Particle.news
Download on the App Store

POST Commission Declines Probe of Boston Police Commissioner, Citing Civilian Status

The board will revisit rules for civilian overseers following a request to discipline Michael Cox, including a bid to add him to a Brady list.

Overview

  • Massachusetts’ POST Commission said Michael Cox is classified by the city as a civilian executive, so he is not subject to the agency’s certification or disciplinary process for sworn officers.
  • Executive Director Enrique Zuniga told attorney Alan Jackson the commission has not required non-sworn executives to obtain law enforcement certification under current practice.
  • The commission said it will re-examine its policies on how civilian authorities who oversee police agencies are treated under POST rules.
  • Jackson, who represented Karen Read, asked for a disciplinary review and Brady listing for Cox, citing a reported FBI email referencing former officer Kelly Dever and a Cox calendar entry showing a meeting with her.
  • Dever testified Cox told her to tell the truth and later resigned from BPD, while Cox publicly denied involvement in the Read case; Read was acquitted of murder and convicted only of drunken driving.