Drug testing part of new Braintree police contracts

The town council approved a three-year contract with its police unions that includes a provision for random drug testing. September 22, 2017 BRAINTREE – New contracts with town police unions call for officers to undergo random drug testing. The contracts, with the Braintree Police Superior Officers Association and the Braintree Police Officers Asso...

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Charge stands in Framingham police evidence room case


The former supervisor of the police department's evidence room remains on track to face trial on two felony charges after a judge refused to dismiss allegations he abused his position for personal gain. Enter Article DATE HERE Middlesex Superior Court Judge Thomas P. Billings last week denied a request to drop the charge, finding a grand jury ...

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"We got you": Arrest in 1992 cold case slaying of Mass. teacher's aide Lisa Ziegert


Last year, Gulluni released a computer-generated rendering of a suspect using new technology that analyzed the DNA to predict the suspect's physical characteristics. September 18, 2017 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Massachusetts prosecutors say they've made an arrest in the slaying of a middle school teacher's aide 25 years ago. A court on Friday issued an...

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Alleging 'government corruption' in drug lab, evidence room scandals, Springfield drug defendant files $5.7 million federal lawsuit


Farak reported smoking crack in the bathroom at the lab all morning and pilfered some LSD before lunch September 6, 2017 SPRINGFIELD -- A civil rights lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court combines nearly every recent high-profile law enforcement scandal in the region -- which, according to the complaint, collided to unfairly put one man behind bars...

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Alleging 'government corruption' in drug lab, evidence room scandals, Springfield drug defendant files $5.7 million federal lawsuit

A civil rights lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court combines nearly every recent high-profile law enforcement scandal in the region September 5, 2017 SPRINGFIELD -- A civil rights lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court combines nearly every recent high-profile law enforcement scandal in the region -- which, according to the complaint, collided to unf...

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Judge, lawyers: State dragging feet on Amherst drug lab scandal

Even as prosecutors scramble to address state drug laboratory misconduct that could undermine upwards of 18,000 cases statewide, a judge has lambasted law enforcement officials for their handling of the case September 2, 2017 AMHERST — Even as prosecutors scramble to address state drug laboratory misconduct that could undermine upwards of 18,000 ca...

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Editorial Calls for Comprehensive Review of Drug Convictions Involving Amherst Crime Lab

A similar scandal in another Massachusetts crime lab, in which chemist Annie Dookhan was convicted of evidence tampering, resulted in the dismissal of 20,000 drug cases. August 27, 2017 In an editorial on Wednesday, the Daily Hampshire Gazette urged Massachusetts lawmakers to allocate funds for a comprehensive review of drug convictions based on ev...

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West Springfield Police Capt. Daniel Spaulding on paid leave amid evidence room probe

The approximately $18,000, sources agreed, remained unaccounted for from three separate drug cases. August 18, 2017 WEST SPRINGFIELD - The mayor and police chief today confirmed that the second highest-ranking official in the police department has been placed on indefinite paid administrative leave amid an investigation into "discrepancies" involvi...

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Ex-cop Alan Dubeshter indicted in Framingham Police evidence room theft


A former Framingham Police officer who was in charge of the department's evidence room is now facing criminal charges after authorities said he used his access to steal $20,000 from the department nearly a year and a half ago. January 26, 2017 FRAMINGHAM - A former Framingham Police officer who was in charge of the department's evidence room is now...

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Ex-cop Alan Dubeshter indicted in Framingham Police evidence room theft


A former Framingham Police officer who was in charge of the department's evidence room is now facing criminal charges after authorities said he used his access to steal $20,000 from the department nearly a year and a half ago. Enter Article DATE HERE FRAMINGHAM - A former Framingham Police officer who was in charge of the department's evidence...

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Kevin Burnham's widow gives up retirement annuity to mitigate theft from Springfield Police Department

He died of an apparent suicide while under criminal indictment for allegedly stealing almost $400,000 from the Springfield Police Department's evidence room. August 10, 2017 SPRINGFIELD -- The widow of Kevin Burnham has agreed to relinquish the balance of Burnham's retirement annuity after he died of an apparent suicide while under criminal indictm...

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Framingham officer accused of stealing money wants charge dropped

Police officer accused of stealing money from the department's evidence room August 10, 2017 FRAMINGHAM — With his case scheduled to go to trial next month, an ex-Framingham police officer accused of stealing money from the department's evidence room is asking a judge to drop one of the charges against him. A lawyer representing former evidence roo...

