Gun report delay is subject of probe
By Russell Contreras, Globe Staff | August 17, 2006
A Lawrence city councilor and her husband contacted a police officer friend after finding a gun in their home because ``they wanted to keep it low-key," according to police documents filed in Lawrence District Court last week.
Now that officer, Alberto Inostroza , is being investigated for holding the gun for nearly two weeks without filing a report or turning over the gun to the department, said Police Chief John J. Romero .
City Councilor Grisel Silva and her husband, Nelson , called Inostroza on July 29 after they found a .22-caliber revolver wrapped in a white bandana in their daughters' bedroom, according to a police report on the incident. One of their daughters, Tatiana Colon , 17, told police she found the gun at the Supermercado Shop convenient store, according to the report. Yet the report indicates that Silva told police she believes the gun belonged to Colon's boyfriend.
The gun had two empty shell casings, the report said.
After confronting Colon, Nelson Silva said he contacted Inostroza because, the report stated, ``he wanted to talk to Inostroza as a friend and he needed advice immediately."
``Grisel Silva stated that they called Albert Inostroza about the gun because they wanted to keep it low-key," the report stated.
According to police records, Inostroza was off-duty when he went over to retrieve the gun. Inostroza, however, did not properly notify the Lawrence Police Department about the case until 11 days later, Romero said.
``My concern is that [ Inostroza] never submitted a report nor did he turn over the gun until the department" knew about the case, Romero said. ``This is a serious breach of policy."
Romero said Inostroza faces suspension or possible termination from the department.
Attempts to contact Inostroza were unsuccessful. In the report he did file, Inostroza stated that the Silvas asked him to delay reporting the incident.
Romero said Lawrence police would pursue a misdemeanor charge against Colon for unlawful possession of a firearm. The department filed an incident report with the Lawrence District Court and a hearing on the matter before a clerk magistrate will be held next month.
Romero said he has asked the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to check into the history of the gun.
In an e-mail, Silva declined to comment on the case. Instead, she noted a statement issued on a local news website, valleypatriot.com .
``As a city councilor and a mother, I am very upset that this incident occurred and even more upset that my [daughter's] bad judgment is now in the public eye," Silva stated. ``By calling Officer [Inostroza] and turning the gun over to him, it was our intention to make sure that the gun was in the hands of the proper authorities and that the police knew the entirety of the situation."
But, in the incident report filed in court by Lawrence police, Silva asked detectives during a third interview how they found out about the case.
``Grisel Silva stated that she would like to know how we found out about this and that she would be attempting to discover that," the report stated.
Romero said Silva and her husband won't face any charges because ``they did what they were supposed to do. They contacted police."
But Romero said if Silva knew Inostroza was going to turn in the gun and issue a report, ``why would she want to know how we found out about it?"
Silva is in her first term as a city councilor in Lawrence's District B. She won her seat in November, capturing about 60 percent of the vote.
A neighborhood activist, Silva made her name as an antidrug, anticrime crusader before entering politics. She has emerged as an important swing vote on the council and was instrumental in getting the City Council to approve Mayor Michael J. Sullivan's proposal to give the In-Town Mall to Northern Essex Community College so the school could build a new technology center at the site.
Russell Contreras can be reached at [email protected]. What do you think about the Silva case? Visit boston.com/northwesttalk to post your thoughts.
By Russell Contreras, Globe Staff | August 17, 2006
A Lawrence city councilor and her husband contacted a police officer friend after finding a gun in their home because ``they wanted to keep it low-key," according to police documents filed in Lawrence District Court last week.
Now that officer, Alberto Inostroza , is being investigated for holding the gun for nearly two weeks without filing a report or turning over the gun to the department, said Police Chief John J. Romero .
City Councilor Grisel Silva and her husband, Nelson , called Inostroza on July 29 after they found a .22-caliber revolver wrapped in a white bandana in their daughters' bedroom, according to a police report on the incident. One of their daughters, Tatiana Colon , 17, told police she found the gun at the Supermercado Shop convenient store, according to the report. Yet the report indicates that Silva told police she believes the gun belonged to Colon's boyfriend.
The gun had two empty shell casings, the report said.
After confronting Colon, Nelson Silva said he contacted Inostroza because, the report stated, ``he wanted to talk to Inostroza as a friend and he needed advice immediately."
``Grisel Silva stated that they called Albert Inostroza about the gun because they wanted to keep it low-key," the report stated.
According to police records, Inostroza was off-duty when he went over to retrieve the gun. Inostroza, however, did not properly notify the Lawrence Police Department about the case until 11 days later, Romero said.
``My concern is that [ Inostroza] never submitted a report nor did he turn over the gun until the department" knew about the case, Romero said. ``This is a serious breach of policy."
Romero said Inostroza faces suspension or possible termination from the department.
Attempts to contact Inostroza were unsuccessful. In the report he did file, Inostroza stated that the Silvas asked him to delay reporting the incident.
Romero said Lawrence police would pursue a misdemeanor charge against Colon for unlawful possession of a firearm. The department filed an incident report with the Lawrence District Court and a hearing on the matter before a clerk magistrate will be held next month.
Romero said he has asked the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to check into the history of the gun.
In an e-mail, Silva declined to comment on the case. Instead, she noted a statement issued on a local news website, valleypatriot.com .
``As a city councilor and a mother, I am very upset that this incident occurred and even more upset that my [daughter's] bad judgment is now in the public eye," Silva stated. ``By calling Officer [Inostroza] and turning the gun over to him, it was our intention to make sure that the gun was in the hands of the proper authorities and that the police knew the entirety of the situation."
But, in the incident report filed in court by Lawrence police, Silva asked detectives during a third interview how they found out about the case.
``Grisel Silva stated that she would like to know how we found out about this and that she would be attempting to discover that," the report stated.
Romero said Silva and her husband won't face any charges because ``they did what they were supposed to do. They contacted police."
But Romero said if Silva knew Inostroza was going to turn in the gun and issue a report, ``why would she want to know how we found out about it?"
Silva is in her first term as a city councilor in Lawrence's District B. She won her seat in November, capturing about 60 percent of the vote.
A neighborhood activist, Silva made her name as an antidrug, anticrime crusader before entering politics. She has emerged as an important swing vote on the council and was instrumental in getting the City Council to approve Mayor Michael J. Sullivan's proposal to give the In-Town Mall to Northern Essex Community College so the school could build a new technology center at the site.
Russell Contreras can be reached at [email protected]. What do you think about the Silva case? Visit boston.com/northwesttalk to post your thoughts.
![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
![[rolleyes]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/042.gif "Roll Eyes [rolleyes]")
What do you bet he gets reimbursed that two grand?
