Why does Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox preserve making an attempt to guard sure very dodgy law enforcement officials, no less than in the event that they occur to be… a sure kind of cop?
Triston Champagnie, Kelly Dever and now a man by the identify of Bryan Augustine.
After skating on all fees since he went on the job in 2018, the BPD has lastly, if belatedly determined to (kind of) self-discipline Augustine.
And all of it occurred simply as a 34-year-veteran Boston police captain was submitting a lawsuit in opposition to Cox and the BPD, during which he accused them of making an attempt to pressure him to broom one of many many circumstances in opposition to Augustine.
The explanation Cox et al. wished the fees decreased in opposition to their favourite cop?
Based on the lawsuit, it was in order that Augustine’s certification wouldn’t be pulled by the Mass Police Officers Requirements and Coaching (POST) Fee. If the POST Fee ever discovered about this incident Gaughan was probing, Cox’s little pet “would probably be terminated, an finish consequence they had been making an attempt to keep away from.”
This civil grievance was filed by BPD Capt. Timothy Gaughan, and he brings the receipts. For some time, he was on Inside Affairs, dealing with one of many many fees in opposition to Augustine.
Based on his swimsuit, Gaughan obtained a name from Cox’s enforcer, Supt.-in-Chief Phil Owens, who informed him “he was calling on behalf of Cox.” Owens requested Gaughan to principally cut back the fees in opposition to Cox’s pet, Augustine.
Then Owens despatched Gaughan a replica of a memo he’d despatched to Cox. You’ll be able to test it out for your self. In it, the 2 severe fees in opposition to Augustine, “Untruthfulness” and “Conduct Unbecoming,” are crossed out. They’re changed with lesser, survivable fees of “Unreasonable Judgment” and “Neglect of Obligation.”
Who scratched out these authentic fees, and for what motive? And why would Cox use his enforcer to deal with the broom job?
From paragraph 55 of Capt. Gaughan’s swimsuit:
“Commissioner Cox tried to defend his involvement within the matter by contacting plaintiff not directly and exerting undue stress on him to alter the character of the fees and supporting narratives. Cox’s goal was to guard a dishonest police officer from being terminated.”
A dishonest police officer!
The Boston Police Division declined to touch upon the swimsuit, or Gaughan’s accusations.
However the BPD did ship a replica of his Officer Resume from Inside Affairs, containing summaries of the “incidents” that Cox was dealing with fees on at the start was simply, uh, labored out.
Some fees had been sustained, the most important ones largely not – wink wink nudge nudge:
In 2020: “Stopped for drag racing in Revere. It’s alleged that Officer Augustine was within the firm of unsavory characters and gave the Trooper a tough time.”
In 2020: “(Redacted) said that Officer Augustine at all times makes use of profanity whereas chatting with him at Egleston the place he and his girlfriend hang around based mostly on the truth that they’re homeless and haven’t any place to remain… A assessment of Officer Stanley Pina (bodycam) confirmed Officer Augustine threw the quotation at (homeless man).”
In 2020: “A tractor-trailer was having a visitors situation on Washington Avenue… (Driver requested for assist) however Officer Augustine didn’t reply. The complainant then approached cruiser (window open) and requested the officer if he had heard the truck driver’s request for help. Based on the complainant, Officer Augustine replied, ‘Go (bleep) your self.’ The officer then drove off.”
In 2022: “Calling in sick when he had exhausted his sick time and trip time… did not report for obligation… he was AWOL for the tour… Officer Augustine has frequently demonstrated a scarcity of attentiveness towards his time and attendance as a Boston Police Officer. His present sample is proof of full unawareness or whole disregard for his actions, inserting his fellow officers and the unit in danger.”
In 2022: Girl leaving police headquarters says cop on steel detector informed her she “appears to be like acquainted… (then) adopted her to her automotive… requested her private questions relating to her background. (Redacted) expressed that she felt the officer was flirting along with her making her really feel uncomfortable.”
In 2023: Whereas out sick, pending a employee’s comp declare, Augustine confirmed up in court docket to defend himself on a motor-vehicle quotation “in a Boston Police Uniform whereas off obligation regarding a private matter. Moreover, Sgt. DeFeo claimed that Officer Augustine fraudulently obtained the inspection sticker for his motorized vehicle.” (Sgt. DeFeo really useful that cost be investigated by the BPD’s anti-corruption unit.)
In 2024: “Officer Augustine gave off-duty Officer Fabian Bustillo and civilian Gabriel Albisu a experience house in a marked BPD cruiser from the Seaport District to Bustillo’s house with the lights and sirens activated.”
To repeat, many of the extra severe fees had been downgraded, however a lot of them had been in a method or one other “sustained.” Two extra complaints in opposition to Augustine stay pending.
As Gaughan’s swimsuit was filed, Cox suspended Augustine for 30 days – “with 15 working days to service, with out pay, and 15 working days held in abeyance for a interval of 1 12 months, for misconduct….”
Based on the lawsuit, Gaughan suffered retaliation as a result of the case he declined to comb below the rug dated again to 2018, when Augustine was nonetheless a probationary police officer and thus had much less job safety.
To punish him, Gaughan says the brass slow-walked his promotion to captain and assigned him to “a poisonous work atmosphere” – the Operations Division.
Cox suffered one other authorized setback in his double requirements of meting out self-discipline final week. That defeat occurred in a federal case involving former officer Joe Abasciano, who was compelled out for tweets he made on Jan. 6, 2021.
Cox fired the MAGA cop, however final December the Civil Service Fee overturned the BPD’s resolution. The BPD appealed to do away with the Trump supporter.
The decide mentioned Cox doesn’t get a second chunk on the apple as a result of the case had already been totally litigated on the state degree.
Attention-grabbing how Cox apparently was determined to guard Augustine on the identical time he wished to fireside Abasciano. I ponder what the distinction is between the 2 cops. Are a couple of tweets worse than all of the above incidents involving Augustine?
Aggrieved cops, preserve these lawsuits coming. Why do I’ve this sense that there are much more Bryan Augustines and Triston Champagnies on the market being coddled by the present BPD brass… for no matter motive?
One final query: why is Commissioner Cox not licensed by the POST Fee? Is he in some way above the requirements he enforces, no less than on a few of his cops?
I requested the BPD, however they by no means obtained again to me. Asking for a good friend….
Order Howie’s new guide, “Mass Corruption: Vol. 1, The Cops” at howiecarrshow.com/retailer.
