Arlington Cop Placed On Leave After Somerville Man's Complaint

ARLINGTON, MA — An Arlington police officer has been placed on administrative leave while the department investigates the detainment of a civilian during a drug arrest Feb. 10.

A Somerville man voiced concern over his treatment on social media. Police Chief Juliann Flaherty said the man was detained while officers pursued a wanted felon who had fled from a Massachusetts Avenue hotel.

The department has enlisted an outside investigator to review the incident and interaction between the man and the officer, Flaherty said. The officer has not been identified.

Around 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10, officers responded to the hotel for a report of a wanted criminal in one of the rooms who matched the description of a person suspected of previously damaging a room and failing to pay his multi-night bill.

There were also reports of a woman yelling inside the room, police said. Officers knocked on the door and heard the sound of a screen being removed from the ground-level window. They entered the room and began searching the area for the suspect.

Two men were arrested, one of whom has an extensive criminal history and was determined to be the primary suspect, police said. He was found with a "large quantity" of heroin, police said.

The second man, whose interaction with an officer is being investigated, had marijuana, a scale and baggies on him, police said. The amount of marijuana was over the legal limit in Massachusetts, but no charges have been filed against him, police said.

Police said two women were found inside the hotel room, and there was evidence of drug preparation and packaging. The hotel room's smoke detectors were also covered up, police said.

"I have spoken with the Somerville resident, who posted his feelings about his interaction with Arlington police on social media...as always, I promise transparency with the public," Chief Flaherty said in a statement. "I have relayed to the Somerville resident my commitment to an ongoing and open dialog between him and me directly."