Findings of Independent Examination of Conduct of Former Woburn Police Department Officer John Donnelly Released

WOBURN – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan today released the findings of the independent examination, which was conducted at her request, into former Woburn Police Department Officer John Donnelly.

In October of 2022, allegations about Officer Donnelly’s online presence and other activities prompted the Woburn Police Department to place him on administrative leave. The District Attorney’s Office began issuing a discovery notice disclosing this matter and his name was also added to the list of police officers subject to exculpatory evidence disclosure.

To ensure that an exhaustive review of this matter, was done in a way that achieved both transparency and accountability, District Attorney Ryan engaged the law firm of WilmerHale. WilmerHale examined the full breadth of Donnelly’s work with the Woburn Police Department. With the cooperation of the Woburn Police Department the District Attorney’s Office identified 264 incident reports involving Donnelly from March 18, 2015, to April 21, 2023. Following their analysis, WilmerHale made the following report:

“ In conclusion, WilmerHale’s review consisted of analyzing the records of each of Donnelly’s encounters, drafting summaries of each encounter, and assessing whether the encounters exhibited any discernable pattern of discriminatory policing. Based on our review, Donnelly’s police conduct appears to have been reasonable and in accordance with POST Commission practices and the law.”

John Donnelly is no longer certified as a law enforcement officer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the entry of his decertification has been made in the National Decertification Index. The Committee for Public Counsel Services and all defense counsel in Middlesex cases where Donnelly was involved as either the arresting officer, or an assisting officer were notified of the allegations.

The full report can be viewed here.