MEDFIELD, MA - The police chief for the Medfield Police Department (MPD) has been placed on paid administrative leave effective Wednesday, September 23, amid allegations that she violated department policies.
The town of Medfield did not specify what policies Medfield Police Chief Michelle Guerette allegedly violated, but it has hired an outside investigator to look into the allegations, Boston.com reported, citing a press release. Records from the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission show that Guerette is certified through September 2028.
Medfield officials stated that the police department would "operate under its existing command structure" during Guerette's leave with no disruption to police services. They also said that the town will "continue to act in compliance" with POST Commission requirements.
"The town of Medfield is firmly committed to maintaining the highest standards for its law enforcement personnel,” officials said in the press release. “We take all allegations of misconduct with the utmost seriousness and handle them in accordance with established policies and procedures." Guerette was hired in 2019 and is currently working under a three-year contract valid through June 2027, records show.
Prior to becoming Medfield's police chief, she was a captain at the Providence Police Department. She was also at the center of a 2022 investigation, which found that several officers were regularly sleeping on the job and hiding from active patrols during night shifts. Shortly after the Medfield Select Board revealed the investigation's findings, the union representing the officers filed an unfair labor lawsuit and attributed the misconduct to shortcomings on Guerette's part.
Guerette allegedly let department staffing levels fall so low that officers were forced into double shifts multiple times a week, causing exhaustion. The union said that she was aware of the staffing issues since she was hired but failed to address them.
The union further alleged that Guerette unfairly tried to fire two officers and targeted union officials as a result of the investigation. It also claimed that she weaponized the police department's video system "to conduct improper surveillance."
"Instead of taking proactive measures to improve the situation, she initiated inappropriate investigations targeting union officials who spoke out about the problem,” the union wrote in 2022. “The officers of the Medfield Police Department have lost trust in the Chief’s ability to manage this department."
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