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Even secondhand exposure to fentanyl is dangerous

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic drug that's not only dangerous to the user, but for everyone nearby, including first responders. August 5, 2017 (WWLP) – Saturday, three police officers in the Boston suburb of Chelsea were affected by second hand exposure to Fentanyl. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic drug that's not only dangerous to the user, but ...

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These two Massachusetts police departments said it would take more than 30 hours to check evidence rooms for untested rape kits

They were also the only two departments that said they would need to charge a fee for the information. July 12, 2017 Most police departments questioned by MassLive about the number of untested rape kits among items in the evidence room shelves were able to produce an answer quickly and free of cost, but two departments said it would take hours of w...

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DA notifies defense attorneys on Dracut police evidence lapses

The Middlesex District  Attorney is now providing every person with an active criminal case out of the Dracut Police Department a copy of a private audit showing that years of neglect and mismanagement led to a litany of mistakes in the department's evidence control practices. July 9, 2017 DA notifies defense attorneys on Dracut police evidenc...

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Medford Officer Pleads Guilty To Stealing Evidence In Murder At Stoneham Residence

A Medford Police Officer from Stoneham pled guilty Monday to two counts of witness intimidation in connection with taking evidence Enter Article DATE HERE STONEHAM, MA — A Medford Police Officer from Stoneham pled guilty Monday to two counts of witness intimidation in connection with taking evidence and lying to investigators during the invest...

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State AG investigating West Springfield police evidence room procedures

The Attorney General's office is now in charge of the evidence room investigation. June 26, 2017 WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Massachusetts Attorney General's office is investigating a possible money issue in the West Springfield Police evidence room. Police Chief Ronald Campurciani told 22News that during an internal audit there were some ...

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DEA seizes 50 kilograms of fentanyl precursor in Northborough valued at $570 million

It is believed that this represents the DEA's largest seizure of a fentanyl precursor in the New England Region in recent years,'' according to a statement by the US attorney's office. June 9, 2017 About 50 kilograms of a fentanyl precursor with a potential street value of $570 million was seized by federal and local law enforcement in Northborough...

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Massachusetts Supreme Court dismisses 21,000 drug convictions following chemist misconduct

Beyond the over 21,000 cases likely to be dismissed, another 500 to 700 convictions would most likely not be vacated April 21, 2017 JURIST] The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court  on Thursday formally approved the dismissal [press release] of over 21,000 drug convictions that were deemed [order, PDF] to be "tainted" by a former state chemist...

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New drug kits save police dogs from opioid overdoses

inhaling powerful opioids can be deadly, so officers have a new tool to protect their four-legged partners: naloxone, a drug that has already been used for years to reverse overdoses in humans. June 7, 2017 BOSTON — Police dogs simply follow their noses to sniff out narcotics. But inhaling powerful opioids can be deadly, so officers have a new tool...

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Dead officer’s pension in jeopardy, A.G. drops charges

The Attorney General found evidence that Burnham tainted 170 different drug cases June 6, 2017 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Former Springfield police officer Kevin Burnham died an innocent man in the eyes of the law. The Attorney General's office told the I-Team, the larceny charges against Burnham will be dropped. It's unclear whether Burnham signe...

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Ex-Springfield police officer Kevin Burnham died before pleading guilty

Burnham allegedly stole $400,000 from evidence room June 6, 2017 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – It was a tragic ending to the life of a retired Springfield Police Officer, who had been accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the police department's evidence room. Kevin Burnham allegedly stole nearly $400,000, between 2009 and 2014. H...

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Warrant issued for ex-officer after failing to show up in court

Retired Officer Kevin Burnham was supposed to have change-of-plea hearing June 5, 2017 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A warrant has been issued for the arrest of former Springfield police officer charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars, after he failed to show up in court for a change-of-plea hearing Monday. The hearing for Kevin Burnha...

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Ex-Springfield cop accused of stealing from evidence room back in court

Ex-Springfield cop accused of stealing nearly $400K from evidence room May 31 ,2017 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A judge has denied an attorney's request for a re-continuance in the case of an ex-Springfield police officer accused of stealing nearly $400,000 from the police department's evidence room. Retired Springfield Police Officer Kevin Burnham...

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Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to Vacate 21,587 Drug Conviction Cases

The cases handled by Sonja Farak—a former drug lab chemist in Amherst, Mass, who in 2014 was convicted of stealing and using drugs from the state laboratory where she worked for years—are still pending. The next wave of dismissals could include 18K or more tainted cases. April 20, 2017 This morning, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Cour...

