But Mayor Sheng Thao, you know, lost faith in him following a dispute over discipline of a sergeant. Oakland, Calif.'s police department is in turmoil again. 4 0 obj
They said Armstrong had committed some, you know, gross dereliction of duty. Brookline Police Chief Ashley Gonzalez has been placed on paid administrative leave amid allegations of policy violations. The position was eliminated in the department roughly a decade ago. At CommonWealth, Bruce helped launch the magazines website and has written about a wide range of issues with a special focus on politics, tax policy, energy, and gambling. Gardner Dispatch Director Jennifer Law was also a subject of the no-confidence vote. Effective immediately, DePena appointed Capt. Bruce Mohl is the editor of CommonWealth magazine. I have no further comment," said Acting Town Administrator Stephen Crane to SOURCE media this morning . Chance of snow 60%.. Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Braks and Deputy Chief James Trifiro were placed on paid leave following a recent vote of no confidence by four unions in the department. Vasque, LaGreca and a spokesperson for DePena could not immediately be reached for comment. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. LAWRENCE Police Chief Roy Vasque has been placed on leave by Mayor Brian DePena. LAWRENCE Police Chief Roy Vasque was placed on leave and is a focus of an ongoing investigation by an outside firm hired by the city, a spokesperson for Mayor Brian DePena confirmed Wednesday. Nicholson, Absolutely. Gardner PD - A Department of Pride and Integrity Officers put in an extra effort during Distracted Driving Month in April to help prevent car accidents and save lives. "29Srz1"3^xDw5Sh;jv%0 1"LwQFI_./..ITw9&'I~Li,1=r1
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w/wg&34xggIS7jx5wcSk#SkcSl,{=(vQ|HHW@r1W6? Contact Police Misconduct Media Reports 2022 Below are all known alleged and confirmed acts of misconduct by Massachusetts police officers that have been reported by the news media in 2022. Police investigation reports. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. According to the indictment, Gardner is accused of the following offenses . For the past 3 months, the Gardner Police Department has been without an appointed Chief and Deputy Chief. Former retired Bolton Chief of Police Vincent Alfano is acting Gardner Police Chief. But an internal affairs review that was signed off by the chief, you know, just gave the sergeant some counseling and some additional driver training. CHANG: So tell us more about the disciplinary cases that led to the chief's ouster and how all of that is connected to federal oversight. In my house now, as we speak, there are quite a few pieces that came from right here the furniture capital of New England.. Alfanos first day serving as acting chief was Feb. 1. This is a developing story. LeBlanc was placed on leave on Aug. 22 and remains on that status, according to Town Administrator Stephanie Lahtinen. They have motor vehicle accidents, they have fights, they have the normal calls, and the officers are very good at what they do here, so I was just pretty (much) trying to keep the operations running, getting the K-9 program up and running I spent a lot of time and effort with that, he said. WAYLAND - The Town of Wayland's Police Chief is on leave. The Gardner PD even has a Police Explorers unit. 0 Comments Oakland's newly elected mayor has placed Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong on administrative leave following a blistering outside report that found the department . Home; About us; Dravet Syndrome; Portfolio; Events; Donate; gardner ma police chief placed on leave Nicholson: I honestly feel theyve been doing an excellent job over there. For more about Autism resources, visit the Autism Speaks website. 1:00. The Post-Dispatch reported in the fall that Gardner's office had put 29 officers on an "exclusion list" at the request of St. Louis police Maj. Michael Sack. He's from Oakland. The chief of the Lawrence Police Department has been placed on paid leave while "an ongoing investigation involving the police department is conducted," the city's mayor said. But it hasnt stopped working to first and foremost, protect all citizens who live or visit this community. A new K-9 officer was appointed, a drone program was utilized, partnerships were still undertaken, such as the Drug Take Back Program taking place this Saturday 4-30-22 at Price Chopper from 10am to 2pm. The vote approved a home-rule petition that will have to pass through the state's House and Senate and be signed by Gov. CHANG: Well, I realize, Eric, that this just happened tonight. We are committed to serving our community each and every day with professionalism, honestly, and fairness in every encounter. We love you., An interview with Mayor Michael Nicholson, Gardner Magazine publisher Werner Poegel asked Mayor Nicholson a number of questions regarding the Chair City including some regarding the Gardner Police Investigation and Review: Link to Executive Summary of Report CLICK HERE. Massachusetts' Mount Holyoke College and Smith College announced on Wednesday that Daniel Hect, their new joint campus police chief, has been placed on . Brookline Town Administrator Mel . High 42F. Its a police thing every shift they have roll calls, and different departments do things different ways but I was very impressed with the procedures and the way Gardner police do their roll calls. "Chief Gibbons is on leave and Lt. Burman is temporarily serving as Acting Chief. Allegations about Birritteri's own conduct as a police officer have also cost the city. Here he is. Boxborough Police Chief Warren Ryder, who was placed on paid administrative leave. Officers have stepped up including Lieutenants Eric McAvene Jr. and Nicholas Maroni who together have helped manage the department. The dozens of individuals who comprise the officers and staff of the Gardner Police Department serve the Chair City of Gardner MA in all seasons at all hours of the day and night. Hey, Eric. Ive been very impressed with their dedication and performance and with how much they care, and how much they go above and beyond.. WESTERVELT: Yeah, Ailsa, they've got the tough job of, you know, looking for another chief. The Chief is responsible for each officer and staff to be actively trained, equipped and engaged in order to serve the City. While it does seem fairly extreme, I think its reasonable, he said. SHENG THAO: Chief Armstrong has my respect and appreciation for his service to the department and to the city that he grew up in and that he clearly loves dearly, and he will continue to have my respect and appreciation. I want to reiterate that this (decision) is not a disciplinary action against the Chief and Deputy Chief but only a matter of practice so that we can get to the bottom of the issues in the fairest/most efficient/most effective manner, and is an outlined practice and procedure, Nicholson wrote in the letter. Poegel: The administrative leave was described as non-disciplinary. With facts now in hand, does that characterization still hold true? CHANG: For real. 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