Roxbury residents question demotion of Boston police officer appointed to POST commission – NBC Boston

The demotion of Eddy Chrispin as a member of the Boston Police Department’s high-ranking leadership team was on everyone’s lips.

Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox demoted Chrispin from his post as deputy superintendent after Chrispin accepted a position on the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, a police oversight body.

The Chairs of the POST Commission were informed that this was due to an alleged conflict of interest.

A Boston deputy police chief was demoted after joining the POST Commission, Massachusetts’ police oversight board, as Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston Police Department made controversial comments on the issue Tuesday.

On Wednesday evening, the congregation gathered at Twelfth Baptist Church in Roxbury to ask local leaders questions about the situation.

“I think the process by which this happened is what bothers me,” said Boston resident Marjorie Bernadeau. “If you can’t explain where there is a conflict of interest and why he was demoted, I have a problem with it.”

The Boston Police Department has so far revealed little about the reasons for the demotion.

“It is important that all members of this leadership team are aligned in accomplishing the ministry’s mission,” a ministry spokesman said last week. “Changes are made from time to time to strengthen the work of the leadership team to accomplish the mission and to promote team cohesion.”

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

Mayor Michelle Wu defended Cox’s decision last week, saying he had “complete discretion” over who he appointed to his command staff.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, who appointed Chrispin to the POST Commission, spoke out against his demotion.

Former state Rep. Marie St. Fleur, who coordinated Wednesday night’s community meeting, says the demotion is a particular insult to the Haitian-American community.

“He is one of the few, the only one in our command staff, who has the necessary cultural and linguistic competence,” she said.