Special Town Meeting voters back CPD audit
By Mike Berger
A throng of residents arrive at CHS to check in for Special Town Meeting. (Moira Sweetland photo)
In a narrow but consequential victory at Monday night’s Special Town Meeting, a majority of the more than 1,700 residents who packed the CHS auditorium, cafeteria and gymnasium sided with the petitioners in calling for a comprehensive independent audit and compliance review of Canton Police Department operations.
The requested audit, which ultimately passed by a margin of 903-800 following a hand-counted vote, was one of several proposals put forward on the warrant by concerned citizens seeking greater transparency and accountability for Canton’s government leaders.
Several of the other articles — including term limits for Select Board members and a proposed no-confidence vote in the leadership of the CPD and Select Board — were withdrawn without prejudice by article sponsors, meaning they could resurface at a future town meeting.
For the CPD audit, voters supported an amended version of the article prepared by the Finance Committee that was drafted to comply with state procurement laws. The article as approved authorizes the town’s chief procurement officer or designee to seek the services of an independent consulting firm to conduct an “administrative, policy, procedures and compliance review” of the CPD in accordance with all conflict of interest and ethics laws. The process will be overseen by a procurement committee consisting of the chief procurement officer, two members nominated by the petitioners, and two citizens at large. To pay for the audit, voters authorized the town to spend up to $200,000 in free cash reserves.
Opponents of the article pointed to the fact that the CPD is already subject to extensive oversight by outside agencies and internal reviews related to officer training, officer conduct, and department policies and procedures. They also noted that the CPD is one of 122 law enforcement agencies in the state to voluntarily seek and obtain accreditation by the Mass. Police Accreditation Commission — a process that is repeated every three years.
Bob McCarthy, a former Finance Committee member, blasted the current FinCom for rewriting the article beyond its original scope and making a “bad situation worse.” He argued that the entire slate of STM articles were legally unenforceable and urged the town to “stop pandering to the disruptive minority and move on.”
At least in that venue, however, it was the petitioners who were backed by a majority of residents as voters heeded the call for an independent review. Petitioner Rita Lombardi said that contrary to what some have suggested, she and others have the “utmost respect” for the local police and want to see them succeed. The audit, she said, would help to do that by “shining a light on what [they] can do better” and by sending a message to the public that they value transparency …
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Posted by Mike Berger
on Nov 24 2023. Filed under News, Police & Fire, Town Government.
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