Press Release  POST Commission Suspends Fifteen Law Enforcement Officers

Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission Suspends Fifteen Law Enforcement Officers

Boston – The Massachusetts POST Commission has released a list of fifteen suspended law enforcement officers. This follows the POST Commission’s early December release of information on recertified officers A-H and newly certified graduates.

The suspended officers are listed below:

• Devon Bones, Holyoke Police Department
• Bryan Custadio, Fall River Police Department
• Leon Davis, Springfield Police Department
• Ernest Fontaine, Fitchburg State University Police Department
• David Forte, Needham Police Department
• Kevin Garneau, Lowell Police Department
• Nicholas Hoar, Fall River Police Department
• Tomas Morales, Woburn Police Department
• Keith O'Donnell, Somerville Police Department
• Brian Pomeroy, West Springfield Police Department
• Joseph Ponzo, Stoneham Police Department
• James Quilty, Natick Police Department
• Kevin Rooney, Watertown Police Department
• Matthew Sheehan, Massachusetts State Police
• Colby Turner, Worcester Police Department

“We continue to make progress to meet the directives of the statute and add information to the database that is of great public interest,” said Enrique Zuniga, Executive Director of POST.  “POST will suspend the certification of an officer who is arrested, charged or indicted of a felony and will revoke the certification of an officer who is convicted of a felony. The list of suspended officers will be updated periodically as these cases evolve and/or get resolved,” he added.   

The POST Commission was established as part of a 2020 criminal justice reform law to focus on efforts to improve public safety and increase trust between members of law enforcement and the public.  The POST Commission is charged with creating a mandatory certification process for police officers, as well as processes for decertification, suspension of certification, or reprimand in the event of certain misconduct.

The POST Commission is required to immediately suspend the certification of any officer who is arrested, charged or indicted for a felony, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 6E, § 9(a)(1). Further, the Commission may initiate a preliminary inquiry into the conduct of an officer who is arrested, charged or indicted for a misdemeanor.

The Commission can also administratively suspend the certification of an officer who fails to complete in-service training requirements within 90 days of notice, provided the commission makes reasonable exemptions for injury or physical disability; a leave of absence; or other documented hardship. POST will reinstate the officer’s certification upon documented completion of in-service training.

A law enforcement officer whose certification is suspended can request a hearing before a commissioner within 15 days. A suspension order is in effect until a final decision or revocation is made by the Commission.

The list of suspended law enforcement officers can be found in the “Data and Reports” section of www.mass.gov/orgs/post-commission along with a database of recertified officers with last names beginning with A-H and newly graduated officers with last names A-Z. 

###