Can the New Bedford Police Department be reformed?
Morale is low, communication is poor, rumor is rife. Even as New Bedford police officers combat crime on the streets, another battle is raging within the walls of the city’s Police Department. It revolves around a lack of leadership that has prevailed for years, a leading police expert says. And it has resulted in the need for a complete overhaul of a “department in turmoil.” Those are among the key findings of the long-awaited 95-page Bratton Report, released late last month. A pull-no-punches study, it was prepared for the city by First Security Inc., the consulting firm led by former Boston and New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton. More…
