Former Fall River Police Chief fired from department after extensive investigation

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — After spending months on paid leave, former Fall River Police Chief Paul Gauvin was officially fired on April 2.

He had stepped down as chief back September  2024 and was supposed to come back to the department as a captain in May 2025, but plans changed.

“When I hired Paul Gauvin to be chief I thought he would be chief for at least a decade,” Mayor Paul Coogan said.

A “no confidence” vote had previously come in from the two police unions due to concerns about Gauvin’s behavior and having illegal weapons in his locker.

An outside firm was hired to investigate him, finding 15 violations including that he left a bullet and a knife in a drawer after stepping down as chief.

Mayor Coogan, who said he considers Gauvin a friend, said he was shocked by all the findings in the investigation.

“Things got away from him and then once this investigation got opened up by the union it just went to places,” Coogan said. “I had no idea he had guns in his locker and that he put a knife and a bullet in his drawer. I don’t know what he was thinking.”

Gauvin was involved with the Fall River Police Department for well over two decades and served as chief for three years.

“What stood out to me was the knife and the bullet in the drawer and the other thing was the three unregistered firearms in his private locker,” Coogan said.

In October 2024, Captain Kelly Furtado was sworn in as the interim chief and the city council will vote on making her the permanent chief.