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OPINION: The City of Fall River condones the use of police search warrants to dox residents
The Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission, the independent state agency that disciplines law enforcement officers, closed the investigation into FRPD’s questionable search warrant on April 30, taking no further action. After resisting any investigation for weeks, the City of Fall River went through the motions of a very limited and barely documented HR investigation and sent biased letter to POST, who decided no further action was needed.
Does that mean that the FRPD has been cleared? By POST and the Mayor’s office, which means they both approve police departments using search warrants to dox people who post mild comments on Facebook. It also means POST and the Mayor’s office are fine with the FRPD blatantly ignoring state law regarding search warrants being returned within 7 days.
A review of the search warrant story
The Fall River Police Department obtained a search warrant in December 2025 to unmask the identity of a fake Facebook account (“Timmothy James”) that posted critical comments about department personnel, including Detective Christopher Teves (son of Chief Kelly Furtado). Lt. Matthew Mendes submitted the warrant application, citing harassment, officer safety concerns, and claims of exposing private information, despite the comments being public criticisms that referenced Teves’ known role in a federal task force—information already publicized by the FRPD itself in press releases and social media.
The account belonged to former FRPD officer Connor Levesque (now with Swansea PD), whom Mendes had previously praised in a 2022 letter as “one of the best.” No criminal charges were filed; instead, FRPD shared the information with Swansea PD, resulting in Levesque’s 3-day suspension. The department violated Massachusetts law by delaying return of the warrant for over three months (until March 2026, after pressure from Fall River Reporter), raising questions about weaponizing the justice system for internal retaliation rather than legitimate law enforcement needs.
In March, the Fall River City Council voted 7-0 (with one present and one absent) to launch a formal investigation into the Fall River Police Department’s actions and Ponte filed a citizens complaint. Mayor Coogan and his legal team resisted all investigative efforts (even after admitting they didn’t read the search warrant).
The Herald News breaks the story
The Herald News was first to report that POST was done with their investigation and would take no further action. What’s interesting is how the article goes on to point out that the FRPD search warrant was obtained “fearing an internal leak.”
I’m not a lawyer, but I’m confident police departments can’t get search warrants because they fear internal leaks of information. Search warrants are supposed to be used to investigate crimes, not internal leaks that are your dirty laundry or to dox social media trolls.
Fall River Corporation Council Letter POST
On March 27, City Council President Cliff Ponte filed a citizens complaint with the FRPD.
On March 31, Fall River’s Director of Human Resources Nick Macolini sent a letter to Mayor Coogan detailing that on March 27 he investigated the three FRPD officers and recommended no issuance of formal disciplinary action. He also informed the Mayor that documentation was sent to POST.
It’s important to note that Macolini stated at the City Council that the interviews of the police officers was conducted verbally and his notes are private. Also, HR directors can only investigate employees that violate HR rules, not violations of state or federal law. Constitutional violations of unreasonable search and seizure or violation of state law is well above the jurisdiction of HR directors.
On March 31, POST and Corporation Council Alan Rumsey discuss via email the investigation that was sent to POST. Rumsey pushes a biased opinion against City Council President Cliff Ponte in the letter to POST.
If you review Cliff Ponte’s complaint, you’ll see that he alleges “misuse of power.” Does he state a specific Massachusetts law that was violated? No, but neither did the search warrant and that was good enough for a magistrate to sign it.
On April 9, POST lets Macolini know that they received the information he sent. Macolini sends more information on April 21.
What we should ascertain from the City of Fall River’s resistance to the investigation and mild reaction to a clear abuse of power is that Mayor Coogan, corporation council, the FRPD and POST are fine with using search warrants to dox people who make mild comments on Facebook about the FRPD. If you pick on a family member of the Chief, the City will protect the police if a search warrant is used to dox you and never returned. If the police department decides not to return search warrant more than three months than the law allows (and only after being pushed), no worries – laws are just suggestions.
If you live in Fall River, be careful what you post on social media. The FRPD may use the judicial system against you without fear or accountability.
