Braintree Police Evidence Room to Be Moved

BRAINTREE, MA — As the investigation into the Braintree evidence room continues, changes are coming to the department.

Mayor Joseph Sullivan told the Town Council last week that the room is being moved to the lower level of the police station and $200,000 will be requested to upgrade the room.

Interim Police Chief Paul Shastany added that evidence that was stored outside is now inside and they are now installing countability measures such as cameras on evidence preparation, processing, and storage areas.

Lt. Kevin Ware, who is a law student, is now the public records request official, Shastany said.

Some of the councilors who spoke during the meeting supported the extra funding.

“I know there’ll be other costs but I’m willing to support this and I asked the mayor to make sure we have the funding available to make this a success,” Councilor Charles Kokoros said.

Shastany has been Braintree’s top cop since Oct. 7 and succeeds the recently retired Russell Jenkins.

Earlier this year, an audit of the evidence room determined that nearly $408,000 along with thousands of pieces of evidence were unaccounted for. In early October, Sullivan announced that all but 12 of the 60 missing firearms have been found and about $140,000 in missing cash has been recovered. Sullivan said it is possible that some of the evidence may have been part of evidence room purges in 2009 and 2012.

Shastany served as the Stoughton chief from April 2010 to April 2016.