PEABODY — A recent decision from a Massachusetts police oversight commission revoked former Peabody Police officer James Festa’s certification as an officer.
On Aug. 15, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission issued its final decision regarding Festa, officially ruling that he “is not fit for duty as an officer and is dangerous to the public.”
The POST Commission certifies police officers and allows them to work in law enforcement in Massachusetts, according to its website.
“The POST Commission can limit or revoke (cancel) an officer’s certification if they haven’t met certain requirements or if they engage in certain misconduct,” the website reads.
The POST Commission’s final decision upheld its initial decision, which was issued on July 2, because Festa did not object to it within the allotted 30 days, according to the decision.
On Aug. 10, 2022, Festa was on duty and in full uniform as an officer of the Peabody Police Department, according to the decision and the order to show cause, which outline the allegations of misconduct against him.
While on duty, Festa received a radio call from dispatch regarding a suspicious motor vehicle in the area he was assigned to patrol at the time, falsely reported he was “en route” to the call, and drove his department-issued cruiser to the “house of an individual with whom he had a personal relationship” in Lynn, according to the decision.
The decision further stated that Festa “refused to leave the individual’s home” after being asked to do so and was “untruthful” to the Lynn Police officers who responded to the individual’s home.
Peabody Police Chief Thomas Griffin said the department opened an investigation into Festa’s misconduct.
The decision stated the department notified the POST Commission on Aug. 11, 2022 that it had opened an internal-affairs investigation into the matter.
The department’s third-party investigator completed a report and concluded that Festa had violated 19 department rules and regulations, according to the decision.
Festa was issued a notice of immediate suspension dated Jan. 11, 2023 and he resigned from his position at the department “on or about” Oct. 31, 2023, according to the decision.
“It’s not something that we can condone at the Police Department,” Griffin said. “I don’t think somebody who does something like that should be a police officer, whether it’s here or anywhere else, and that’s why we took the position we did.
“The public needs to trust that we’re going to do the right thing when situations like this arise, and I think the path taken was the right direction,” he added.
Festa has until Sept. 14, 30 days after the issuance of the final decision on Aug. 15, to appeal the decision to Superior Court.
