Dear Billy T and Somerville Speakup Line,

I attended the last hearing about this case and I was horrified about what this family has been put though.

As a long time resident of this city, reading, hearing what’s been going on here under this current administration— I am totally disgusted.

To Nicole and Dante— I’m sorry for what you and your family has been going through. There is a long list of us who have also been wronged by members of this administration in a variety of ways.

I was told by a former member of the mayor’s family (a former coworker and member of law enforcement)—“anyone who challenges the mayor and who he is aligned (other family members or his friends) on the wrong they do will have their lives ruined”.

This was either a veiled threat to me for their continued protection to this family or they were trying to advise me to not write about my own experiences with the city and why I too, lost my job.

There are three people who work for my former employer who have deep connections to the mayor so it’s clear to me now what happened. They are all cowards who hide behind their bad deeds.

We live in a society that teaches us to be ashamed of telling the truth.

What kind of a world do we live in when we are taught that the truth is the enemy?

Those who protect this administration will soon realize they have compromised their own reputations— it’s only a matter of time they will face what we have experienced. No one is immune to corruption. What matters is how they choose to deal with it.

In the last year, since I lost my job, I spent days wondering if there was something I could have done to have prevented this outcome.

I would have be forced to jeopardize my integrity and self respect— something I cannot do, especially when it comes to risking another, a coworker. I was asked to lie about the performance of a fellow coworker so he would be fired. I refused.

I tried to transfer to a different department and it did not matter, their tentacles reached there too and was later wrongfully terminated (sort of) but I was set up, faced degradation and experienced humiliation due to vicious lies spread about my character in order to protect the guilty parties.

It’s almost one year since I left my job of 11 years. It’s still stings, but not as much.

I know in my heart that I didn’t deserve this treatment. I’m happy to be away from these vicious people who care so little about me and my unblemished work performance of 11 years. I had a perfect working record for a total of 25 with other employers- in one short time period it was gone. I know I was blacklisted too but it will never be proven. These people are not even human.

Dante and Nicole- although this road you travel won’t be easy, just know that like mine, it will get easier. You will discover yourself in other ways as I have and this experience will make you stronger.

For me, I could no longer stay on that path. It compromised the person I am, so I had no choice by to expose the person and people who were harassing me and destroying my career. There are few places for honest people with integrity and respect in this city and regional employers who are aligned with the mayor and his protectors hiding in the weeds. Let’s face it— the entire state could use a big broom.

Don’t feel you are alone. We are behind you and the other officers and families, and many people who have had their lives turned upside-down by members of this administration and their backers.

You will one day understand why this happened just as I have, you don’t belong with these people. They are no good.

My family roots are of North Italy. They taught me right— that we should be generous to our friends and family, always show compassion and support to those who need it.

Above all- protect yourself from those who seek to cause harm. Always keep your head up. There is no shame for doing the right thing.

Eventually I believe things will workout in our favor. I know it feels like a lifetime, but we will all get there.

My prayers are with you all.

Be strong and be close to your family. Family is most important and it’s what will get you through.

Judy Locchi Jacobs