Gov. Charlie Baker has quickly named a new top police officer after a scandal involving an altered arrest report lead the State Police’s top two officials to step down.
Colonel Kerry Gilpin was sworn in as the Superintendent and Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police Wednesday, replacing former Superintendent Colonel Richard McKeon, who resigned after reports surfaced that he instructed a state trooper to whitewash the arrest report for the daughter of a judge.
State Police second in command Francis Hughes also retired after news of the arrest report broke.
“Look, [McKeon] made clear that he initiated this. We also made very clear we thought it was a mistake. We also made very clear that the State Police needs to clean up and to make more explicit it’s policies and protocols associated with editing arrested reports,” Baker todl reporters Wednesday after swearing in Gilpin.
Baker says Gilpin’s first task will be to fill out her command staff and make sure arrest reports are not adulterated as happened under McKeon.
Gilpin is a 23-year veteran of the State Police, most recently serving as the Deputy Division Commander of the Division of Standards and Training. The Hampden resident has been part of the State Police’s Crime Scene Services Section, Division of Field Services, Staff Inspections Section and the Harassment Investigation Unit.
