As part of its examination of the qualifications and experience of the state’s law enforcement personnel, the commission made the suspensions public on Tuesday, January 3. According to NBC Boston, this is a first for the state because the POST Commission was established after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer.
Enrique Zuniga, Executive Director of Post, stated in a news release that “POST will suspend the certification of an officer who is arrested, accused or indicted of a criminal and will remove the certification of an officer who is convicted of a felony.” “The list of suspended officers will be updated as these instances develop and/or are resolved,” the statement reads.
According to Zuniga, suspended cops may challenge the ruling. If not, the officer’s certification will be revoked and the suspension will continue until POST decides whether to resolve the matter definitively.
Here is a list of some of the suspensions
- Devon Bones, Holyoke Police Department
- Bryan Custadio, Fall River Police Department
- Leon Davis, Springfield Police Department
- Ernest Fontaine, Fitchburg State University Police Department
- Keith O’Donnell, Somerville Police Department
- Brian Pomeroy, West Springfield Police Department
- Joseph Ponzo, Stoneham Police Department
- James Quilty, Natick Police Department
- Kevin Rooney, Watertown Police Department
- Matthew Sheehan, Massachusetts State Police
- Colby Turner, Worcester Police Department
- David Forte, Needham Police Department
- Kevin Garneau, Lowell Police Department
- Nicholas Hoar, Fall River Police Department
- Tomas Morales, Woburn Police Department
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