Ex Dracut Police Officer Philip Berard Retires
Dracut Police Officer Philip Berard retired all of a sudden this week and from what I heard it’s because he got in trouble for something new. The Lowell Sun could not reach Ex-Officer Berard for comment. Philip Berard, was removed from a normal patrol duty sometimes earlier this week and also was demoted from sergeant to just an entry-level patrolman in April 2003 because he used excessive force in the arrest of another Dracut man riding a 4 wheeler someplace he obviously shouldn’t have been. Basically Berard pointed his gun at the guy on the 4 wheeler and threatened to shoot him if he didn’t stop. A little excessive Mr Berard?
Berard submitted testimony to a Civil Service group but he was found to have “no credibility” and the demotion was upheld.
The Lowell Sun found that, “The high-ranking source inside the department said Berard’s retirement came in anticipation of more disciplinary action for an undisclosed violation.” What I heard was that Berard had made another screw up that was inexcusable by another which was the last straw and he was going to be fired or given the chance to retire.
December 13th, 2006 at 6:02 pm
I would have shot the jerk!
May 29th, 2009 at 6:34 am
Im astonished that this man was able to continue serving as a police officer after all these years. I personally witnessed similar situations as a teen, Im now 35, while riding off road vehicles in the woods and dirt pits of Dracut.
Im sorry to see this type of behavior was tolerated for so many years. It’s about time his excessive abuse of a police officers power comes to an end.