The investigative report found shocking details about White’s alleged domestic abuse, as well as larger, systemic problems in BPD. The Boston Globe provides a detailed list of ‘11 disturbing revelations’ but four items stuck out to us:
- Blue Wall of Silence: The investigator reached out to 21 witnesses and only 7 of them cooperated. Only 7.
- City Hall Attempted to Stop the Investigation: city government’s top officials reached out to the investigator, demanded she terminate the investigation, and then later reversed this decision and told the investigation to continue.
- Records missing and ruling changed: The investigation revealed that multiple police reports in the 1990s detailing the domestic abuse allegations 'disappeared’ from police headquarters. Similarly, an internal affairs ruling that sustained the allegations against then officer White was changed for unknown reasons.
- Officers who stood up were punished: The officers assigned to Domestic Violence work that compiled the police reports detailing the allegations against White were “retaliated against” and transferred to different units.
Why does it matter?
The problems we hear about with policing across the country are deeply rooted in Boston’s police department. Domestic violence, coverups, retaliations, evidence tampering, collusion with city hall— all of it was found by this investigation.
The Boston Police will not change on their own. As recently as this spring, they have refused to cooperate with investigators, choosing instead to hide behind the blue wall of silence. We need continued pressure to enact meaningful change in this city.
With White out of the picture, Boston can’t go "back to normal." Who leads the Boston Police Department matters and we need real civilian oversight in the hiring process for the next commissioner. It’s our city, we should choose.
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