Broken Promise: Mayor Coogan To Bypasses City Council to Extend Police Chief Furtado’s Contract

On Friday, Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan broke his commitment to the City Council by announcing his intention to give Police Chief Kelly Furtado a two year extension without approval from the city council. Fall River Reporter broke the story on Facebook and hours later WJAR 10 confirmed it. The announcement came hours after Fall River Reporter’s published: From “One of the Best” to Targeted: How Fall River Police Department Weaponized a Warrant Against Ex-FRPD Officer 

According to reliable sources, Mayor Coogan has been calling city councilors this month to try to get the 5 votes need to extend Furtado’s contract. After my story broke, Mayor Coogan likely knew he couldn’t get the five city council votes needed for approval so he decided to go against his commitment and just give Furtado the contact without city council approval.

A promise made, but not kept

In April of 2025, the Fall River City Council voted 5-4 against Furtado getting a three-year contract and becoming the Fall River Police Chief. Furtado would be the fifth police chief in nine years and some on the council wanted a better process in selecting the next chief (other councils just approve whatever the mayor sends down). Councilor Shawn Cadime made a motion to send a letter to the mayor concerning the search committee which passed unanimously, 9-0.

In May of 2025, just a month later, a deal had been struck and Furtado was approved to be the permanent chief in a 5-4 vote. The deal?  The Council approved a home rule petition to make the police chief position based on civil service in the future and the chief would get a 1-year contract. There was a mayoral election in November, and the next mayor would decide the next chief.

On Jan 29, 2026, Governor Healey signed the bill that moves the Fall River Police Chief position from a contract position to civil service with a contract. The bill was presented by State Rep. Carole Fiola and State Senator Michael Rodrigues. This was part of the deal Mayor Coogan struck with the city council and legislators put time into making it happen.

Mayor Coogan has had 10 months to explore the civil service process and over a month to start the process. After controversy, last year New Bedford just went through the process of finding an outside Chief of Police. Furtado’s contract is up in May and there doesn’t seem to be any process started. Instead, Mayor Coogan on Friday decided he would move forward with giving Furtado a 2-year extension without the city council’s approval. Lesson learned for the city council? Words are meaningless. Always get commitments in writing.

A dangerous precedence is set

If mayors send down appointments for 3-year contracts, get rebuffed, then agree to 1-year contracts, but then decide to renew contracts without city council approval, what’s the point of city council approval? The City Council can appoint someone for 1-year then the mayor can renew the contract for life without city council approval? It seems like a legal loophole that allows Mayor Coogan to go against his promise. It should put the city council on notice – do not approve 1-year contracts unless there legal stipulations that required extensions to go back to the council. Words mean little, signed agreements are now required.

If the Fall River City Council rolls over and accepts this, they will have ceded most of their powers to the mayor’s office.