Boston police sergeant charged with child rape suspended by oversight commission

The state agency tasked with overseeing Massachusetts police officers suspended the certification of Paul Downey, the Boston police sergeant charged with raping a child and paying for sex.

On Tuesday, the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission directed Downey to surrender his official credentials, "including but not limited to, any uniform, badge, firearm, assigned cruiser, and use-of force instruments, such as tasers."

Downey was arraigned Monday in Dorchester Municipal Court on four counts of aggravated rape of a minor, two counts of paying for sex with a child and two counts of electronic enticement.

"Just absolutely disgusting allegations and charges here that clearly are unacceptable and incompatible with serving the public in any way," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said at an unrelated event Tuesday. "We expect and know there will be a full investigation into the facts of what happened."

Commissioner Michael Cox in a statement said Downey was immediately placed on administrative leave.

"These charges are obviously very troubling and our thoughts are with any alleged victims," Cox said.

"Just absolutely disgusting allegations and charges here that clearly are unacceptable and incompatible with serving the public in any way."

Mayor Michelle Wu

Prosecutors said Downey solicited the 14-year-old boy through the social media apps Grindr and Snapchat. Downey allegedly picked up the boy and drove him to a parking lot near the South Bay shopping center in March and May.

A judge this week ordered Downey be held on $250,000 cash bail, court records show. He has pleaded not guilty. Downey's defense attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

His next court appearance is scheduled for July 29.

City records show Downey made nearly $379,000 last year in regular pay and overtime, making him among the top 3% of earners on the department's payroll.

Downey, who's served on the force for 34 years, has been accused of misconduct before. In 2008, he was suspected of having an affair with a female recruit at the police academy while he was a drill instructor, according to a Boston Globe story from the time.

It's unclear if he was ever disciplined; WBUR has requested Downey's internal affairs file. A public database maintained by the POST commission does not list any discipline for him.

The former head of the Boston Police Patrolman's Association, Patrick Rose, pleaded guilty in 2022 to 21 counts of child rape and sexual assault. Two of his victims sued more than a dozen officials and institutions, saying they failed to fully investigate and stop Rose almost three decades ago.

The POST commission, formed in the wake of protests after the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, immediately suspends the certification of any officer who is arrested, charged or indicted for a felony.