Two unions within the Fall River Police Department have taken votes of no confidence in Chief Paul Gauvin.
In a story published by the Fall River Reporter, the Fall River Police Superior Officers Association and the Fall River Patrolman’s Association polled their members with 160 out of more than 200 voting no confidence in the chief’s performance.
The report stipulates that the vote comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed by Fall River Police Captain Gil Costa who alleges Chief Gauvin and the city retaliated against him for internal affairs investigations that he says led him to be passed over for promotions. That story was reported in the Fall River Herald News.
FRCMedia has reached out to the Patrolman’s Association and Chief Gauvin for comment but messages have not been returned.
Mayor Paul Coogan, who appointed Gauvin Chief in 2022, says it’s a difficult situation when a labor union is not supportive of its leader, particularly in an organization like the police department.
The Mayor says he still believes in Chief Gauvin’s ability to lead the department.
