Ashland Police Chief Cara Rossi reinstated today after two months of administrative leave

Norman Miller, The MetroWest Daily News
Updated ·2 min read
2
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

ASHLAND — Police Chief Cara Rossi returned to duty on Tuesday after being on paid administrative leave for more than two months.

Town Manager Michael Herbert confirmed Monday that he had lifted the leave. He has not disclosed why he put Rossi on leave in late January.

"I felt that I needed to place Chief Rossi on administrative leave to look into some information that had come to my attention," Herbert wrote in an email. "After looking into that issue further, I feel that there is no need to keep Chief Rossi out on administrative leave and therefore made the decision to have her resume her full duties on April 2."

Cara Rossi was a longtime police lieutenant in Natick before being hired in 2022 to lead the Ashland Police Department.
Cara Rossi was a longtime police lieutenant in Natick before being hired in 2022 to lead the Ashland Police Department.

'Obligation to do more': Closing arguments due April 10 in Rossi POST Commission hearing

Herbert has not said whether the leave was connected to a state Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission investigation into Rossi.

POST Commission holds hearing on Rossi's role in Natick sex assault

Rossi was subject to a hearing last month before a POST Commission officer in connection with her role in a case in which a now-former Natick dispatcher was sexually assaulted in April 2020 by then-Natick police Sgt. James Quilty while Rossi was a lieutenant in that town. Quilty was convicted in December 2022 of sexually assault, and resigned shortly afterward.

The POST Commission is also looking into an alleged argument Rossi had with a witness in the investigation after she had left Natick in mid-2022 to lead the Ashland Police Department.

The former Natick dispatcher has filed a lawsuit against the town of Natick, Quilty and Rossi. Rossi has denied allegations that she intimidated the victim into not making a formal complaint about Quilty's assault.

Rossi was hired to become Ashland police chief in May 2022, effective in July of that year. She signed a contract extension last September, which extended her contract through the June 30, 2026.

Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Ashland Police Chief Cara Rossi back on the force after leave