Secrecy law in Massachusetts

Stories related to the state's unique and sweeping privacy law. The law was designed to help victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse, but it has shielded law enforcement departments and officers from scrutiny and blocked victims from obtaining records they need for custody battles and restraining orders.

Alvin Campbell is brought into Suffolk Superior Court in handcuffs for a 2023 hearing in his ongoing case. He's accused of raping eight women and attempting to rape a ninth. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Boston police failed to arrest 'serial rapist' for years despite DNA evidence

Experts say the case against Alvin Campbell is a striking example of how police and prosecutors often fail to take action when victims report sexual assaults, potentially allowing serial rapists...

Local Coverage

06:04Apr 22, 2024

A South Shore woman says she could not get reports of her estranged husband allegedly abusing other women because of the state's secrecy law. WBUR is not identifying her because she is a domestic violence survivor. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Proposed task force would address Mass. domestic violence records law found to shield abusers

A WBUR investigation revealed that by keeping records secret, a statute designed to protect victims instead protects alleged abusers.

Local Coverage

03:44May 30, 2023

UMass police cars parked outside the Department of Public Safety at UMass Dartmouth. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

UMass Dartmouth hid sex assault allegations against former police officer, report finds

The report found former officer David Laudon sexually assaulted and harassed a UMass student and had an inappropriate relationship with another. But UMass allowed Laudon to quietly resign and eventually...

Local Coverage

03:36Mar 7, 2023

Blackstone Police and Fire Department. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Blackstone police officer accused of sexual harassment resigns

David Laudon was one of the subjects of a recent WBUR investigation, which found many Massachusetts police officers got new jobs after being fired or caught in scandals at their...

Local Coverage

Jan 12, 2023

Natick police Officer James Quilty, at a hearing at the Lowell Justice Center in August 2022. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Natick cop James Quilty resigns after pleading guilty to sexual assault

The town also released the independent investigation from 2020 that faults then-Lt. Cara Rossi for failing to fully investigate the incident.

Local Coverage

Dec 16, 2022

Advocates call for more police oversight after WBUR investigation

Criminal justice advocates are pushing the state to do more to oversee police after a WBUR investigation discovered some officers accused of wrongdoing simply moved to new departments.

Local Coverage

03:12Nov 28, 2022

Dashcam video from Washington State Patrol shows Adam Paicos, an officer with the Erving, Mass. police, being arrested for driving under the influence near Seattle in 2018. (Courtesy Washington State Patrol)

'Officer shuffle': Some ousted cops find jobs at new departments in Mass.

WBUR found more than a dozen current Massachusetts police officers were previously fired or resigned from another department after the launch of a misconduct investigation.

Local Coverage

06:34Nov 20, 2022

Natick and its police continue to bury allegations of sexual assault against one of their own

Court records show Natick police initially shrugged off the allegations. And for more than two years, the town has fought to keep records about how it responded secret.

Local Coverage

06:36Oct 30, 2022

The Massachusetts State House. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Mass. politicians call for review of domestic and sexual violence secrecy law

Massachusetts requires police to keep secret all reports and arrests related to sexual and domestic violence, something no other state does. Many elected officials want to look into changes.

Local Coverage

03:51Sep 26, 2022

Response to public records request from Groton Police Department. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

9 takeaways from WBUR's investigation into the impact of Mass.' domestic and sexual violence secrecy law

A WBUR investigation found that a sweeping privacy law has shielded police departments and officers from scrutiny, thwarted researchers studying ways to reduce violence and blocked victims from obtaining records...

Local Coverage

Aug 27, 2022

How a Mass. law intended to protect victims became a 'gift to abusers'

The state’s unique law, intended to protect the privacy of victims of domestic and sexual violence, has instead protected perpetrators and police, a WBUR investigation found. The law requires police...

Investigations

18:36Aug 27, 2022