So it is not just Atkinson....

From the Plaistow Town Crier;

Embattled Stoughton chief is ousted

Officials fear move won't end turmoil

Manuel Cachopa was a 25-year veteran of the force. (Globe File/2005)

By Megan Woolhouse

Boston Globe Staff / February 15, 2009

Stoughton may promote itself on its website as a place of "tranquility and charm," but the reality is quite different.

On Friday, town officials closed one chapter of a long-running saga when they dismissed Police Chief Manuel Cachopa, a 25-year veteran who was convicted of attempted extortion and faces a prison term.

A former sergeant on the town's police force, David M. Cohen, is already serving two years in prison, convicted of attempting to extort and intimidate a local businessman. And Sergeant Robert Welch, who alleged that he was demoted from his position as head of detectives as re taliation for investigating both men, won a lawsuit against the town and a judgment of $165,000 this month.

Even Stoughton officials, who say they will begin a search for a new chief this month, don't see harmony on the horizon.

"Time heals all wounds, but all wounds leave a scar," said Selectman Scott Carrara, who had supported the police chief in the past. "I don't think this is the end of the discussion of it in the town."

Cachopa did not return phone calls yesterday, but Town Manager Mark S. Stankiewicz said Cachopa is expected to appeal his conviction.

Turmoil in the Police Department has divided the town for years. A faction in the community ardently supported Cachopa, a graduate of the local high school and former football player.

He also has his detractors, who say he showed a lack of leadership and little control over his officers.

In 2003, the issue came to a boil when Cohen was accused of abusing his police power when he tried to collect a debt from a local businessman on behalf of a client of his private business. Cachopa was later accused of trying to cover up the complaint against Cohen.

Two selectmen, Robert Mullen Jr. and Gerald Goulston, criticized the chief and the department and voted against renewing Cachopa's contract as chief the same year. Goulston said yesterday that he thought Cachopa was popular but lacking the leadership skills needed to oversee a department with more than 50 officers.

Police supporters launched a successful campaign to recall both selectmen in 2004. Two new selectmen were installed who supported the reinstatement of Cachopa.

Goulston said in an interview yesterday that many living in Stoughton were afraid to speak out against the police.

"At one point in time right after the recall, people who did not support Cachopa as police chief were fearful," Goulston said. "It was frightening."

That new selectmen reinstated Cachopa as chief. It didn't last long. In 2005, Cachopa was indicted by the Norfolk district attorney's office on charges that he attempted to cover up for Cohen. The Board of Selectmen voted to put him on administrative leave with full pay, about $139,000 a year, as well as Cohen, who was paid about $160,000 over two years.

That was three years - and more than a half-million dollars - ago.

This month, Cachopa was convicted of attempted extortion. He is set to be sentenced Feb. 26, and faces up to seven years in prison. He did not return phone calls to his home yesterday.

In a phone interview yesterday, Goulston called the termination and conviction of Cachopa "a sad affair," noting that he could have stepped down as chief in 2003 when his contract was due to expire and avoided the whole mess.

Welch, who investigated the extortion case as an assistant to a special prosecutor for the Norfolk district attorney's office, was informed in 2005 that he would not be reappointed to his supervisor position. Welch could not be reached yesterday, but in winning his court case against the town, he was reinstated to a supervision position. The $165,000 judgment in state district court does not include interest or lawyers' fees.

Carrara, the selectman, defended the decision to put both Cachopa and Cohen on paid administrative leave yesterday, saying that Town Meeting could have voted to end the chief's pay but did not.

"Pay was given to them because, well . . . if we had stopped their pay and people lost houses and sicknesses ensued or whatever, the town would have been liable," Carrara said.

But others said yesterday that they felt vindicated by Cachopa's dismissal.

Arthur R. Tilton Sr. said his son was charged with assault and attempting to kidnap a 3-year-old from a Chinese restaurant in 2005, in what he believed was an effort by police to generate positive publicity as they faced growing controversy.

The charges against Arthur Tilton Jr. were eventually dropped. Tilton, it turned out, looked nothing like the person on a wanted poster and he was never clearly identified by the child's mother in mug shots, either, according to his lawyer, David Zwicker. The elder Tilton said the experience put his son "through hell." Friends and neighbors in Stoughton shunned him and he had a hard time getting work.

