Members of the North Andover Patrol Officers Union are calling for the immediate removal of Chief Charles Gray, passing a vote of no confidence in his leadership, citing the recent case of former officer, Kelsey Fitzsimmons.

“We can no longer remain silent while operating under a toxic culture of vindictiveness and professional stagnation. This vote is not about wages, benefits or other traditional labor issues – it is the unavoidable consequence of years of failed leadership, no leadership, and outright inaction," the union said in a statement.

The union said the case of Kelsey Fitzsimmons is just one example of a pattern of leadership failures, as the union members said body worn cameras were researched, presented, and supported but they were never “acted upon.”

Former North Andover Police officer Kelsey Fitzsimmons was shot by her fellow colleague while they were serving her a restraining order. Fitzsimmons was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon but was found not guilty two weeks ago.

“As a result, despite the credible testimony of several witnesses, including Officer Pat Noonan, corroborated by physical evidence, the Department’s failure to implement body cameras was held up as an evidentiary void that negatively impacted the outcome of this case, our members and our town,” the unions said in a statement.

An incident in April of 2024 when a member of the department was injured by gunfire also brought up the critical need for body cameras long before the incident with Fitzsimmons, an according to the union members, however the concerns “were ignored.”

Last week, Chief Gray said the department had disabled its official Facebook page after an “unauthorized user” posted a comment on Wednesday about the Kelsey Fitzsimmons case using the account, according to police and media reports.

A preliminary investigation found that a former employee, who is not authorized to use the page, was able to access the department’s Facebook page and left a comment on another user’s page.

The union cited that the “overwhelming vote of no confidence” is a direct reflection of low morale and broken trust, administrative incompetence, and lack of accountability.

Boston 25 has reached out to Gray’s office for a statement on the vote.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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