Milford Hires Hopkinton Police Sgt. Fired Over Sex Assault Reporting

MILFORD, MA — A former Hopkinton police sergeant fired by the town in February has been hired by Milford police, the department said in a social media post Monday.

Tim Brennan lost his job in February after Hopkinton Chief Joseph Bennett said Brennan broke department policy by failing to report sexual assault allegations made against former Hopkinton deputy chief John Porter.

"The Milford Police Department is excited to announce the hiring of Officer Timothy Brennan. With over 30 years of policing experience, Officer Brennan most recently served as a Sergeant with Hopkinton, MA Police Department," Milford police said in a Facebook post Monday.

Porter, who served as a school resource officer, was charged in May 2023 in the rape of a 15-year-old student. The rape happened about two decades ago when the woman was in high school.

Brennan has said the victim told him about sexual assaults in 2017, more than a decade after they occurred, but never formally reported the allegations. Brennan argued that he did his duty by listening to the victim — and urging her to report the crime. Bennett argued Brennan should've reported the potential crimes himself.

The Hopkinton Select Board held a hearing in January to discuss firing Brennan, but suspended the meeting without reaching a decision. On Feb. 8, the board met again and voted to fire Brennan, saying the town had failed to reach a resolution "in a mutually acceptable manner" with Brennan's attorneys.