NEWTON (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – Officials have placed Newton's Police Chief Matthew Cummings on paid administrative leave pending a hearing in response to allegations made by a female colleague.
An investigation into Chief Cummings' conduct was requested on May 22, 2012 by Jeanne Sweeny Mooney, an executive administrator for the Newton Police Department. She claims Chief Cummings made inappropriate comments towards her and then, in a separate incident, kicked her.
The incidents reportedly occurred during the summer of 2010. The investigation was subsequently expanded to look into additional allegations raised by Mooney.
Mooney claims that in September 2010, Chief Cummings falsely told her that she was under surveillance by a television investigative "I-team," when in actuality she was being watched and photographed by someone within the department.
The second incident occurred in June 2011. Mooney claimed that Chief Cummings instructed her to add him to a roster of officers scheduled to receive a raise even though he missed the deadline to apply.
Lastly, Mooney claimed that Chief Cummings made an inappropriate comment in 2011 to a pregnant Newton police officer.
The investigation was conducted by an attorney who interviewed witnesses, some of whom corroborated Mooney's claims.
According to The Boston Globe, Mooney was charged with larceny on Aug. 22, 2012 for allegedly stealing $660 from the police department. She had worked for the Newton Police Department for more than 30 years and was placed on paid administrative leave since last September.
Chief Cummings will be temporarily replaced by Captain Howard Mintz for the duration of the investigation and the hearing.
