Rep. Introduces Bill That Would Examine Police Shootings

SUDBURY, MA — Sometimes, police department conflicts or situations develop, and might take years to sort out, explains Rep. Carmine Gentile. And also, there are the unfortunate situations where an officer has shot a suspect and the shooting calls for an examination of the incident.

Rep. Gentile, who represents Sudbury, Framingham, Wayland and Marlborough, proposed legislation recently that calls for an independent board to examine shootings, and would also enable police officers and other police staff to seek relief from wrongful conduct or practices through the review board - without having to hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit.

Read the entire current text of the bill here.

The Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security heard the bill on Feb. 4.

"I testified before the Committee that day," said Rep. Gentile. "One Committee member noted that there were not many police representatives on the proposed board. I prepared and filed the bill in response to requests from constituents and my own observations over many years. We are fortunate in Massachusetts to have some excellent police departments. Certainly, the Boston police department and local departments in Framingham, Marlborough, Sudbury and Wayland (to name just a few) are well managed and provide excellent service to residents. However, from time to time problems develop in a particular department and sometimes take years to sort our and allow that department to get on track."

The proposed legislation, in addition to examining shootings, would also enable police officers and other police staff to seek relief from wrongful conduct or practices through the review board - without having to hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit, he explained.

"The proposed bill would greatly change the status quo in Massachusetts regarding both shootings and wrongful practices or behaviors within departments," said Rep. Gentile. "Just as a resident might go to the MCAD for relief if she or he believes they were discriminated against a police officer could seek relief if she or he believed that they were being treated wrongfully in their department. A case in point was the State Trooper who arrested Whitey Bulger at the airport many years ago. His life was made so miserable that he killed himself. Perhaps, if the proposed review board existed back then it might have helped him and he would be alive today. We don't have a Ferguson in Massachusetts and if we are proactive we won't. "

"I anticipate filing a modified version next year after gathering further input from police and other constituents," said Rep. Gentile.

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