Skip to main content

Support WBUR

New Report Finds Boston Police Failures In Investigating Officer Charged With Assaulting A Child

13:01
Then-president of the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association, Patrick M. Rose, testified during a hearing over the issue of body cameras for Boston police officers in 2016. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Then-president of the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association, Patrick M. Rose, testified during a hearing over the issue of body cameras for Boston police officers in 2016. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The Boston Police Department could, and should, have done more to protect the public after officer Patrick Rose was accused of sexually abusing a child in 1995.

That's the finding of a new, highly-anticipated report from the city's new Office of Police Accountability and Transparency.

Instead, Rose was allowed to return to duty, and he ascended to lead the powerful patrolmen's union before retiring in 2018. Rose now stands accused of 33 criminal counts against at least six children. He was arrested last August.

We hear from WBUR's Ally Jarmanning, and Javier Flores, a partner at Dinsmore & Shohl and former member of the Boston Police Reform Task Force.

This segment aired on July 29, 2021.

Headshot of Tiziana Dearing
Tiziana Dearing Host, Morning Edition

Tiziana Dearing is the host of WBUR's Morning Edition.

More…
Headshot of Ally Jarmanning
Ally Jarmanning Senior Reporter

Ally is a senior reporter focused on criminal justice and police accountability.

More…
Headshot of Walter Wuthmann
Walter Wuthmann Senior State Politics Reporter

Walter Wuthmann is a senior state politics reporter for WBUR.

More…
Headshot of Cynthia Betubiza
Cynthia Betubiza Associate Producer

Cynthia Betubiza was an associate producer for WBUR's Radio Boston.

More…

Support WBUR

Support WBUR

Listen Live