Fall River police officer fired after use of excessive force

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE)- A Fall River police officer was fired after using excessive force on multiple occasions, the Fall River Police Department announced on Wednesday.

Police said that 43-year-old Michael Pessoa, a 17-year veteran of the force, was indicted on 15 separate charges in 2019.

Interim Police Chief Paul Gauvin said that Pessoa had violated the department’s rules and regulations.

“The hearing officer found substantial evidence that Mr. Pessoa had engaged in egregious violations of Police Department Rules and Regulations and that termination was warranted,” said Gauvin.

Pessoa’s firing will have no impact on his pending criminal allegations.

He faces the following charges:

• One count of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon
• One count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon
• Two counts of assault and battery
• Four counts of civil rights violation with bodily injury
• Three counts of intimidation of a witness (misleading)
• Three counts of filing a false report by a public officer
• One count of malicious destruction of property.

The victims in at least three of the four cases were injured to the point of hospitalization.