The police chief in Brookline, Massachusetts, has been fired after serving just two months in the role following the results of an investigation that found he violated the town's policy against discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation on multiple occasions and with several employees.
Town Administrator Mel Kleckner announced on Aug. 5 that the town had recently been made aware of multiple allegations that Police Chief Ashley Gonzalez had violated the town's discrimination and sexual harassment and retaliation policy and immediately launched its own review, led by Quincy-based Comprehensive Investigations and Consulting.
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Following the conclusion of the investigation, a disciplinary hearing for Gonzalez was held Friday in closed session. The Brookline Select Board reconvened in open session after the hearing and voted to terminate Gonzalez.
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Comprehensive Investigations and Consulting had recommended Gonzalez's termination after finding multiple "admitted, corroborated and sustained allegations of sexual harassment against female employees of the Brookline Police Department in violation of town policies," the town said in a statement.
"We have a strict zero-tolerance policy against discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation, and I want to thank the team from Comprehensive Investigations and Consulting for a thorough review of these incidents," Select Board Chair Heather Hamilton said.
You can read the full report here.
Gonzalez had been on paid leave pending the outcome of the review.
Jennifer Paster, formerly the department's deputy superintendent, is currently serving as acting chief.
Kleckner announced in March of 2022 that he had selected Gonzalez, who has over 33 years of experience, to be the town's next police chief. Before coming to Brookline, he led the Austin Independent School District Police Department in Texas. He was sworn in as Brookline's chief on June 1.
Prior to his time in Texas, he spent most of his career with the Norwalk, Connecticut, Police Department, where he started in 1988, eventually rising to the rank of deputy chief.
The Brookline Police Union issued a statement criticizing the selection of Gonzalez for the role and voicing support for Paster.
"We applaud the work of the outside firm that took the allegations seriously and worked swiftly to come to a conclusion. We stand with the victims and applaud them for coming forward to tell their story. We hope that this termination gives them a small sense of victory and will be part of the healing process.
"It is now time to confirm Jen Paster as Chief of Brookline Police Department. We urge the Select Board to put their personal agendas and egos aside and right this wrong.
"Install Chief Paster as the permanent chief today. Her impact on the department has already been felt, and the instability at the top has gone on long enough. This isn’t just about the police department, it’s about the community as a whole. Chief Paster needs to be installed as permanent chief so she can start to clean up this mess, and rebuild the department," the statement read, in part.
