Boston police officers charged with domestic violence

The POST Commission, created amid calls for reform following the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020, is responsible for certifying officers at all 431 law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts. It also tracks and publishes data on complaints of police misconduct.

The commission is required by state law to suspend an officer’s certification if he or she is charged with a crime. POST can revoke certification entirely after a hearing if an officer has been convicted of a crime, has a pattern of misconduct, or has committed serious offenses such as falsifying reports, accepting bribes, or seriously injuring a person through the use of excessive force.

On June 1, de los Santos’ daughter told police that during the argument, she tried to follow her mother into her parents’ bedroom to steal her cellphone. De los Santos allegedly slammed the door in her face and punched her multiple times as she stood in the doorway.

The daughter then left the house and walked down the street to the Boston Fire Department station on Washington Street, a police report said. Police arrived at the scene and notified supervisors when they learned the teen’s mother was a police officer.

Police then went to de los Santos’ home and arrested de los Santos. De los Santos told them she did not intentionally hit her daughter with the door and was only trying to stop her from forcing her way into the bedroom, according to the report.

The Boston Police Department tightened its policies for handling alleged domestic violence by officers in November 2021. The move came months after a Globe investigation resurfaced allegations of domestic violence against then-Police Chief Dennis White, leading to his firing after just two days on the job.

Dan Glaun can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @dglaun.