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The commission announced the suspensions on Tuesday, Jan 3, as it reviews the backgrounds and training of the state's law enforcement officers. This is a first for the state as the POST Commission was founded following the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, according to NBC Boston.
“POST will suspend the certification of an officer who is arrested, charged or indicted of a felony and will revoke the certification of an officer who is convicted of a felony,” said Enrique Zuniga, Executive Director of Post, in a news release. “The list of suspended officers will be updated periodically as these cases evolve and/or get resolved.”
The first batch of suspensions includes:
- Devon Bones, Holyoke Police Department
- Bryan Custadio, Fall River Police Department
- Leon Davis, Springfield Police Department
- Ernest Fontaine, Fitchburg State University Police Department
- David Forte, Needham Police Department
- Kevin Garneau, Lowell Police Department
- Nicholas Hoar, Fall River Police Department
- Tomas Morales, Woburn Police Department
- Keith O'Donnell, Somerville Police Department
- Brian Pomeroy, West Springfield Police Department
- Joseph Ponzo, Stoneham Police Department
- James Quilty, Natick Police Department
- Kevin Rooney, Watertown Police Department
- Matthew Sheehan, Massachusetts State Police
- Colby Turner, Worcester Police Department
POST did not detail why each officer was suspended. They said some can be benched for failing to complete in-service training requirements within 90 days of being notified, the commission said in its release.
But most of the reasons for these suspensions can be found in old news articles.
Worcester’s Turner was charged with five counts of theft of more than $1,200 and submitting false reimbursement claims, MassLive reported. His attorney said the charges are retribution after he called out improprieties within the department, the news outlet reported via court records.
Springfield's Davis was charged in 2021 with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon against a pregnant victim, CBS Boston reported. Body camera video allegedly shows Davis using his Taser multiple times on the woman who was already on the ground, the report said.
Needham's Forte was charged along with several others in an insider trading scheme last year, according to Wicked Local.
The Fall River Police Department fired Custadio earlier this year after he was charged with domestic violence in 2021, the Fall River Reporter said.
Fall River officer Hoar has pleaded not guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of false reports after he allegedly hit a handcuffed man with his baton in 2020, reports said. The city settled a lawsuit with the alleged victim. Hoar now faces federal charges in the case.
Massachusetts State Sheehan was charged with shooting a man on an ATV during a "chaotic traffic stop" in 2018, according to Boston Magazine. The department indefinitely suspended him in 2019 after he was accused of making racist comments online, per MassLive.
Suspended officers can appeal the decision, Zuniga said. If not, the suspension will remain until POST makes a final decision in the case or it revokes the officer's certification.
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