BROOKFIELD, Mass. — A Massachusetts State Police trooper from Brookfield has been suspended without pay for secretly recording dozens of traffic stops for years.
State police have not said how long 42-year-old Nicholas Holden’s suspension will be, but a source told Boston 25 News that he has been suspended without pay for a year and a half.
The decision comes after three separate internal investigations that showed he was overly aggressive, made video and audio recordings during traffic stops and made arrests without department approval.
According to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, state police began their investigation in September 2014 when Holden said in court that he had audio and video recordings of a field sobriety test. In a separate January 2014 case, court recordings showed he also mentioned having a tape.
The Telegram reports that recording traffic stops isn’t prohibited by the department, but it also isn’t allowed. And installing audio or video equipment that wasn’t issued by the department needs authorization.
Officials said Holden didn’t turn over most of the recordings he had, and the District Attorney’s Office has sent letters to more than 100 people to let them know about the incidents.
The department said it believes these recording took place over the course of two years.
Holden had been placed on desk duty during the investigations.
Cox Media Group
