Former Fall River police chief Paul Gauvin, who resigned in 2024 and was subsequently terminated before returning as a captain, has had his firing overturned.
The Massachusetts Civil Service Commission ruled last week that the city did not prove that the details in an external investigation did not merit his dismissal. Instead, the commission ruled that Gauvin’s punishment be reduced to a 90- day suspension.
The investigation, conducted soon after Kelly Furtado assumed the role of interim chief, focused on the following allegations against Gauvin:
- That Gauvin had left a knife and bullet as a threatening message to Chief Furtado
- That firearms not registered to him in his locker, in violation of department policy
- That he gave himself and his team extra on-call compensation;
- That he removed two pictures from police headquarters
Gauvin appealed the termination to the commission. In his analysis, commissioner paul stein determined that the city “had just cause to discipline the appellant for neglectful, but not malicious, behavior during the transition from his position as the frpd police chief to his former tenured civil service position of police captain.” But that “the findings of fact and conclusions in this decision differ significantly from those found by the city when it decided to terminate the appellant’s employment,” justifying the 90-day suspension instead.
The city can appeal the decision in superior court.
In the meantime, interim police chief JT Hoar is preparing the next steps if Gauvin were to return.
When he resigned, Gauvin was slated to return as captain of the department’s Major Crimes Division. Chief Hoar says it’s likely he will fill a different role.
During the end of his tenure as chief, Gauvin had received votes of no confidence from two police department unions. Chief Hoar says his focus will be to look beyond what happened in the past
Chief Hoar is also confident that open and honest communication on department expectations will lead to success.
