State Suspends Milford Officer Over Failure To Report Sex Assault

MILFORD, MA — The state Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission has ordered the suspension of Milford police officer Timothy Brennan, who was fired this year by Hopkinton police for to report sexual assault allegations made against former Hopkinton deputy chief John Porter.

Hopkinton fired Brennan in February, finding that he violated the department policy on reporting crimes. The POST Commission in a suspension order on Aug. 15 cited the same reason.

"The Commission received evidence supporting the conclusion that [Brennan] had knowledge, in 2017, of a school resource officer allegedly having committed an indecent assault and battery against a student in 2004, when she was 14 years old," the order said. "Also, [Brennan] became aware in August 2022 that the same school resource officer had allegedly raped the same student, also when she was 14. [Brennan] did not report the alleged indecent assault and battery or the alleged rape until after the District Attorney’s office initiated an investigation later in August 2022."

Milford police announced Brennan's hiring in a July 22 Facebook post, but did not mention anything about his actions related to assault allegations against Porter.

"With over 30 years of policing experience, Officer Brennan most recently served as a Sergeant with Hopkinton, MA Police Department. Please join us in welcoming Officer Brennan," the post said.

The suspension order took immediate effect, and will be in place "until issuance of the final decision of the commission or until the suspension is revoked by the commission."

The POST Commission was established following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 to hold police accused of wrongdoing accountable. The commission has issued 51 suspension orders in that time, including for Porter. About half as many officers have been decertified by the commission, the most severe punishment that means a person can no longer work as an officer in Massachusetts.