Medford Police Union’s Facebook Page Attracts Attention

– Allison Goldsberry

The Facebook page maintained by members of the Medford Police Patrolmen’s Association has recently been in the news because of the content of some of its posts.

Last week some police officers were criticized after photos of them posing with people dressed as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were posted on the Patrolmen’s Association’s Facebook page. The photos have since been removed and Patrolmen’s Association president Harry MacGilvray publicly apologized for the incident.

“These were Halloween costumes. It was meant totally as a joke,” MacGilvray said in an email to the Globe. “I apologize if this offended anyone in any way. I never expected this sort of reaction. It was poor judgment on my part.”

This week the Facebook page is the subject of another news story. WHDH is reporting a Medford police officer has filed a discrimination complaint against the city due to the condition of the police department. The Patrolmen’s Association’s Facebook page recently posted photos that depicted the condition of the department, including insufficient facilities for female officers, broken windows, water leaks, and air quality concerns. A 2012 message urging union members to contact city officials to complain about the department’s condition was also posted with the caption “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”

“We believe that it is important for the citizenry to be aware of the conditions under which we work,” said the Patrolman’s Association in a statement to WHDH. “These conditions have not just happened over the last few months. The conditions at the police station have been steadily deteriorating over the last decade or longer. The first female Medford Police officer was hired in the early 1980s and today we still do not have a locker room for our female officers.”

According to WHDH, Mayor Stephanie Burke says she understands why police officers are upset and she is going to prioritize police department improvements.