[MA] Fired after bloodying wife and breaking her teeth, ex-police officer Joshua Gerard pleads guilty

...Several police officers at the event ran to the Speedway parking lot, where they saw the victim [New Bedford Police Officer Joshua Gerard's wife] bleeding from her face and with two cracked teeth...

KUDOS to the City of New Bedford and to their Police Department for handling this professionally. I hope the city has been as attentive to the safety of the victim if she was receptive to being helped.

FORMER NEW BEDFORD POLICE OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY TO ASSAULTING WIFE AT SEEKONK SPEEDWAY
South Coast Today
By Brian Fraga
February 05, 2010
A former New Bedford police officer pleaded guilty this week to punching and kicking his wife at the Seekonk Speedway in August 2008. Joshua Gerard, 31, received a two-year suspended jail sentence Tuesday in Taunton District Court. The case was scheduled to go to trial but Gerard instead pleaded guilty to one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Gerard was ordered to attend anger management counseling and not abuse his wife. Assistant District Attorney Katie Rayburn wanted Gerard to serve one year in the House of Correction, with an additional year suspended... The city fired Gerard in December 2008 following an internal Police Department investigation that sustained the domestic violence allegations against him... Gerard's wife called 911 asking for help because her husband had kicked her [at the Seekonk Speedway]. Prosecutors said Gerard's voice was heard in the background telling his wife to hang up the phone. The call ended abruptly after what sounded like a struggle over the phone. Meanwhile, prosecutors said a witness in a nearby car heard a woman screaming. The witness said Gerard punched the victim, grabbed her by the back of her head and slammed her face against the steering wheel of their car. Several police officers at the event ran to the Speedway parking lot, where they saw the victim bleeding from her face and with two cracked teeth. Gerard was seen running from the parking lot... [Full article here]

A Few Months Ago:

CITY MOVES TO FIRE 2 POLICE OFFICERS FACING DOMESTIC ASSAULT CHARGES
Standard-Times, South Coast Today
By Brian Fraga
November 18, 2008 6:00 AM
The city has moved to fire two police officers facing domestic assault charge... Following internal investigations, police sustained domestic assault and battery allegations against officers Edson Santos, 25, and Joshua Gerard, 30. Both have been recommended for termination.
"The mayor has notified both officers of his decision to terminate them as New Bedford police officers and their cases are now pending termination hearings mandated by state law," New Bedford police spokesman Lt. Jeffrey P. Silva said... Lt. Silva said the internal investigations into the officers' alleged transgressions were submitted to Police Chief Ronald E. Teachman for his review and disciplinary recommendation, which were then forwarded to Mayor Scott W. Lang... City Council President Jane Gonsalves, who pressed for disciplinary action, was pleased.
"I feel strongly it's overdue," she said. "The longer these kind of things stagnate, a cloud settles over the reputation of the Police Department"... Officers Santos and Gerard have both been criminally charged and their cases are pending in Taunton District Court. They are currently suspended from the Police Department... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety massachusetts state professionall]