Thomas Murphy will remain the Police Department's acting chief.

Tilton said he's hopeful Stoughton can hire a new chief that can restore trust.

"Right now, it's starting to turn around," he said, adding this disclaimer: "But you know Stoughton."

Megan Woolhouse can be reached at mwoolhouse@globe.com.

© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.


READER COMMENTS (21) Post a comment

Just another small town police department were corruption was uncovered. Good use of taxpayer money paying the corrupt cops a half million for not working. I wonder if the dopes running the town had a claw back provision to recover the half million if the cops were found guilty. Nah, that would require intelligence and concern for the taxpayer. Just another small town police department were corruption was uncovered. Good use of taxpayer money paying the corrupt cops a half million for not working. I wonder if the dopes running the town had a claw back provision to recover the half million if the cops were found guilty. Nah, that would require intelligence and concern for the taxpayer.

by ScheckyGreen February 15, 3:46 AM

Stoughton, don't be so hard on yourselves, these cases are becomimg more the rule than the exception. Police contracts should be put to a vote, only then will the people that pay the freight have any control over the gravy train. Stoughton, don't be so hard on yourselves, these cases are becomimg more the rule than the exception. Police contracts should be put to a vote, only then will the people that pay the freight have any control over the gravy train.

by blackhawk February 15, 7:19 AM

Robert Welch I commend you for your courage. Robert Welch I commend you for your courage.

by Anjelina February 15, 7:36 AM

Tilton should sue also - but NOT the taxpayers. The selectmen and policemen who intimidated, extorted, covered up, framed the innocent, then had teh audacity to reinstate - and compensate - criminals in positions of power should be personally liable - and their lucrative pensions ruled null and void. Tilton should sue also - but NOT the taxpayers. The selectmen and policemen who intimidated, extorted, covered up, framed the innocent, then had teh audacity to reinstate - and compensate - criminals in positions of power should be personally liable - and their lucrative pensions ruled null and void.

by BudgetAwareness February 15, 7:45 AM

So let me get this straight. We finally catch one of the bully cops in the act of breaking the law and intimidation at the point of a gun, fire them and we still have to pay them even though they no longer provide us a service. When you think about the logic that defends this system it will make your head spin. And it usually starts and ends with the word Union. The spineless board of selectman need to be replaced as well by a fair and tough breed.

Mr. Welch if you read these blogs. Thank You. Your act was truly brave.

We should pull the the admin pay from these thugs and give it to Mr. Welch and his family. Also, any cop who was involved in the Tilton incarceration should have their assets confiscated and transferred to Tilton himself.

by smarterjc February 15, 8:15 AM

Kowalcyk The chairman of the board of selectman,didn't even show up for the termination vote. He was quoted to say, He only ran in the recall election, to give Cachopa his job back ! He and Carrera,Levine, and Sousa should be sued and have to pay the town the $600K they voted to pay Cachopa during his "Paid Administrative Leave". Only Public sector employees get paid while under indictment ! The entire recall was run by union employees and union supporters.

This is a perfect example of what is wrong with this state,and the unionized democratic power machine !

Carrera is up for re-election,hopefully he resigns, or the town finally wakes up and Votes him out !

by Nomorehacks February 15, 8:59 AM

Haven't lived there for many years, but I'm embarassed for my hometown.

And as you attempt to fill the position, keep this in mind: maybe it's not a good idea for a local boy to become police chief.

by harrybosch February 15, 9:00 AM

Good point harryb, If they pick an insider, from what's been reported, there will always be internal strife within the department as well as the townspeople. Pick s proven outside leader who can hopefully bring back moral and integrity to the department. There are too many good cops there who don't deserve the bad press. Boston as well as some other towns did it and it seems to be working. But remember, there will always be the naysayers who have all the answers but somehow never climb up the ladder to put their ideas into play. to put their ideas into play.

by sammys February 15, 9:42 AM

What a sorry lot of selectmen and what a town. Sounds more like a herd of sheep! What a sorry lot of selectmen and what a town. Sounds more like a herd of sheep!

by Potlemac February 15, 9:42 AM

And...Robert Welch should be appointed chief for having the courage to do his job and to do it well in the face of so much opposition. If the town of Stoughton had any decency they should honor this man for doing his duty!

