Arbitrator Ruling Upheld in Favor of Former Newton Police Chief

NEWTON, MA - A Middlesex Superior Court judge upheld an arbitrator's finding that the mayor acted improperly in firing former Newton Police Chief Matthew Cummings in 2012.

According to court documents cited by the Newton TAB, the judge backed the arbitrator's ruling that the city must repay Cummings in lost salary and benefits.

Newton Mayor Setti Warren fired Cummings for "conduct unbecoming" in 2012 after an investigation and subsequent hearing determined there was sufficient evidence that he had verbally berated his secretary and kicked her in the foot.

At the hearing the secretary, Jeanne Sweeney Mooney, testified that in 2010 Cummings called her a "bitch" and told her she "looked like a whore" in separate incidents.

But in 2013, an arbitrator ruled that the city must reinstate Cummings and grant him backpay for the year that he had been gone.

The city appealed the decision and a judge remanded it back to the arbitrator, who once again ruled in favor of Cummings.

The city filed a second appeal, but on Friday a judge upheld the arbitrator's original ruling.

Meanwhile Cummings has also filed a separate federal lawsuit against the city, requesting $600,000 in damages for breach of contract.

Mooney has also brought a lawsuit against Mayor Warren, Cummings, the city and two former police officers, alleging she was charged with larceny as retaliation for her testimony against Cummings.

Mooney was acquitted of those charges in 2013.