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Ex-Framingham Cop's Larceny Trial Scheduled For September

A 31-year veteran Framingham Police officer accused of stealing more than $20,000 in cash from the department's evidence room May 23, 2017 FRAMINGHAM, MA - A 31-year veteran Framingham Police officer accused of stealing more than $20,000 in cash from the department's evidence room nearly two years ago is scheduled for a September trial. In Middlese...

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Framingham Police Evidence-Room Scandal An Issue — Again

Framingham Police Department's former evidence room officer and the discovery of a "hidden key'' to the evidence room was raised in court on Tuesday by the defense attorney for a Framingham man charged with drug trafficking. Enter Article DATE HERE WOBURN, MA -- The fallout from the scandal created by the alleged theft of money by the Framingh...

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Audit shows 'years of neglect' of evidence at Dracut P.D.


The Police Department's failure to follow numerous evidence policy requirements, leading to the mishandling of property and evidence, illuminates "years of neglect" and are part of systemic issues within the agency May 6, 2017 DRACUT -- The Police Department's failure to follow numerous evidence policy requirements, leading to the mishandling of pr...

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Framingham chief pressed on evidence room at Town Meeting

Police Chief Ken Ferguson on Thursday sought to reassure residents that new measures are in place to safeguard the department's evidence room Enter Article DATE HERE FRAMINGHAM — Facing questions about thefts within his department, Police Chief Ken Ferguson on Thursday sought to reassure residents that new measures are in place to safeguard th...

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Prosecutors Overturn More Than 21,000 Drug Convictions In Wake Of Massive Drug Lab Misconduct

Dookhan's prolific fakery resulted in a list of 40,000 cases possibly tainted by her work. Enter Article DATE HERE Back in 2012, it was discovered that a Massachusetts state drug lab technician had falsified thousands of tests submitted as evidence in criminal cases. Technician Annie Dookhan was able to "produce" three times as many test resul...

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Ex-cop accused of evidence locker theft was back in court Monday


A retired Springfield police officer accused of stealing nearly $400,000 from the department's evidence locker was in court again April 15, 2017 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A retired Springfield police officer accused of stealing nearly $400,000 from the department's evidence locker was in court again on Monday. Kevin Burnham was only briefly in th...

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Medical issues postpone trial date for retired Springfield police officer Kevin Burnham


Medical issues postpone trial date for retired Springfield police officer Kevin Burnham March 20, 2017 Springfield-Kevin Burnham, retired Springfield police officer, appears in Hampden County Superior Court where his case was continued until March.  Burnham is facing charges with stealing nearly $385,000 in cash from the police department's ev...

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Trial date Monday for retired Springfield Police Detective Kevin Burnham, accused of stealing nearly $400,000 from evidence room


Monday is the trial date for retired Springfield Detective Kevin Burnham, accused of stealing nearly $400,000 from the Police Department's evidence room over four and a half years March 17, 2017 SPRINGFIELD -- Monday is the trial date for retired Springfield Detective Kevin Burnham, accused of stealing nearly $400,000 from the Police Department's e...

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Lawrence police officer placed on leave


Regardless, police policy requires officers to deposit items they seize into evidence lockers at headquarters. March 1, 2017 LAWRENCE -- An 18-year veteran of the police force has been put on paid leave while the department investigates an allegation that he seized a legally registered handgun during a traffic stop last month and took the weapon ho...

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Framingham officer admitted to stealing money, state says


An audit later determined that approximately $70,000 was missing, according to Healey's office March 1, 2017 RAMINGHAM — A veteran police officer who supervised the department's evidence room admitted in 2015 to stealing money under his care, according to new records filed in court Wednesday. Former patrolman Alan Dubeshter allegedly told several c...

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After scandal, Braintree's new police chief envisions new kind of evidence room


In the last year alone, officials in Mass have investigated allegations of evidence room misconduct in police departments in Westford, Adams, Lee, Springfield, Framingham and Braintree, according to a running list maintained by the International Association for Property And Evidence Inc., one of the few organizations that train police on evidence h...

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Investigation into Missing Money from Westford Police Evidence Room Nearly Done


On August 14, 2015, money from "closed criminal cases" stored in a locked evidence room was discovered missing. Enter Article DATE HERE An investigation by the Attorney General's Office into missing money from the Westford Police Department evidence room is nearing its completion, Town Manager Jodi Ross said. On August 14, 2015, money from "cl...

