Asides

Unfolding Law Enforcement Corruption and Cover-Ups

By Mayra Sofia Soto

Today we joined an exciting virtual session hosted by the Houston Area ACFE Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and the world’s largest anti-fraud organization and premier provider of anti-fraud training and education.

The event was led by Lawrence P. Smith, President and Founder of the STIRM Group Inc, which conducts complex investigations for law enforcement, legal entities, and private clients.

Smith, who also hosts the podcast Bribes, Lies & Alibis, is releasing a new book this fall– Six Degrees of Corruption: The Fleecing of a City– detailing corruption at the heart of institutions designed to protect the public.

The case began when a police chief approached Smith in late 2021 to investigate a forged training record tied to a former Methuen Police Department officer. What seemed at first like a simple case of document fraud unraveled into something much larger: a pattern of systemic corruption involving fraudulent certifications, fake officers, conspiracy, and significant Brady v. Maryland implication. Smith’s background in document fraud, including years with Homeland Security, allowed him to immediately spot the forgery. But the deeper he dug, the more the issue grew– from one fake cop to institutional complicity at the highest levels.

Central to the scandal was the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC), the body responsible for overseeing municipal police training statewide. Smith initially gavethem a professional courtesy call, as is customary in law enforcement when an officer is under investigation. Instead of honesty, he encountered what he believed was direct involvement andcriminal negligence by the executive director. Despite presenting overwhelming evidence such as forged academy records, evidence tampering, and false arrests. The case was rejected 11 times by the Attorney General’s Office, the District Attorney, and even the Department of Justice.

The report was not only turned down, it was impounded. Officials cited “not enough evidence” and tried to use prosecutorial discretion to avoid action. Smith detailed how elected officials and politically connected figures shielded the MPTC leadership from accountability. The MPTC agency stripped metadata from requested records, withheld documents from investigators and the media, lied to investigators and tampered with evidence. Those responsible, including Robert Ferullo, the MPTC’s executive director, faced no charges even as evidence of their active involvement increased.

These failures rippled outward. Every officer trained by the MPTC, every conviction they played a role in, now comes under question. The legal, financial, and reputational damage is profound. The scale of corruption and political protection in the state as Smith noted “is mind-numbing.”

When an accreditation body is compromised, the entire justice system is at risk ranging from civil rights violations to erosion of public trust. The fallout includes not just criminal liability, but also obstruction of justice, conspiracy and accreditation loss.

Smith emphasized that this case isn’t about money or value but it’s about protecting human rights. At the end of the day, the greatest badge of honor is honesty.

Partnership, Photography, and Philanthropy: Boy Scouts of American and the LEAP Ambassadors

The concept of helping other people is central to the BSA “Scout Oath,” while also being integral to the mission of the LEAP Ambassadors. It was perhaps no surprise, then, that these two organizations would eventually work together and, in doing so, would help others.

The partnership was prompted by Troop 114’s end-of-the-school-year celebration, a need for photography, and a request from Gene Roberts. So, in mid-May, with temperatures hovering around 95, the LEAP Ambassadors came armed with cameras to do individual, family, and group photos of the Scouts.

The immediate result was more than 200 photographs of young people, their families, and scout leaders.

The young people did a good job in the face of heat, delays, and the youthful discomfort of being the center of attention in a crowd of peers and the camera’s gaze.

It was a learning process for us as photographers. While we have a competence with the technical aspects of the camera, we do little formal photography. We also don’t do a lot of posing of other people, particularly young children and groups with extreme height differences. So, it was a little overwhelming at times, trying to keep up with camera settings, posing and positioning, backgrounds, impatience, and changing light conditions, not to mention the heat. In turn, this led to longer wait-times for the photography, which must have been frustrating to the Scouts and their families.

Nonetheless, we were able to take more 1,500 photographs in a matter of an hour, with some of the children showing an inclination for attention.

We stayed for another hour or so, photographing the Scout meeting…

…and we were generously offered meals from the Troop’s potluck dinner, and in the process, learned more about Scouts, their mission, and the contributions to those involved and to the community at large.

Indeed, although we offered to do the photography for free, many generous parents/leaders donated $360 to LEAP. In turn and in the spirit of the community-minded impulse that animates the Scouts, we matched the donation and contributed it to the Salvation Army of Kerry .

Insights from a “City Fellow” Experience

by Macey Schank

As a City Fellows intern, I’m spending the summer working with the Huntsville City Manager’s Office and learning all about how a city operates. As part of this well-rounded experience, I attended a City Council meeting to gain a deeper understanding of how decisions are made and how various municipal departments collaborate through the council’s leadership.

This was my very first time attending a council meeting, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Before the meeting began, I had the chance to reconnect with several city officials from different departments, including my former supervisors Penny Joiner, the Parks Director, and Kristy Wheeler, the Parks Administrative and Recreation Coordinator, from my previous internship with Parks and Recreation.

The meeting opened with a call to order and a proclamation from Mayor Humphrey declaring July as Parks and Recreation Month, recognizing the vital role the department plays in enriching our city. From there, the agenda moved into voting on public improvement projects and grant funding, including items related to airport improvements, water erosion issues, and enhancements to the public library with a new makerspace. The meeting itself was structured and efficient, a far less confusing experience than I had imagined. It moved smoothly from one item to the next, with each discussion focused and purposeful.

Observing the council in action was much more engaging than I expected. It gave me a practical look at how parliamentary procedures are applied and how council members and city staff work together to serve the public.

Attending the meeting helped me connect the dots between the work I’ve done this summer and how those efforts support broader city goals. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the behind-the-scenes effort and preparation that go directly into the policy discussions and project planning at the council level.

Before becoming a City Fellows intern, I had no idea how much coordination and planning go into city operations. This internship has not only helped me build real-world skills that will strengthen my resume, but it has also made me a more informed and engaged member of the community. I now have a better understanding of how local government functions, and these firsthand experiences have given me a foundation to build on in future roles.