Massachusetts Officer Relieved of Duty Following Controversial Newsletter Writings

A lieutenant with the Arlington (MA) Police Department has been relieved of duty after suggesting in a newsletter that police should put aside restraint and meet "violence with violence."

According to NECN.com , Lieutenant Richard Pedrini has been placed on paid leave while officials investigate columns he wrote for the Massachusetts Police Association.

Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan said in a statement, "The columns written by Mr. Pedrini in the Sentinel newsletter directly contradict the values, morals and mission statement of the Arlington Police Department. Such remarks risk eroding the public trust that municipal police departments in Massachusetts have worked so hard to build in recent years. I disavow the remarks in the strongest possible terms, and this matter will be dealt with swiftly and certainly."

The Massachusetts Police Association Executive Board and President Alan Andrews also issued a statement, saying "The Massachusetts Police Association is committed to earnestly advocating for members of the law enforcement community and seeks to unify and empower law enforcement officers throughout the Commonwealth. However, some of the columns that were written in the latest issue of The Sentinel newsletter do not uphold the high standards of the MPA and its mission."