Mr.

Gavigan,

“In mid-2019, the Treasurer of our Union was arrested on domestic related
charges unrelated to his responsibilities as a New Bedford police officer or as
Treasurer for the New Bedford Police Union. He was then suspended by the
Chief and while he was suspended we assigned another member of the Union
to act as the temporary Treasurer. Members of the Union’s Executive Board
then found numerous questionable charges and withdrawals. The Union
then hired an outside public accounting firm to conduct an audit. While the
audit was being performed the Union, out of an abundance of caution,
notified the Bristol County District Attorney's office and the Massachusetts
Attorney General's office of possible theft of union finances. The Union was
then contacted by the FBI who requested all of the Union's financials
records. The auditing firm finished its audit in February 2020 and the report,
as requested by the FBI, was delivered to the US Attorney's office. The US
Attorney has all of our financial records and we are waiting the results of the
investigation. In the meantime, the Union's Executive Board has taken
numerous steps to put safeguards in place to protect the Union from this
occurring again. As this matter is still in the investigation stage the Union
will not have any further comments.”

Respectfully,
Hank Turgeon