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A 30-year veteran of the police department in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.
Hopkinton Police Chief Joseph Bennett announced Saturday that Deputy Police Chief John Porter had been placed on leave.
The police chief did not give any details as to the nature of the investigation, only saying that it is active and ongoing at this time. Porter was notified Thursday.
Porter has been with the Hopkinton Police Department since 1992. Last month, Porter marked 30 years of service on July 14. In recognition of the milestone, Porter's name was added to the police department's 30 Years of Service Award plaque.
At the time, Chief Bennett raved about Porter, saying they were "thrilled" to recognize Porter and all he had achieved during his 30 years with the department.
"He has shown a true commitment to bettering this department and serving the Hopkinton community, and we are fortunate to have him as a member of the Hopkinton Police command staff,” Bennett said in a statement shared to Facebook last month.
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According to the post on the department's Facebook page, Porter served as a patrol officer, detective, sergeant and lieutenant before being appointed deputy chief in October 2021.
He was the department’s first school resource officer, as well as Hopkinton’s first accreditation manager, and has been selected as the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Officer of the Year four time. Additionally, Porter serves on the Massachusetts Accreditation Committee’s standards and training board.
The post went on to say that Porter has worked many major cases, including the Neil Entwistle case during which he traveled to England as part of the investigation.
According to the Facebook post, Porter is also the only member of the department to receive the Medal of Valor, which recognized his work taking into custody an apparently suicidal person who was armed with a knife and had allegedly doused a home with gasoline in an attempt to light it on fire.
Porter has been married to his high school sweetheart for 27 years and they share two children, the post said.
The Hopkinton Police Department said Saturday further information regarding the investigation involving Porter can not be released at this time given that it's active and ongoing.
