Williamstown Police Criticized for Not Conducting Internal Investigations

Members of Williamstown the Williamstown Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Equity Committee on Monday expressed their displeasure that incidents at the Williamstown Police Department alleged in a federal lawsuit against the town were not investigated at the times that they occurred.

iBerkshires.com reports as part of its research into town policies and procedures, the DIRE Committee requested records of internal investigations at the WPD for the last 10 years.

The investigation handled by the State Police likely is from 2011, when, according to an allegation in McGowan's lawsuit, a member of the department went to the home of a female resident, repeatedly asked her to have sex with him, exposed himself to her and tried to put her hand on his penis.

Both McGowan's suit and the town's response to the same allegation in a complaint to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination indicate that Chief Kyle Johnson "referred the investigation of the complaint to the State Police."