by Potlemac February 15, 9:45 AM

Any town dumb enough to elect a moron like Joe Mokrisky selectman gets exactly what it deserves!!! Any town dumb enough to elect a moron like Joe Mokrisky selectman gets exactly what it deserves!!!

by 2BigDee February 15, 9:58 AM

Mr Goulston and Mr Mullin were right. Manny was not qualified to be a police chief in any town. They were railroaded out of office by the three selectmen lackies who owe their elections to the Police Department and the Save our Stoughton group which is also the Police Department. Sgt Cohen was a victim of the Police Chief's lack of competance. I moved out of town after 43 years because the police department ran it. It won't change they pick another insider.

by movedfromstoughton February 15, 10:13 AM

Sgt. Welch should be commended by the public for what he went through, he and his family deserve far more than the award from the court. He has won his suit against the town and been vindicated. The investigation he conducted led to 2 indictments and 2 convictions, Sgt Welch is batting .1000. He is the honest, upstanding cop who was willing to take all the heat, including being demoted from chief of detectives. He should be the new Chief of Police, but since he won't be he should be put back in charge of detectives so there is someone competent to manage investigations in that position.

by topcorner February 15, 10:24 AM



I used to live in Stoughton,but as soon as I got a whiff of the corruption and cronyism I moved the heck out of the dump that the town has turned into. If you just look at the photo of the chief it speaks volumes as to what a swell guy he is.The town public works dept is so bloated with hacks that it could easily operate at half of its current capacity.The downtown area resembles San Paulo,Brazil (undocumented ,unregistered illegal aliens].And finally the selectmen who voted to pay these two corrupt cops should personally be held financially responsible for sticking it to the taxpayers of the town. A citizens arrest should be in order for these bums and force THEM to pay each payer the approximately $400 it cost to keep these criminals in the money.

by gerry70 February 15, 10:31 AM

Didn't Selectman Anastos hire Selectman Mokrisky for a position at Global Recycling, which Anastos owned, in 2000 in return for the Board of Selectmen turning a blind eye to serious environmental problems which existed at the Global Recycling plant???????

by 2BigDee February 15, 11:30 AM

Kowalcyk did indeed state that the only reason he ran in the recall election was to help out his pal the chief! Appalling isn't the word for this sort of hubris and cronyism. The Town of Stoughton should file a class action suit against the individual board members who were more concerned about making sure their idle, indicted friends were on the gravy train than they were the taxpayers of the town. At a minimum, might I suggest the Globe go a little further now in their investigative journalism? Kowalcyk did indeed state that the only reason he ran in the recall election was to help out his pal the chief! Appalling isn't the word for this sort of hubris and cronyism. The Town of Stoughton should file a class action suit against the individual board members who were more concerned about making sure their idle, indicted friends were on the gravy train than they were the taxpayers of the town. At a minimum, might I suggest the Globe go a little further now in their investigative journalism?

by floquick February 15, 12:14 PM

HaHaHaHa...I needed a good laugh .Is it Mayberry's Barney Fife or sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane of the Dukes of Hazzard.

by pia3 February 15, 3:02 PM


1) Fire everyone who backed Cachopa.

2) Remove the selectment who backed him.

3) The townspeople are bullied into silence with only two options, stay and fight or move.

4) Way to go Stoughton, you're making Randolf look awesome.

by iambull February 15, 3:13 PM

This is not over, civil law suits including kid knapping could add another 2 million onto the 1 million this has already cost. This will end up costing every tax payer in the town another $400 on thier property tax bill. Had they have terminated David 17 years ago for permently borrowing the scuba equipment from the department this would have never happened. I am not sure why as someone suggested before why liens could not be placed on property so the towns people can recover some of these damages?

by Barney447 February 15, 4:56 PM

He should have ran to Aruba like his daddy to escape a conviction? The ball does not bounce too far from the tree? Then again he only took $470,000 from investors that trusted him? Nothing compared to the big ponzi plays going on on wall street? The big lesson here is for police to stop sticking together (no coverups)and do what is right no matter if a buddy will get hurt in the process?

by Barney447 February 15, 6:51 PM