Stoughton police chief brings accusations against town manager
Deputy named acting chief Wednesday
STOUGHTON, Mass. —
An attorney representing Stoughton’s police chief on Wednesday announced a harassment complaint against the town manager, accompanied by an inflammatory statement that appears to include an oblique reference to the Sandra Birchmore case.
Chief Donna McNamara’s attorney, Leah Barrault, also said the town is “prohibiting” her from completing her duties.
According to Barrault, McNamara filed a harassment complaint with the Stoughton Select Board on Monday, accusing Town Manager Thomas Calter of “engaging in a pattern of gossip and disparagement against Chief McNamara while also calling and texting her on her cell phone virtually every day for the past two weeks.”
Barrault also alleges the town issued a false statement on Wednesday, claiming that McNamara voluntarily stepped down.
A sergeant at the department’s headquarters confirmed to NewsCenter 5 that Deputy Chief James O’Connor was named acting chief on Wednesday.
“Meanwhile, the town manager continues a campaign to assassinate the well-earned reputation of Chief McNamara through a pattern of legally actionable and frankly misogynistic words and actions against the Town’s first female police chief,” Barrault wrote.
NewsCenter 5 could not find a recent public statement from the town about McNamara. We are attempting to contact town officials for comment.
According to Barrault, McNamara recently signed on to her third contract with the department and was expected to work through 2028.
In her statement, Barrault disparaged the town’s “record when it comes to its treatment of women and girls,” which appears to be a reference to the Birchmore case. Former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell is charged with killing the 23-year-old in 2021 to cover up their sexual relationship, which allegedly began when she was underage.