Stoughton officials and community members remain divided following the recent removal of Police Chief Kathleen McNamara from her post. McNamara, the town’s first female police chief and a decade-long leader of the department, was asked to leave her position on July 7, with Deputy Chief James O’Connor appointed as acting chief, according to a statement from Town Manager Jeffrey Calter.

Calter, speaking in a phone interview, said that he and a labor lawyer advised McNamara to depart temporarily with a plan to reconvene a few days later. He declined to disclose the reasons behind the decision and noted that McNamara canceled the scheduled follow-up meeting. Efforts to obtain further comment from Calter over the subsequent days went unanswered.

The decision has sparked a wave of support for McNamara from residents and town officials alike. At a select board meeting on July 13, a group of McNamara’s supporters gathered outside the public session, chanting her name and urging the board to reinstate her. Kristen Vasconcelos, a local resident attending the meeting, characterized McNamara as a leader of high integrity who was being unfairly targeted for demanding transparency. Another resident, Peter Ventresco, urged the removal of Calter, accusing him of dividing the community.

McNamara’s attorney, Leah Marie Barrault, indicated that her client was informed of a complaint lodged against her but was not told the details or the identity of the complainant. Barrault also alleged gender discrimination in the treatment of McNamara, who has never received disciplinary action or negative evaluations during her tenure. McNamara completed the first year of a three-year contract as chief earlier this year.

Tensions between McNamara and Calter reportedly escalated in recent weeks. Last Monday, McNamara formally filed a harassment complaint against Calter, alleging persistent and disparaging communications. While Calter acknowledged contacting McNamara regularly during this period, he contested the frequency described in the complaint.

No comments have been forthcoming from the police officers’ unions representing the department’s rank and file or supervisory personnel. Messages left with union leaders were not returned.

McNamara’s tenure has been marked by efforts to address a high-profile case involving the 2021 death of Sandra Birchmore, a 23-year-old pregnant woman and former program participant of the department. The death, initially ruled a suicide, has undergone substantial scrutiny following an internal affairs investigation ordered by McNamara. That inquiry found serious misconduct involving former detective Matthew Farwell, who has been charged federally with Birchmore’s murder and the death of her unborn child. Farwell has pleaded not guilty. Two other former officers, William Farwell and Robert C. Devine, were implicated in the department’s internal report but face no criminal charges. The state medical examiner amended Birchmore’s cause of death to “undetermined” in April.

Supporters credit McNamara with pushing for the involvement of the FBI and shedding new light on the case, viewing her as a driving force behind the investigation. Former select board member John Anzivino praised her leadership, particularly in relation to the Birchmore case.

McNamara initiated the internal affairs investigation shortly after Birchmore was found dead in her Canton apartment in early 2021. The town placed Matthew Farwell on administrative leave soon after the probe commenced. While the Norfolk District Attorney’s office conducted an investigation, no criminal charges were brought at the state level. McNamara publicly condemned the implicated officers at a 2022 news conference prior to the FBI’s arrest of Farwell in 2023.

Questions have also been raised regarding McNamara’s management style. During a state disciplinary hearing for Robert Devine, testimony touched briefly on allegations that McNamara may have misused internal affairs procedures, though further discussion was limited by legal objection.

Many in Stoughton remain frustrated by the lack of transparency surrounding McNamara’s removal. Supporters who remained at Town Hall following the select board’s closed-door session expressed dissatisfaction with officials’ refusal to engage with the public on the issue.

The town’s charter grants the select board authority to appoint and remove the police chief and town manager, with officials serving at the board’s discretion. As the community awaits further developments, the dispute highlights ongoing tensions within Stoughton’s local government and law enforcement leadership.