Wu and BPD comment on Chrispin’s demotion – NBC Boston

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu stands by her police chief as the Massachusetts Police Oversight Board criticizes the demotion of a high-ranking Boston police officer who was recently appointed to the board.

The executive director of the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission on Monday commented on the demotion of Boston Police Deputy Superintendent Eddy Chrispin to sergeant detective last week, saying the move was made because he was appointed POST commissioner. Some local police unions also called for Chrispin’s reinstatement.

When asked about the demotion on Tuesday, Wu said it was at the “complete discretion” of Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox who he puts on his command staff.

She said the POST Commission and the Boston Police Department could be most effective if they were independent, and said of Cox, “He prefers his leadership to focus on Boston and on internal policies rather than statewide policies.”

But Enrique Zuniga, the executive director of the POST commission, told NBC10 Boston that Chrispin could keep both titles. The four-year-old agency maintains lists of disciplinary records, suspensions and revocations for Boston State Police officers and released a statement Monday denouncing the Boston Police Department’s demotion of Chrispin, calling it unjustified and undermining the commission’s work on police reform.

A Boston city source told NBC10 Boston on Monday that police leadership gave Chrispin an ultimatum to resign from the POST commission or face demotion, and that Chrispin will not resign.

The Massachusetts Police Oversight Board said its appointment of Boston Deputy Police Chief Eddy Chrispin resulted in his demotion from his command post.

A Boston Police spokeswoman did not elaborate on the reasons for Chrispin’s demotion in a new statement Tuesday.

“It is important that all members of this leadership team are aligned in accomplishing the mission of the department,” she said. “Changes are made from time to time to strengthen the work of the leadership team in accomplishing the mission and to promote team cohesion.”

The statement also noted that Cox extends his “sincere gratitude” to Chrispin, who was appointed by a predecessor, and that “Commissioner Cox has complete confidence in Sgt. Detective Chrispin’s abilities to serve as an appointed member of the POST Commission while continuing to serve the Boston Police Department as a supervisor in our Civil Rights Unit.”

Zuniga said the POST commission did not receive a sufficient explanation for why Chrispin was demoted, and he heard from an adviser to Cox who reportedly said there was a perceived conflict of interest. He would not say whether the board would investigate the demotion.

City Councilman Ed Flynn said on social media Monday night that Chrispin, “an outstanding leader,” should continue to serve on the Boston Police Command staff while retaining his position on the POST Commission.

Some law enforcement groups in Massachusetts, including the Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers and the Latino Law Enforcement Group of Boston, pushed for Chrispin’s reinstatement.

“Although this decision is within the ministry’s administrative powers, it is deeply disheartening,” he said in a statement on Tuesday morning.

NBC10 Boston has reached out to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office and the Boston Police Superior Officer’s Federation, an officers’ union, for comment.