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Vigiard Sentenced To 10-12 Years In State Prison On Child Pornography Charges


He was arrested for downloading and viewing the video inside of the Adams Police Station evidence room. December 20, 2016 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A former Adams police officer will spend the next decade behind bars. Alan Vigiard pleaded guilty in Berkshire Superior Court to two counts of possession of child pornography and a single count of disseminati...

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Town Of Westford Says Money Went Missing From Police Evidence Room


the town said the money was from closed criminal cases, and had been stored in the locked evidence room. Enter Article DATE HERE WESTFORD (CBS) — An investigation was opened over a year ago into the disappearance of an undisclosed amount of money from the Westford Police Department evidence room, the town of Westford said Thursday. In a statem...

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I-Team: Police departments neglecting evidence room audits


Retired State Police Detective: "To be a new chief or a new evidence officer and not have an outside audit is foolish" November 17, 2016 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - A retired Springfield police officer will stand trial in December for allegedly stealing nearly $400,000 from the police evidence room.  The 22News I-Team reveals if police departm...

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Braintree police evidence room to be moved following scandal


The Braintree Police evidence room will be relocated and additional safeguards installed, the town council was told Tuesday night. November 16, 2016 RAINTREE – The police department's evidence room will be moved to the former pistol range on the lower level of the police station, Mayor Joseph Sullivan told the town council Tuesday night. Interim Po...

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How often should police evidence lockups be audited?


A retired Springfield officer will stand trial next month for allegedly stealing nearly $400,000 from the police evidence room. November 14, 2016 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - When police make an arrest, often times they confiscate evidence to be used to support charges against a defendant in court.  Depending on the crime, that evidence could b...

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Framingham police discover ‘hide-a-key’ that permitted unrecorded access to evidence room


The Middlesex District Attorney's Office is notifying defendants that the Framingham police discovered a "hide-a-key" that permitted unrecorded access to their evidence room, according to statements from prosecutors and police. November 5, 2016 The Middlesex District Attorney's Office is notifying defendants that the Framingham police discovered a ...

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Massachusetts uses DNA test to predict a cold case killer's appearance


Capital Region District Attorneys weigh in on the new technology October 16, 2016 Massachusetts investigators moved forward on a 24-year-old cold case in late September after a Virginia lab used DNA evidence to predict the appearance of the woman's killer. As encouraging as that may sound — having a "face to this crime" in the words of that county ...

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Former police officer, addict to talk at East Hartford opioid forum Friday


In September 2014 Foley pleaded guilty to tampering with substances, two counts of possession of cocaine and OxyContin, and two counts of larceny of an illicit drug. He was charged in August 2013 after an internal and state police investigation found he had been stealing drugs seized from other crimes and stored in the department's evidence locker....

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Sullivan gives update on Braintree Police evidence scandal


Sullivan told the council that both a review being supervised by Town Solicitor Lisa Maki and an investigation of the evidence room by investigators from the state attorney general's office will continue. October 6, 2016 BRAINTREE – Only one town councilor asked a question as Mayor Joseph Sullivan appeared before the council Tuesday night to give a...

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Interim police chief named in Braintree


Move comes after 5 Investigates first reported missing drugs, money from department evidence room​ Oct 03, 2016 BRAINTREE, Mass. —5 Investigates has learned Paul Shastany, the former police chief in Stoughton, will be named the interim police chief in Braintree. The town has also hired retired Boston Police Superintendent-in-Chief Dan Linskey to he...

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1686 Hits

Time to get serious about protecting evidence


The evidence room at the Braintree Police Departmentseems to have been about as well organized as a household junk drawer —an emblem of shoddy leadership by department command staff and, even more, of the sorry state of the officer left in charge. September 28, 2016 The evidence room at the Braintree Police Department seems to have been about as we...

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Lee Police Officer Resigns Amid Evidence Theft Investigation


A police officer has resigned while being investigated for allegedly stealing evidence September 23, 2016 LEE, Mass. — A police officer has resigned while being investigated for allegedly stealing evidence.  The district attorney's office says Ryan Lucy, one of two evidence officers for the Lee Police Department, resigned and entered substance...

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Braintree deputy police chief is placed on leave in evidence room scandal


Hinds said that "what the mayor is doing is nothing more than finger-pointing and trying to cover his own" position. September 27, 2016 Braintree's deputy police chief was placed on leave Monday amid continued fallout from a department evidence room scandal that has forced prosecutors to drop dozens of criminal cases. Mayor Joseph C. Sullivan place...

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