MAMLEO’S Statement on the demotion of Deputy Superintendent Eddy Chrispin

[Boston, MA, July 05, 2024] - Days ago, our organization learned that board member Deputy Superintendent Eddy Chrispin, who was recently appointed by the Attorney General to the Massachusetts Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Commission, was removed from the BPD command staff due to that appointment and returned to the rank of Sergeant Detective. This appointment is crucial to providing the perspective of an active law enforcement officer who understands the importance of accountability and transparency on the POST commission.

The evolution of both the conversation and advocacy around equity and inclusion in our country has been a long march of vision, voice and volume. And yet, it’s been a march too often plagued by the intentional forces of what can best be termed a ‘status quo blockade’. This is particularly true in our law enforcement community, where the present fight to have equitable and diverse practices in the Boston Police Department has been thwarted and stalled by the mislabeled and misguided framing of conflicts of interest.

Hence, despite decades-long litigation and public outcry, the Boston Police Department has deflected the issue of organizational inclusivity, as it relates to top to bottom policies. And while our city continues to be highlighted as one of the most progressive cities in the country, the public relations messaging has not aligned with the reality of its oft-stated, inclusive mission. 

We at MAMLEO have been a constant champion for city-wide inclusivity,  safety, diversity and prosperity, and all of these objectives begin with a mindfulness around collective betterment. Such collective betterment begins with a baseline of fairness, access, representation and promises kept and fulfilled. In this quest, we have advocated, litigated and delivered for our constituency. The success of that advocacy and litigation has unfortunately not been celebrated but has instead resulted in clear, unmitigated chastisement and retaliation. From the command staff down to the front line, officers of color have been called in, called out and either denied opportunity or demoted in what can only be seen as a systematic effort to subjugate and silence them. 

Their courage of conviction has been met by the department with an unwritten policy and practice of denying access and opportunity to officers of color. The fact that this ‘blockade blueprint’ has both continued and flourished under a Mayor and a Commissioner of color is blatantly disingenuous to their public posturing specific to their championship of inclusivity, and similarly disgraceful in its power play to perpetuate the status quo. We, at MAMLEO call for the immediate reinstatement of Eddy Chrispin to his command staff rank, for the promotion of officers of color off of the existing civil service exam list, and for a expeditious stop to the bewildering retaliation practices that have sadly become the hallmark of the present day Commissioner's Office, department, and the city.

We thank members of the community, elected officials, clergy and organizations that have reached out in support of Eddy Chrispin. We are better together as a community, representation matters!