Ray Ewing

Former Tisbury Police Officer Arraigned on Assault and Battery Charges

<p>Kelly R. Kershaw, 30, was arraigned on charges of interfering with a firefighter, assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and threat to commit a crime. Charges were filed against Ms. Kershaw after she allegedly interfered with firefighters who were called to fight a May dryer fire at her home.</p> <p>The Tisbury selectmen voted June 10 to fire Ms. Kershaw.</p>

A former Tisbury police officer was arraigned Friday morning in Edgartown District Court on charges including assault and battery on a police officer.

Kelly R. Kershaw, 30, was arraigned on charges of interfering with a firefighter, assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and threat to commit a crime. Charges were filed against Ms. Kershaw after she allegedly interfered with firefighters who were called to fight a May dryer fire at her home.

The Tisbury selectmen voted June 10 to fire Ms. Kershaw, who had been a Tisbury police officer for nine years.

During a short court proceeding, Ms. Kershaw held her purse against her face as a shield against cameras. The reading of the charges was waived and not guilty pleas entered on Ms. Kershaw’s behalf.

Ms. Kershaw was represented by attorney Theodore A. (Teddy) Saulnier, a former Tisbury police chief. Mr. Saulnier told the court he is filing a motion for a change of venue.

“She’s looking forward to her day in court,” Mr. Saulnier told the Gazette after the arraignment.

Mr. Saulnier was Tisbury police chief from 2002 to 2005.

Ms. Kershaw, who had been a Tisbury police officer since 2004, had a long history of conflict with the department.

In 2009, she filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), alleging that she was sexually harassed by a fellow officer and that retaliatory action was taken by the police chief and town administrator when she complained about the harassment.

In September 2011 an MCAD investigation found probable cause for some of the complaints in a split decision, and Ms. Kershaw later withdrew her complaint and filed a civil lawsuit in 2011 in Dukes County superior court against the town of Tisbury and several individuals claiming employment discrimination. That case is pending.

A pretrial hearing was scheduled for August 16.

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/29/2013 - 13:03

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Joey S Tisbury

No Way tom, she has dues to pay FIRST! When a cop can do all that and I was paying her No Way tom! If I did that and she arrested me with those charges she would hang me out to dry!
No Way tom!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/29/2013 - 19:01

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deshandra brown ob

A police officer must be held to a higher standard. Since they have the ability to arrest citizens and take away their freedom, they must demonstrate the ability to function in society as a law abiding citizen (as an absolute minimum). Their behavior should also set an example. Acting up when off duty numerous times (enough to make it into the newspapers) is sufficient to come to the conclusion that there is a 'pattern here' rather than a 'one time' event. Adios trouble maker.

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