The Canton Police Division audit dropped on the identical day because the Karen Learn retrial began and consists of suggestions on how the crime scene surrounding the physique of sufferer John O’Keefe might have been labored higher.
The entrance yard of 34 Fairview Street in Canton was a hotbed of police and EMS exercise within the early morning hours of Jan. 29, 2022, as Boston Police Officer O’Keefe lay lifeless or dying there.
The dealing with of the crime scene by the native police in these essential early hours has been broadly criticized, with Learn protection seizing on investigative and protocol failures throughout the first trial.
The dying of O’Keefe, a Canton resident, and the controversy surrounding how native police dealt with the scene spurred an area motion to have the division audited. The city inked a deal final October with 5 Stones intelligence, Inc. — the lowercase “i” is a part of the identify — for a “comprehensive and exhaustive Independent Police Audit” to be accomplished by April 30 and at a finances of $198,000.
The 206-page audit delivered by 5 Stones offers with the division as a complete with a scope that included “crime scene protocols, professional standards, accountability processes, organizational structure, and other operational aspects” in addition to a assessment of the funds.
The O’Keefe crime scene
The report wasted no time highlighting its findings of how the Canton Police Division dealt with the O’Keefe crime scene.
The manager abstract of their findings included a number of suggestions:
– The police did not {photograph} O’Keefe’s physique the place it lay earlier than Canton Fireplace EMS members moved him to the ambulance.
– Interviews with crucial witnesses on the scene ought to have been performed on the police division constructing and “Consensual Recorded Witness Interviews” ought to have been made. The report mentions Jennifer McCabe and Kerry Roberts, the 2 girls who found O’Keefe’s physique with Learn, by identify as examples.
– Each Canton and State Police ought to have maintained a presence on the crime scene pending secondary crime scene searches.
– Canton Police ought to have preserved all their surveillance digital camera video recordings whereas Learn’s Lexus SUV, the alleged homicide weapon, “was housed at Canton PD from January 29 through February 2, 2022.” That means, the footage would have been out there for the prosecution and protection.
Low morale
The audit workforce studies it spent about 12 weeks in Canton to guage the day-to-day operations. Whereas there, they interviewed each member of the PD’s employees, which incorporates greater than 40 officers.
In addition they interviewed “key Town of Canton Department Heads” which “highlighted areas of strength and efficiency, areas for potential improvement, and illustrated the professionalism of the Canton PD officers during what has been described as a tumultuous time in the Town of Canton’s history.”
The report notes that there “is a noticeable decrease in morale among department members, largely due to public scrutiny regarding the Canton PD’s handling of the crime scene and the investigation into the death of … O’Keefe.”
“Multiple Canton PD officers have stated that they have experienced harassment from the public while working, spending personal time with their families and children, and during off-duty police details,” the report said, saying that that is spurred on by social media chatter a few “conspiracy and cover-up involving law enforcement and witnesses” within the Learn case.
The report included a number of nameless quotes from officers, together with about low morale within the division: “No one in this town will care about us until one of us gets murdered, even then half the town will probably celebrate that.” The interviewees additionally expressed that they don’t consider they’ve the assist of city officers.
Then again, the audit workforce praised Chief Helena Rafferty’s “leadership style and found her approach and decision-making abilities to be effective.”
Rafferty in June 2022 took over from Kenneth Berkowitz, who was the chief on the time of O’Keefe’s dying and the next investigation.
Total suggestions
– Interview witnesses on the police station “whenever possible” and “as soon as possible after an event.”
– “All patrol vehicles should have full crime scene kits included in evidence collection bags, sealing equipment and digital cameras.”
– “Re-write Canton PD policy and procedure related to utilization and authorization of personal phones to photograph or video crime scenes.”
-“Relinquish 911 and dispatch responsibilities to the Holbrook Dispatch Center or hire full-time officers.”
– “Increase training opportunities for patrol officers, detectives, and sergeants.” That coaching ought to embrace crime scene process, interrogation and witness interviews and proof documentation and assortment.
– “Chief of Investigations Division should review all death investigation police reports.” The report notes that the Canton Police wrote that Canton resident Sandra Birchmore had killed herself, however a later federal investigation confirmed that she had been strangled. Former Stoughton cop Matthew Farwell is federally charged along with her dying.
– “Provide prompt, proportional, and consistent discipline across the department.”
City response
A committee that shaped in response to residents approving the audit at City Assembly in November 2023 will likely be convening after a months-long hiatus on Thursday. The City Assembly vote got here because of a petition pushed by involved residents.
The committee — a chief procurement officer, two members nominated by the petitioners, and two residents at giant — will likely be reviewing an “executive summary” of 5 Stones’ report, the agenda states.
A public assembly is scheduled for Saturday from 2 to five p.m. at Canton Excessive College for a “presentation of the findings and recommendations” of the report. 5 Stones will likely be conducting the roughly 90-minute assessment which will likely be adopted by questions from the general public.
“To take full advantage of this limited opportunity for the public to ask questions of Five Stones, only individual citizens, not members of the media, may come to the microphones,” city officers state. “In addition, no questions intended for the Audit Committee or any Canton elected or appointed public official will be entertained.”
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