New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
In total, 46 Massachusetts State Troopers have been cited for prosecution for alleged overtime abuse involving troopers who were paid but allegedly did not actually work. 10 of the troopers have been charged criminally by Attorney General Maura Healey, and 8 of those 10 have been sentenced after they were convicted.
Massachusetts State Police are now seeking to terminate 22 troopers in connection with the overtime scandal but has decided not to release their names. 13 of these 22 troopers were active during the entire investigation, 9 of them were suspended without pay. Massachusetts State Police Colonel Christopher S. Mason said will be seeking restitution of an undisclosed amount, from the 22 troopers, however, so far only one of these 8 troopers, former Lt. David Wilson, has been ordered to serve 200 hours of community service and pay restitution in the amount of $18,994.
Massachusetts State Police Colonel Christopher S. Mason said they intend to recoup the lost money “dollar for dollar” for shifts not worked as well as financial penalties.
The decision not to release the names was announced during a press conference held by the Massachusetts State Police, but that this decision was not a final one and that they may release those names to the public at the conclusion of the disciplinary process.
State police spokesman David Procopio said during the conference, “We now have to weigh the best use of our resources, and we have determined that the best use of our Internal Affairs and Staff Inspections units going forward is to resolve these cases, some of the other high profile cases you are aware of, and to ensure compliance moving forward with time and attendance regulations, supervisory policies, and other enhancements to our improved systems of ensuring accountability.”
State police investigators believe that the overtime scandal does not go back before 2015 and therefore will not be investigating any possible abuse that may have happened before then.
