In a decisive move by the Hopkinton Select Board, Sgt. Timothy Brennan has been terminated from the police force for failing to report child rape allegations against a former deputy chief. The termination, slated to be effective as of Feb. 12, was approved with a 4-1 vote after the board and Brennan failed to reach a mutually acceptable disciplinary measure. This information was confirmed by various reports, including a detailed article from NBC Boston.
The case hinges on Brennan's knowledge of allegations against John "Jay" Porter, who has been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2004 and 2005 while serving as a school resource officer. Porter has pleaded not guilty to three counts of child rape. Despite being privy to these allegations as early as 2015, Brennan allegedly failed to report them, a transgression uncovered by an independent investigator hired by the town. The inaction was brought to light in a transcript from an interview, according to documents released on the Hopkinton police's website.
A single vote in support of Brennan came from Board Chair Muriel Kramer, who confirmed the vote to the Daily News without further comment. Brennan, who was placed on leave last year, has publicly declared he will be fighting the termination in arbitration. Adding to his defense, Brennan mentioned that he did not report the alleged assaults after the victim, then an adult confided in him but would not corroborate her story. His stance was further detailed in an article by MetroWest Daily News.
These include not only his failure to report the assault but also some problematic behaviors such as employing the victim as a babysitter while serving as a school resource officer. The exhaustive investigation by Kroll, a New York City-based firm, brought these violations to the forefront, with redacted reports provided to the MetroWest Daily News confirming said breaches.
In the wake of Brennan's termination, Porter stands trial for the charges against him.
