Braintree Deputy Police Chief Placed On Leave Over Evidence Scandal

A Massachusetts police department embroiled in a scandal involving the theft of guns, cash and drugs from its evidence room has placed its deputy police chief on leave.

Deputy Chief Wayne Foster was put on paid leave by Mayor Joseph Sullivan on Monday over questions regarding the handling of Officer Susan Zopatti.

Zopatti was the former manager of the Braintree Police Department's evidence room. She took her own life in May after meeting with an outside auditor hired to inspect the space.

The audit, which examined evidence dating to 1999, found that more than $407,000 had gone missing along with dozens of guns and nearly 5,000 pieces of narcotics evidence.

As a result, prosecutors have dropped 41 criminal cases.

Foster's attorney says his client will challenge Sullivan's decision.