New Bedford Police Union passes vote of no confidence in Chief Oliveira

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — The New Bedford Police Union announced Monday that it passed a vote of no confidence in Police Chief Paul Oliveira.

According to the union, of the 135 members who voted, 121 were in favor of the vote of no confidence. 12 voters did not support the measure, one ballot was left empty and another was marked both for and against the vote.

This comes after a number of internal surveys that the union said revealed negative feelings about Oliveira’s leadership.

In a post to social media, the union said in part, “The negative impact of a leader who has lost the trust of their officers has consequences which echo throughout the agency. This vote is an expression of the immense stress, frustration and dissatisfaction that the officers of the [New Bedford Police Department] have with Chief Oliveira’s leadership.”

The post concludes by saying, “We hope the city leaders and stakeholders take this information to heart. The members of the New Bedford Police Union remain committed to the safety of our community and safety of our officers.”

ABC 6 News has reached out to the office of Chief Oliveira for comment and are waiting to hear back.