State police second in command retires after altered report

FILE: Massachusetts State Police (Photo: Massachusetts State Police/Facebook)

BOSTON — The Massachusetts State Police second-in-command is stepping down after the announced departure of the agency’s chief amid claims he ordered a trooper to alter a police report on the arrest of a judge’s daughter.

Spokesman David Procopio says Deputy Superintendent Francis Hughes retired Tuesday after a 31-year career.

Hughes’ resignation comes after Col. Richard McKeon announced his retirement Friday. Procopio says it’s tradition for the deputy superintendent to leave his or her position when the superintendent does.

McKeon resigned in the wake of a federal lawsuit by a trooper, who alleges he was ordered to alter the police report to remove embarrassing information about the daughter of a judge.

Police have defended asking the trooper to alter the report, saying some information wasn’t relevant to the arrest.