Massachusetts police chief, honored in DC, placed on leave

BOSTON A MA police chief who was honored by the White House earlier this year for his innovative approach to fighting a heroin crisis in his city is now the subject of an investigation and has been placed on leave, officials said on Wednesday.

A statement from Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken said Campanello was placed on paid administrative leave late on Tuesday.

Campanello told the Gloucester Times he’s done nothing wrong.

The Angel program links addicts with volunteers who help them get treatment without facing criminal charges.

Campanello has been hailed locally and nationally for his innovations in the fight against opioid addiction, garnering praise from and an invitation to the White House, among other honors. “We are confident that when all the facts are fairly and impartially reviewed, Chief Campanello will be quickly and expeditiously returned to his position”.

“I am absolutely and completely unconcerned with this at all”, he said.

In addition to the forced absences of Campanello and Conners, McCarthy also takes over from Quinn as acting department head at a time when there are four active grievances filed by officers against the chief, Leete confirmed Wednesday.

John Rosenthal, co-founder of a nonprofit helping other departments adopt the ANGEL program, said that in light of the investigation Campanello has stepped down from?his duties in his organization, the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative.

Christopher Sicuranza, the mayor’s executive assistant, said Wednesday he could neither confirm nor deny whether any incident involving Conners was tied to one involving Campanello.

On May 2, 2015, the department unveiled the ANGEL program.

Chief Leonard Campanello’s attorney, Terrance Kennedy, said in a statement Wednesday that Campanello is cooperating fully with the City of Gloucester. “We haven’t gotten that far yet”, she said, noting Campanello is still being paid through his leave, and that’s designated as extending “until further notice”.

The ANGEL program has been adopted by almost 40 police departments in nine states, according to Campanello in November 2015.