Police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll confirmed yesterday that Williams was fired for violating “department rules for use of force and truthfulness.’’ She said the termination is “effective immediately.’’
The firing marks the first time a Boston police officer has been stripped of his badge under a policy initiated by Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis nearly two years ago to terminate officers who lie in court, to investigators, or in department reports. Davis, through his spokeswoman, declined to comment.
Williams was fired in 1998 for his role in the vicious assault of Officer Michael Cox, who was beaten by police while working undercover in Roxbury. At the time, Williams and the others said they mistook Cox for a homicide suspect. Williams was reinstated in 2005 after appealing through the civil service system.
Williams contested the 2009 charges during three days of public disciplinary hearings held at Boston police headquarters at the end of last year, on Nov. 18, Dec. 7, and Dec. 13.
His lawyer, Kenneth H. Anderson of Boston, said officers rarely prevail before disciplinary panels, so the ruling was expected.
“I think we’re very disappointed but not at all surprised,’’ said Anderson. “We knew this was going to happen, and we expect to successfully bring him back to work through the arbitration process.’’
Anderson said he expects Williams to file a grievance against the department no later than today.
Questions about Williams’s use of force and truthfulness arose after O’Brien filed a federal lawsuit against Williams and other officers and charged them with beating him on March 16, 2009.
O’Brien alleges that police let his complaint against Williams sit for nearly a year before launching their investigation only after the federal suit was filed. Police have denied that they let the complaint linger. Yesterday, O’Brien’s lawyer, Howard Friedman, said he was pleased that the department had acted.
“He’s happy with the result,’’ said Friedman. “If we hadn’t filed the civil suit, none of this would have happened.’’
