[MA] STILL ON THE JOB - Officer Santos, who CHOKED girlfriend!

Four months after internal investigations began into allegations that he choked a woman outside a downtown nightclub, Police Officer Edson Santos is wearing a uniform and responding to calls... witnesses, including at least two police officers, reported they saw him choking his girlfriend...

Note:
No visible sign of a protesting domestic violence community in New Bedford, I went to the website for their Women's Center and only found a golf tournament and commemorative dinner are planned. I tried to call but got a recording.

NEW BEDFORD POLICE OFFICER SUSPECTED OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FILES DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT
SouthCoastToday.com, Standard-Times
By Brian Fraga bfraga@s-t.com
August 02, 2008 6:00 AM
[Excerpts] NEW BEDFORD — Four months after internal investigations began into allegations that he choked a woman outside a downtown nightclub, Police Officer Edson Santos is wearing a uniform and responding to calls. Meanwhile, according to a police source familiar with the case, an internal affairs investigation and a parallel criminal probe have been completed and given to Police Chief Ron Teachman for his disciplinary recommendations. The source, who is not authorized to speak to the media, said that the paperwork was filed a month ago... The Standard-Times has also learned that Officer Santos — three weeks after the alleged nightclub incident — filed a discrimination complaint against the Police Department and his patrol supervisor, alleging bias in the manner that officers were assigned patrol cruisers... Officer Santos, 25, who has been a police officer since December 2005, has been under scrutiny since witnesses, including at least two police officers, reported they saw him choking his girlfriend... Officer Santos has not been suspended or placed on administrative leave... Meanwhile, City Council President Jane Gonsalves said Officer Santos should be disciplined. "Based on what I'm aware of, some action is warranted," she said. "I'm looking forward to something being done promptly." City Councilor Brian Gomes said the council would recommend "appropriate action" if there was just cause. "There is no place within law enforcement for any officer to not abide by or violate the law in any way," Councilor Gomes said. According to the police source, the department's Professional Standards Unit's internal investigation was sustained, meaning that investigators found a preponderance of evidence to support alleged misconduct. Officer Santos could also be criminally charged with assault and battery if officials decide the separate internal criminal probe provides enough probable cause. If charged or indicted, he would likely be suspended without pay, if not fired. In his discrimination complaint, Officer Santos said the Police Department and his patrol supervisor, Lt. Robert M. Richard, discriminated against him and another black officer by not assigning them to fixed patrol cruisers... Officer Santos also said he was being "subject to unlawful harassment" because other officers had questioned his girlfriend and her sister at their jobs. The officers interviewed the women because they were reported witnesses to the alleged assault... [Full article here]

News from last April:

POLICE OFFICER UNDER SCRUTINY FOR ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTING GIRLFRIEND OUTSIDE CITY NIGHTCLUB
SouthCoastToday.com, Standard-Times
By Brian Fraga bfraga@s-t.com
April 25, 2008
[Excerpts] NEW BEDFORD — A city police officer is being investigated for allegedly choking his girlfriend outside a downtown nightclub last month, the mayor and a police source said. Edson Santos, 25, who has been a police officer for two years, is currently out of work using sick days as the investigation proceeds. Earlier this month, he applied for medical leave, claiming various stress-related illnesses, but his request was denied, sources said... details about the investigation or on the allegations surrounding Officer Santos... Chief Teachman said he also could not comment... Police are not releasing written reports on the incident, which occurred at Bar 908, located at 908 Purchase St., citing the ongoing investigation, but a police source who is not authorized to comment publicly said Officer Santos is suspected of choking his girlfriend outside the nightclub during the early-morning hours of March 23. The Standard-Times has made an official request for the police reports under the federal Freedom of Information Act... One of the officers reported seeing a nightclub security guard trying to separate Officer Santos from his girlfriend, the source said. The officer reported seeing Officer Santos choking his girlfriend and attempted to intervene. Officer Santos shoved the patrol officer, who tried to break up the altercation, and left the scene, according to a source... The ongoing internal investigation has also focused investigators' attention to reports of an alleged similar incident last year at a different city nightclub where Mr. Santos is said to have had a physical altercation with a patron, sources said. Efforts to contact reported witnesses to the alleged Bar 908 incident were unsuccessful... [Full article here]

NEW BEDFORD MAYOR
Scott W. Lang - Scott.Lang@newbedford-ma.gov

MASSACHUSETTS CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION
Chief A. Wayne Sampson (Ret.) - wsampson@masschiefs.org
Mass Chiefs, General - office@masschiefs.org

NEW BEDFORD CITY COUNCIL
David Alves - David.Alves@newbedford-ma.gov
Linda M. Morad - Linda.Morad@newbedford-ma.gov
Debora Coelho - dcnb2005@aol.com
Steven Martins - Steve.Martins@newbedford-ma.gov
Brian K. Gomes - Brian.Gomes@newbedford-ma.gov
Kathy M. Dehner - Business : 508-979-1455
Denis Lawrence, Jr. - Business : 508-979-1455
Bruce Duarte, Jr. - Bruce.Duarte@newbedford-ma.gov
John T. Saunders - John.Saunders@newbedford-ma.gov
Jane L. Gonsalves - Jane.Gonsalves@newbedford-ma.gov
Wendy Pimental - Wendy.Pimental@newbedford-ma.gov