Police Union Head In Massachusetts Charged With Pepper Spraying Handcuffed Suspect

Topline

The head of a local police union in Massachusetts was criminally charged this week for allegedly pepper spraying a man who was in handcuffs, setting the stage for a trial more than a year after a shocking incident that has angered local politicians and led to some calls for police reform.

Key Facts

Key Background

This year has brought a national reckoning on police misconduct, driven partly by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis Police Department custody. Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone acknowledged McGrath’s conduct was not as severe as some of this year’s nationally publicized misconduct cases, but he framed it as an embarrassing and unacceptable reminder of the need for higher standards and stronger accountability for police.

Crucial Quote

“I’m not surprised by the charge. My initial reaction when I saw the video was … I was angry,” Curtatone told Forbes. “It’s a reminder that we have a long way to go as a society, and we have to reimagine what policing should be.”

Tangent

McGrath has feuded with Curtatone and other Somerville officials in the past. Four years ago, city officials draped a Black Lives Matter banner outside City Hall. McGrath decried the banner in a letter written on the police union’s behalf, suggesting the city replace it with a sign that reads “All Lives Matter,” a counter to Black Lives Matter that many say is incendiary.

Further Reading

Somerville cop criminally charged for allegedly pepper spraying handcuffed man (Boston Globe)