On 2/21/2019, I (Officer Devin Schneider) was in full uniform while assigned to marked cruiser East-1 (781) during the 4pm-12am shift. The following report is a summary of the events that I witnessed that day, as they pertain to incident #19009644:

At approximately 4:00 pm, I was parked at the intersection of Mystic Avenue, and Grand Union Boulevard conducting traffic enforcement of the traffic control devices located at the intersection. It was at this time I observed a black Cadillac Escalade (MA registration xxxxx) travel east through the solid red light at the intersection. I immediately activated the cruiser’s blue lights, and pulled behind the Escalade.

The Escalade immediately slowed down, but did not stop. While following the Escalade, I ran the vehicle’s registration, and it was revealed that the registered owner may have had a license to carry a firearm. I followed the Escalade for short time until it turned into the Home Depot parking lot. At this point I activated the cruiser’s siren. The Escalade travelled all the way down one aisle of the parking lot, turned left, then turned left again. The Escalade then travelled a short distance up the second aisle before pulling into a parking spot. I pulled behind the vehicle with my blue lights still activated. I would note, from the area where I initially attempted to stop the Escalade to the area where it stopped is approximately 0.2 miles according to Google maps.

The operator, later identified as Joseph Lord, exited the vehicle, walked around the back, between his parked vehicle and my cruiser, then began walking away from me towards Home Depot. I exited my cruiser and ordered Lord to stop. Lord looked at me and told me that I was not pulling him over. I informed Lord that I was pulling him over, and ordered him to return to his vehicle. Lord became agitated, and began shouting at me, calling me “a dirty cop.” At this point I called for additional back-up. I ordered Lord to return to his vehicle several times, which he refused to do, all while berating me and calling me a liar. Lord stated that he did not know he was being pulled over, yet contradicted this by stating that he did not hear the siren until he was in the Home Depot parking lot.

I informed Lord that he was subject to arrest if he did not comply. Lord walked over to the front passenger side door, and opened it. Lord then grabbed three arm fulls of trash from the vehicle, and threw it into the parking lot. At the time of Lord’s agitated behavior, the Home Depot was open for business. There was a steady stream of customers going to and leaving the business, many of whom were stopping to observe the commotion. Lord then entered his vehicle, on the passenger side. Lord handed me his driver’s license and registration, then shut the door and rolled up the window. For officer safety, I ordered Lord to roll down his window so I could communicate to him to stop moving. Lord refused to comply.

A short time later Officer Steve St. Hillaire (C-1), Officer Matt Khoury (East-4), Officer Brian Pavao (East-2), and Officer Thomas Lambert (Unit-200) arrived on scene as back-up. Officer Lambert informed me that he observed in the back of the vehicle a paper target with apparent bullet holes in it. I returned to my cruiser where I ran Lord’s license and registration. I learned that Lord had a suspended LTC, and should not have a firearm.

I ordered Lord to exit the vehicle, and Lord complied. I placed Lord under arrest, handcuffing him in a manner consistent with my training, and checking them for proper tightness. While attempting to double lock the handcuffs, we were standing in the doorway of his vehicle. Lord reached back with handcuffed hands, and tried twice to shut the car door, hitting it against my body. I ordered Lord to stop, and warned him that he could be subject to additional charges. Officer Pavao took control of Lord, and double locked his handcuffs.

The Escalade was searched, and a BB gun designed to look exactly like a real firearm was discovered in a holster in the center console. While searching the Escalade, Lord was placed in prisoner transport unit 200, where he we could hear Lord kicking the door or wall repeatedly. Lord was transported back to the station by Officer Thomas Lambert, where he was booked in the usual manner by the Commanding Officer: Sergeant Michael Holland. The vehicle was legally parked in the private lot, and I secured the doors. I issued Lord a civil citation for the red light violation at the booking window (Citation #T1318231.) I will be filing for the following charges against Lord:

Ch. 90 / S. 16: Fail to Stop for Police
Ch. 270 / S. 16: Litter from a Motor Vehicle
Ch. 272 / S. 53: Disorderly Conduct

I learned post arrest from Officer Lambert, that Lord had complained of his handcuffs being too tight, so Officer Lambert had readjusted them for him. Additionally, I learned that Lord had made statement to Officer Lambert, accusing all the Officers involved with his arrest as being members of the Klu Klux Klan.

Respectfully submitted,

Officer Devin Schneider
Badge #295