Lawrence

Suspended Lawrence police chief returns to city hall

William Castro, who was paid a $210,000 salary to sit at home after the POST Commission suspended his law enforcement credentials, is working again as chief of staff for Mayor Brian DePeña

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Despite calls for him to be fired, the former acting police chief in Lawrence, Massachusetts, is back at city hall.

The NBC10 Boston Investigators reported earlier this month that William Castro had been collecting a $210,000 salary to sit at home for nearly a year.

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The POST Commission suspended his law enforcement credentials last March after he initiated a vehicle chase for a suspect wanted for passing a bad check.

The commission said the chase violated department policies and accused Castro of being untruthful in his report about the incident. It also said it had received "credible reports" about questionable hiring practices during Castro's tenure.

An independent investigation into the incident concluded that Castro broke the law and should be fired, the NBC10 Boston Investigators reported last week.

Castro had previously served as Mayor Brian DePeña's chief of staff, and according to a contract he signed with the mayor, Castro would return to that job once he was no longer serving as the temporary chief.

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