Arlington Police Lt. Richard Pedrini To Return To Work

ARLINGTON, MA – Arlington Police Lt. Richard Pedrini has completed the restorative justice process and can now return to work, town officials announced Friday. Pedrini was placed on administrative leave in October after writing a series of controversial columns in a trade newsletter.

The three columns in the Massachusetts Police Association magazine The Sentinel called for officers to meet "violence with violence." Pedrini also slammed the criminal justice system, elected officials and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

"I am sick and tired of the social justice warriors telling us how to do our jobs," one column read. "It's time we forget about 'restraint', 'measured responses', 'procedural justice', 'de-escalation', 'stigma-reduction', and other feel-good BS that is getting our officers killed. Let's stop lipsynching, please! Let's meet violence with violence and get the job done."

The MPA later pulled Pedrini's columns, which he said were intended to be "tongue-in-cheek political satire" for MPA members and "not meant to be taken word for word."

In February, Pedrini reached an agreement with Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine and Acting Police Chief Julie Flaherty during what the town called a "restorative circle." The circle, overseen by Communities for Restorative Justice Inc., is a process that recognizes that an offense or crime is a violation of people and relationships, not always simply a violation of rules or laws.

Pedrini participated in a series of meetings with representatives of the immigrant community, Mystic Valley NAACP, religious community and law enforcement community, as well as municipal officials and Town Meeting members.

Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine's office said Pedrini heard comments from more than 100 community members, both in person and in writing. He will now take a number of additional restorative steps, including writing a public apology, and face disciplinary measures within the police department.

Pedrini will return to work under the supervision of Acting Police Chief Julie Flaherty, who will be responsible for enforcing the terms of his return.

Chapdelaine's office said the restorative justice process was offered to Pedrini because he "expressed remorse for, and acknowledged the harm created by, his comments, and because those comments did not reflect his record and performance as a police officer."

"The Town of Arlington has no tolerance for the type of employee behavior exhibited by Lt. Pedrini, which is at odds with the progressive programs and policies championed by the Town and Police Department," Chapdelaine's office said in a statement. "We believe that this innovative approach to addressing the matter is just, expressive of our abhorrence of such behavior, and useful in advancing the goals of respectfulness and inclusion in our civic life."