Wicked Local
Although the Middlesex DA’s office said two members of the Newton Police fired their weapons during a fatal encounter Jan. 5, a department spokesman on Feb. 11 said four male employees are on temporary paid administrative leave.
According to the DA, two members of the Newton Police shot resident Michael Conlon, who was holding a knife, above the candy store Indulge! at 16 Lincoln St., in Newton. He later died of his injuries at Newton-Wellesley Hospital.
Lt. Bruce Apotheker said that three Newton Police officers and one sergeant were still on leave as of Feb. 11.
Of the four, two officers with more than 10 years of experience were the ones who fired their weapons during the encounter with Conlon, Apotheker said. He did not answer a question as to why the sergeant and third officer were also on leave.
Wicked Local
Job dissatisfaction and frustration with local leadership topped police survey results revealed during the Newton Police Reform Task Force’s recent presentation to the City Council.
Before delving into recommendations for the future of the department, the task force and consulting firm Strategy Matters went over feedback from the survey, which was given to sworn and civilian employees.
Of the entire force (as of June 2020 there were 141 uniformed officers) and civilian employees, 44 responded to the survey. Of the 44, 26 identified themselves as officers and 10 as civilian staff (the rest had other departmental positions).
A majority (43.9 percent) said they were “dissatisfied” with the department as a place to work. Some reasons included a “Lack of support from the mayor, city council and community,” the facilities, and “Lack of confidence in NPD leadership and management.” These factors have undermined morale, according to the report.
Wicked Local
The city’s Police Reform Task Force on Friday said it was “not able, at this time, to speak in one voice” about how a police-involved fatal shooting on Jan. 5, should inform its recommendations to Mayor Ruthanne Fuller.
“We continue to deliberate over this tragedy and are working hard to make sure that our recommendations incorporate the most useful lessons we can learn going forward,” the task force said via email.
However, when asked if they would request an extension to turn in their ideas due to the fatal shooting, they said, “We are on course to give our recommendations to Mayor Fuller by Feb. 1, with the formal report to follow shortly afterwards.”
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Community Content
Mayor Ruthanne Fuller recently announced staff changes in her office. The following is what she wrote in her email to the City:
“When I was campaigning for mayor four years ago, I knocked on doors and spoke with residents from every village in our city. I heard what our neighbors already loved about Newton and their hopes and aspirations for a better Newton in the future. A theme that emerged was that many in our city wanted to find ways to feel more connected, both to City Hall and to one another. When I was elected and deciding how to structure staffing in the mayor’s office, I wanted a member of my team dedicated to working on bringing us together in the city and I created the position of director of community engagement and inclusion.
Wicked Local
Although members of the public said they wanted more transparency from Newton officers during the latest Police Reform Task Force meeting on Dec. 22, there was no discussion about what law enforcement is and is not allowed to do in regard to releasing information.
Strategy Matters, consultants that “work with mission-driven organizations to develop creative solutions to complex problems, and to help them meet their goals,” according to its website, is being paid $200,000 to help the task force with its work.
Liz O’Connor, founder and principal of the company, told participants they could go into Zoom “breakout rooms” to discuss various topics, including overcoming systemic racism, policing and community priorities, addressing public health concerns, and nuisance concerns. There was no discussion ahead of time about laws, union rules or other factors that could limit what reform suggestions may or may not be feasible.