Union: Massachusetts State Police commits wrong by ‘punishing’ the family of police officer Michael Proctor

The suspension of Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor without pay is a “punishment on his young family,” a union leader says. (Photo by Greg Derr/Pool)

The State Police Union is criticizing the agency for suspending without pay Officer Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the Karen Read murder case, calling the move “punishment for his young family.”

The statement from Brian Williams, president of the State Police Association of Massachusetts, came a day after interim State Police Colonel John Mawn agreed to a recommendation to suspend Proctor without pay, effective immediately.

According to state auditor’s records, Proctor earned $184,397 last year.

“The decision to suspend him without pay pending the outcome of the investigation is disappointing because it places the burden of punishment on Trooper Proctor’s young family,” Williams said in his statement.

“His children will lose access to benefits such as health insurance,” he continued. “To mitigate the impact on them, a suspension that does not affect their health insurance coverage would have been a more reasonable measure.”

State police officials convened a virtual hearing on Proctor’s duty status for Monday, where a three-person panel would decide whether the trooper would remain on full-time duty, be placed on restricted duty, be suspended with pay or be suspended without pay.

Just hours after Norfolk County Judge Beverly Cannone declared on July 1 that the jury in Read’s murder trial could not reach a verdict, state police relieved the officer of his duties and transferred him out of the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office’s criminal unit.

Proctor had the opportunity to be represented by an attorney and defend his actions during the hearing, which was closed to the public and media.

Williams maintains the union’s position that the disciplinary action against Proctor is related to private text messages he exchanged during the investigation.

“To date, we have received no information to suggest that his suspension was the result of anything other than this text message exchange,” the union president said in his statement. “We want to reiterate that, unless the Department’s ongoing investigation proves otherwise, yesterday’s actions are unrelated to the salacious allegations of cover-ups, collusion or conspiracy made by the defense.”

During Proctor’s two days of testimony at trial, attorneys went public and disclosed personal text messages in which the officer used demeaning and explicit language toward Read, leading to widespread criticism of the investigator’s conduct and an internal review by the State Police.

In some messages, Proctor referred to Read as a “crazy woman” (a swear word) and a “baby,” texted “No nudes yet” to colleagues while going through her phone, and explicitly made fun of her gastrointestinal problems, among other derogatory comments.

“The State Police Association of Massachusetts will never tolerate the unacceptable language in the personal text messages presented as evidence during the trial,” Williams said in his statement.

Read, 44, of Mansfield, is suspected of killing her boyfriend of two years and a Boston police officer of 16 years. She drove her Lexus SUV into him at high speed, leaving him to die in the cold during a severe snowstorm.

She is accused of, among other things, second-degree murder, manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.

The defense alleges a massive plot was hatched against Read, alleging that O’Keefe was beaten to death in the defendant’s home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton and his body was then dragged into the front yard.

“Every member of the Massachusetts State Police hopes that the O’Keefe family finds peace, comfort and closure as they continue to mourn the loss of their loved one,” Williams said in his statement. “Unless the focus is shifted away from trivial matters and back to the investigation and prosecution of John O’Keefe’s death, the justice his family deserves will be slow in coming.”