​Medfield Police League (MCP Local 257) Public Statement

Medfield Police League Public Statement:

The Medfield Police League - Massachusetts Coalition of Police Local 257 – announced today that it is calling on the Medfield Select Board to immediately address and remedy a crisis in the Medfield Police Department that is a potential threat to public safety in this community.

This crisis was brought upon the MPD by Police Chief Michelle Guerette and has led to an alarming and unprecedented rate of departures by officers and other employees. MassCOP Local 257 (the Medfield Police League) announced in June that its members had lost faith in the ability of Chief Guerette to effectively lead.

Today we extend our concern to the leadership and decision making of Town Administrator Kristine Trierweiler – who continues to empower Chief Guerette as the Medfield Police Department rapidly declines.

It is important for the entire community of Medfield to be aware that their police department – since the appointment of Chief Guerette in 2019 – has seen the departure of 23 officers, dispatchers and other employees.

Since 2019 six dispatchers, 11 patrol officers, four sergeants, a deputy chief, and an administrative assistant have all either transferred to other departments, resigned, retired or took early retirement from the Medfield Police Department. Several of these former MPD staff members even resigned before having other employment secured or lined up. Talented and dedicated law enforcement professionals who were part of the MPD are now employed in more than a half dozen other Massachusetts communities. In some cases, the departures were a direct result of Chief Guerette’s poor leadership and management style.

The Medfield Police Department – prior to the tenure of Chief Guerette – had never experienced anything close to this shocking flight of employees. In fact, it is possible there is no other department in the entire Commonwealth that has experienced such a staffing crisis.

National standards are 2.4 officers per thousand. Local standards are 1.7 officers per thousand. Medfield is a town with 13,000 residents which means the community should have 22 officers. We have nine.

There is no court officer. No school resource officer. And no detective. One officer is covering all three of these positions as well as working patrol shifts. Many of the departures began to happen not long after Chief Guerette took over the MPD. They have continued for several years at a disturbing pace.

This is not simply a temporary staffing shortage. This is a serious public safety crisis.

All Medfield police officers remain fiercely committed to their sworn duty to protect and serve this community. Regardless of the town administrator and police chiefs’ inability to provide effective leadership, our dedicated officers will continue to provide the highest quality service to the community – to the absolute best of their ability with the limited resources provided by the town.

Make no mistake. The Town of Medfield faces a grave situation with the staffing crisis at the MPD. The Select Board MUST take immediate action to change the course of the Medfield Police Department and demand accountability and real leadership from Chief Guerette.