Ashland Police Chief Cara Rossi's final POST Commission hearing is Friday: What we know

Norman Miller, The MetroWest Daily News
·2 min read
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BOSTON - Ashland Police Chief Cara Rossi will face a final adjudicatory hearing in front of a hearing officer with a state agency on Friday.

On Monday, a final pre-hearing was held by the Peace Officers Training (POST) Commission. The hearing was heard - as Friday's final hearing will be - by hearing officer Judith Cowin, a retired Supreme Judicial Court justice.

Monday's hearing was brief, with Cowin, POST Commission lawyer Shuan Martinez and Rossi's lawyer, Leah Barrault discussing witnesses appearing in person or via zoom. Friday's hearing will be in person in Boston.

Ashland Police Chief Caraa Rossi, pictured here while a Natick Police lieutenant, has a hearing with the POST Commission on Friday.
Ashland Police Chief Caraa Rossi, pictured here while a Natick Police lieutenant, has a hearing with the POST Commission on Friday.

More: Ashland's police chief has been placed on paid administrative leave, town manager says

The POST Commission has not said specifically why Rossi is in front of them other than that it is connected to the James Quilty case. Quilty is a former Natick Police sergeant who was convicted of sexually assaulting a former female dispatcher.

That dispatcher has filed a civil suit in Norfolk Superior Court and Rossi, who was a lieutenant in Natick at the time, is named as a defendant. The dispatcher alleges in her lawsuit that Rossi aided and abetted Quilty by urging the dispatcher to not make a formal complaint against. Rossi has denied the allegations.

More: Victim of ex-Natick police sergeant's assault has filed suit against him, town

What we don't know about the upcoming hearing

The MetroWest Daily News has filed a public records request with the POST Commission to obtain the complaint filed against Rossi. The request was filed on Feb. 14.

The POST Commission responded within the 10 days required by law, on Feb. 27, and requested additional time. They still have not completed their review of the request.

What is the POST Commission's role in Massachusetts

According to the POST Commission, the purpose of an adjudicatory hearing is to suspend an officer or revoke their certification to work as an officer and to order retraining. An officer can appeal any ruling.

What is Cara Rossi's job now

Rossi was hired as the Ashland police chief in May of 2022 and officially started in July of that year. Previously, she was an officer in Natick, reaching the rank of lieutenant.

Ashland Town Manager Michael Herbert placed Rossi on paid administrative leave in January. He has not disclosed the reason.

Rossi signed a contract extension last September that gave her a $15,500 raise. The new contract, obtained by the Daily News through a public records request, extended by a year a pact that was originally set to end in 2025, and raised her annual salary by 9.5%, from $162,500 to $178,000. Rossi and Town Manager Michael Herbert signed the contract, which was effective retroactive to July 1, 2023, on Sept. 25.

Read more about the contract: Ashland's police chief received a contract extension months before being placed on leave

Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow Norman Miller on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Massachusetts POST Commission to hold hearing on Ashland police chief