Embattled Gloucester police chief renowned for fighting heroin crisis officially retires
Gloucester’s embattled police chief who stepped down amid allegations that he had inappropriate contact with two women has officially retired.
Chief Leonard Campanello, who was nationally recognized for his trailblazing approach to combating the opiate crisis, was removed from the department’s payroll Wednesday at midnight, according to The Gloucester Times.
But the city is still waiting to hear whether the U.S. Attorney’s office will seek criminal charges against Campanello and another police sergeant.
Gloucester Mayor Romeo Theken announced in September that Campanello would be placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation. A month later, the mayor said Campanello would be fired because he interfered with an investigation into allegations that he had inappropriate contact with two women. The chief allegedly lied about the whereabouts of his city-issued phone and then deleted thousands of text messages before handing it in.
Campanello agreed to retire, rather than fight his dismissal.
Theken told the Times that Interim Chief John McCarthy, who took over the department when Campanello was placed on leave, will continue to serve in his role.
Read the full report at the Times.
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