A Fall River Police officer has found himself on the wrong side of the law after being arrested by the Boston Police Department's Human Trafficking Unit. According to a social media post from the City of Fall River Police Department, Officer Mitchell Walsh was apprehended as part of an undercover sting operation related to an ongoing investigation. The arrest comes at a time when Walsh was already on an extended leave due to unspecified personnel matters, complicating an already tenuous employment status.
Though on leave from the Police Department, the exactions made against Officer Walsh have not been taken lightly by his former colleagues. The Chief of the Fall River Police Department, Kelly A. Furtado, expressed her disdain for the allegations in a no-nonsense tone. "The conduct alleged is reprehensible and stands in direct opposition to the values we expect from members of this Department," Furtado said. Chief Furtado confirmed the department's full cooperation with the Boston Police and assured there would be no shelter within their ranks for those besmirching the badge, according to the City of Fall River Police Department.
The nature of the sting operation and the specifics of the allegations against Officer Walsh have not been disclosed, as the Boston Police Department has tight-lipped the details in the face of an active investigation. The Fall River Police Department mirrored this discretion, providing no additional information on the arrest. However, what has been made clear is Walsh was not actively serving the Fall River community when taken into custody.
The Fall River Police Department's statement, hastily issued in the aftermath of Walsh's arrest, emphatically dismisses the notion of tolerance for such offences. They are resolved, it seems, to cleansing their own house before more dirt can be uncovered. "There is no place in law enforcement for anyone who violates the public’s trust," the Chief reiterated, echoing a sentiment desired but not always maintained in the precinct halls.
