The former president of a Boston police union is being held on $100,000 cash bail over allegations he sexually assaulted his young relative over a period of five years, beginning when she was 7 years old.
Retired officer Patrick Rose, 66, the former head of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, hid his face in his hands during his arraignment on Thursday in West Roxbury District Court. He pleaded not guilty on charges including aggravated rape of a child, and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
Rose, who served as the head of Boston’s largest police union from 2014 until 2018 before retiring, is accused of sexually assaulting the girl on “multiple occasions” from when she was about 7 to about 12 years old—between 2012 and 2018—according to a police report filed in court.
The girl told officers that she had been sexually assaulted by Rose at his home in West Roxbury over a period of years and once at a drive-in movie theater, according to the state police report.
The victim, now 14, disclosed details of the alleged abuse earlier this month to another relative, who then reported the assaults.
The Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association didn’t respond to a request for comment.
“There is no greater betrayal and breach of trust and morality than sexual violence against a child,” Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a statement. “That the individual accused of these despicable crimes is an adult family member of the victim and a former member of law enforcement, who swore an oath to protect victims from harm, is unconscionable.
“I intend to hold him accountable.
“Disclosing sexual assault can be incredibly difficult, especially for a child. When the perpetrator is an adult and a family member, it can become even harder.
“I’m so proud of the survivor in this case for finding the strength and the courage to come forward,” she said.
“Sexual assault committed within families often results in significant generational trauma and harm. We intend to be available for the family members of this victim as well,” Rollins added.
Judge Kathleen Coffey on Thursday ordered Rose to wear a GPS monitor, to stay away from and have no contact with the victim, surrender his passport, surrender any firearms in his possession as well as his license to carry, and to have no unsupervised contact with any child under the age of 16.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh told The Epoch Times in a statement that he is “deeply disturbed” by these “horrific allegations.”
The allegations “must be investigated to the fullest extent of the law,” Walsh said.
The next court hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 10.
