LYNN — In April 2021, the Essex County District Attorney’s office informed the Lynn Police Department about information regarding improper conduct involving members of the department.
The information was found as a result of a search warrant from the Salem Police Department as part of an investigation into allegations of domestic abuse involving a Lynn police officer.
When the department was informed of this, the Lynn Police Professional Standards Division immediately started an investigation.
The focus of the investigation was text messages between two officers, not a group chat as was previously reported.
The private texts between those two individuals included racially offensive language and evidence of drug use by officers, the Lynn Police Department said in a statement.
Upon review of the text messages, seven officers were placed on administrative leave, the statement said.
“It is the position of the Lynn Police Department that law-enforcement officers must be held to the highest standard of conduct,” the department said in a statement. “Inappropriate behavior, including the use of any racially offensive language, is condemned and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”
During a several-month investigation, five officers, including the two individuals involved in the text exchange, chose to resign.
One officer was terminated following a hearing before a designated hearings officer and two officers were suspended.
“The actions of these individuals do not reflect the core values of this department,” said Police Chief Christopher Reddy. “We believe that the results of this investigation reflect our commitment to transparency and accountability to the people we serve. We are committed to upholding those values.”
The department submitted documentation pertaining to investigations of misconduct and discipline to the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission as required under the 2020 Police Reform Law.
