A petition to reinstate Hopkinton Police Sergeant Tim Brennan has collected more than 580 signatures in less than one week, with many signers leaving supportive comments.
“Officer Brennan has supported my family for 20+ years and we love him,” wrote resident Marjorie Baker.
Steve Burns, a local attorney, wrote “I highly encourage the Select Board to immediately reinstate Sergeant Timothy Brennan to active duty. The seven months of administrative leave is more than enough consequence for a nuanced infraction of the department policy. Our town should feel lucky to have a long-tenured dedicated employee like Sergeant Brennan. Town citizens, current town employees and prospective town employees are all watching closely to see how the Select Board treats Sergeant Brennan.”
“A good man, caught in a no-win situation. Let’s get him back in uniform,” wrote Jim Mirable, Chair of the Hopkinton Republican Town Committee.
Separately, Steve Snow wrote to the Select Board expressing concern about the choice of the Hopkinton Senior Center for the public hearing scheduled to take place Tuesday, January 16 at 5:00 PM.
“I have great concerns with the choice of venue for the meeting,” wrote Snow.”If it is in the room the Conservation Commission has its meetings in, it is too small. Tim and his family have been through hell with this situation. Do you have contingency plans if attendance exceeds building capacity? This would put our new fire chief in a terrible position. Who will you allow in? News media, law enforcement, special people? This would cause the likely (s*** show) of anger and disruption that no one wants. All citizens have the right to see Tim in person, not on a screen in a different room.“
For those not able to participate in person, HCAM will broadcast the event live.
The opposition to this petition has been frustrating; we all agree that child rape is never acceptable. Full stop. But the notion that an 18 year old woman does not have full autonomy over her body, her relationships, her choices is deeply paternalistic and reeks of entrenched patriarchal views. The rules for navigating these situations with adults is very different from the mandated reporting rules guiding our work with children. No matter how much you hate your sister’s abusive boyfriend, it will be up to her to file the police report, leave the apartment and leave him. This officer had to advise an adult. Not a child. And while I do not know the internal rules guiding the police department, what seems abundantly clear is that the course of action was not clear cut for this officer. If we fail to support him we will deter others from serving our town. I hope the Select Board makes the right decision and thinks long term about the impact of this decision.
Marisa,
If we allow law enforcement to selectively decide when to report other officers for misconduct, it is not serving our community.
The issue is not that Tim Brennan did not make a criminal report. The issues is that Tim Brennan did not report information that another police officer has been accused of this action. There is a big difference. One is a criminal justice issue and the other is a police accountability issue.
If Tim Brennan knew that another officer was being abusive to suspects in custody, it would be his duty to report it even if you suspect did not want to file an official complaint.
Tim Brennan ignored his duty to hold other law enforcement officers accountable. We need to hold him accountable for the long term impact of the safety of our community.
It is not police misconduct for a police officer to have an affair even if it’s with a former student (we were all former students); consenting adults are allowed to have a relationship regardless of the power dynamic. According to the reports I have seen to date, Brennan acted on the information he had when he had it, including when he eventually suspected a non-consensual relationship. I worry that we are sending the wrong message here: try to help and you will be implicated. Brennan apologized and has already been punished. Asking for further action at this point shows a lack of compassion and mercy. I will instead assume best intentions from a man who has made no other missteps and served people repeatedly in our community at their lowest moments. Let’s hope new policies are instituted that provide clearer guidance so that no officer has to be held at the whim of public opinion or changing social mores.
These policies are addressed through the certification process that every officer in Massachusetts has to participate in yearly via the Post Commission that was established to ensure officers are held accountable for their misconduct.
Thank you so much for printing my concern. Hopkinton is not my home town but it is my three children’s home town. Though the Snow family has owned property in town for over a 100 years. We as a town are experiencing some serious growing pains. This town has a great history of loving on and helping there neighbors it doesn’t have to take a miracle to get that back. My family emigrated to Massachusetts in 1630s that doesn’t make me any better than a family that emigrated to America this week. No better weekend than this to remember color creed or sex & all the new things that this simple man can’t always understand should not divide us as a community. Thanks Steve
I signed the petition of support because Tim Brennan is a good man and a good police officer. He navigated an extremely difficult and personal situation, as well with anyone with a heart and core of integrity could.
It would seem that the Select Board announcing this meeting almost as a footnote at their meeting and the choice of venue and time for this hearing was done on purpose and a typical political move to keep a very controversial issue as low as possible under the radar. 5:00 p.m. on a weekday will keep many concerned citizens from attending. Having the hearing in such a small venue ensures not many can attend. This was done on purpose. The hearing should have been held at a school auditorium at a time in the evening when as many citizens could attend as want to. It should also be a public meeting allowing public comments. If this issue has already been decided on by the board and tomorrow nights hearing is just the board going through the motions and Sergeant Brennan is terminated, it will be remembered at the next election of the Select board. It will also be just another example of Chief Bennett taking care of his buddy, Jay Porter. Terminating Sergeant Brennan will be a disgrace for the town. Another good cop trying to do his job pays the price while the alleged criminal sits home and collects his pension while awaiting trial.
This is a total inside job! We should have Chief Bennett on trial NOT Officer Brennan.
For once in your term Select Board, do the right thing and reinstate Tim and get rid of Bennett.