THIS WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON AUGUST 9, 2021. WE ARE REPOSITING IT AS THERE IS A NEW OML COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST THE TOWN OF NATICK BY WBUR TODD WALLACK.
TOWN OF NATICK ENTERS INTO AGREEMENT WITH A POLICE SERGAENT AND THE POLICE UNIONS ABSOLVING ALL PARTIES OF ANY LIABILITY FOR A SEXUAL ASSAULT AND GIVES ONE LAST CHANCE (OR MORE …AT TOWNS DISCRETION).
This post aims to shake Natick to its core and to call out Police Chief Hicks and Officers James Quilty, Andrew Watkins, Derek Butler, Sean Taylor, Thomas Butler. This post also aims to call out the two Natick police unions, the Natick Select Board, and other Town administrators for their roles in mishandling a serious employee on employee sexual assault.
We believe that town of Natick is actively covering up the wrongdoing of a police officer by hiding what should have been public IA files, by not conducting an internal affairs investigation, and exempting all related documentation on the basis as private personnel information which is “useful in making employment decisions regarding an employee.” While we are actively appealing this denial to the Secretary of State, it has come to our attention that the officer involved is either already back, or soon to be back working as a Natick Police officer. Because we feel that this officer is a danger to the public, we are fast tracking this story for release.
We believe that on April 12, 2020 in an off-duty setting, that Sergeant James Quilty sexually assaulted a female Natick Police dispatcher by shoving his hand down the front of a female dispatcher’s pants grabbing her genitalia. Documentation supports a pattern of such inappropriate touching, in totality described documented as “sufficient to allege a violation of the Natick Sexual Harrassment Policy”. At the time, Quilty was a nearly 50-year old Sergeant and the dispatcher in her late 20’s. She yelled for help from the four off-duty police officers who were there and witnessed the act, and instead of intervening, they left. The who were purported to be the witnesses to the act were Watkins, Butler, Butler, and Taylor.
On July 2, 2020, Sergeant Quilty was put on administrative leave. During this time he received pay and benefits. He did lose a provisional sergeant pay increase with the initiation of the administrative leave.
At some point between July and October, the town of Natick hired a private law firm to conduct an investigation into whether or not the town sexual harassment policy was violated. This was not an investigation into the incident itself which is an important distinction. The Firm that conducted the investigation was Crevier & Ryan LLP out of Springfield. The investigator on the case was Kate Parsons. She interviewed the four officers witnessing the incident and it is believed that in her report it stated that all four gave deceptive statements.
On October 30, 2020, Quilty was informed in writing that an Appointing Authority hearing was to take place. By definition, an appointing authority is any person, board or commission with power to appoint or employ personnel in civil service positions.
At some point the two unions representing the Natick Police Department, the New England Benevolent Association Local 82 and the Natick Patrol Officers’ Associations stepped in.
“In exchange for the Town agreeing not to seek the termination of Officer Quilty and instead provide him with one last chance, Officer Quilty agrees to adhere to the following conditions”
In March of 2021, an in lieu of termination, a document “Last Chance Agreement and Release of All Claims” was drafted, agreed upon, and signed by Quitly, the Town, and both police unions. It is unknown why Quilty was it was determined that Quilty deserved one last chance. What we do know, is that this document was executed as a “Sealed Instrument”, in other words, signed and fastened up in any manner so as to be closed against inspection of the contents. The document, and its signing, required no admission of wrongdoing by Quilty. By signing, the unions and Quilty agree to the stipulation that any violation of the town’s Sexual Harrassment Policy by Quilty will lead to an automatic termination… at the town’s discretion.
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While the timeline becomes fuzzy in recent months. Our estimation based on documents we retain and will not release, is that Quilty is due to return to work mid-August. Reports from sources who have ties to the Natick Police Department, indicate that by mid-June Quilty was already back at work.
Quilty was on leave for at least a year. He was paid on administrative leave for about 8 months of that time. He was to serve a unpaid suspension of 40 shifts (his normal schedule was 4 days on and 2 days off). However indications are that Quilty was actually paid during the time he was supposed to be unpaid.
The Quilty family has a history with and extensive ties to the Natick community and may be related to why he was extended a “Last Chance”.
We do not believe that the dispatcher is the only victim of Quilty. There is a civil case underway, however around the time we started requesting documents, that case disappeared from public view. What we saw was shocking.
The dispatcher is reported to have left the Natick Police Department. Knowing she would have to continue to work for and with Quilty immediately after the incident was too much for her. She reportedly was “in fear”. We were told that she filed a MCAD (Commission Against Discrimination) case against the town. We also believe that she settled out of court and received a hefty sum of money. She continues to serve the public, now as a first responder in the field.