The chief of the Canton Police Department has announced her retirement.
Chief Helena Rafferty will step down from her position at the end of her contract on June 30, according to the Canton Select Board.
Rafferty has served as chief since 2022, after she joined Canton Police as its second female officer in 1989.
“As the first female police chief in our town’s history, Chief Rafferty has been a trailblazer and earned the respect of her colleagues, town officials and residents alike,” a statement from the Select Board read.
Rafferty’s announcement comes during Karen Read’s second murder trial in the death of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe and follows a police department audit released the first day of Read’s second trial.
The audit detailed the many policies, procedures and regulations of the department and had a section entitled “Crime Scene Protocols Overview,” which included the high-profile cases of Read and of Sandra Birchmore.
The department was subject to heightened scrutiny for its handling of the Read case during her first trial, with some town residents calling for Rafferty to step down last June. At that time, the department renewed Rafferty’s contract for another year.
Town officials look to appoint an interim police chief “in the weeks ahead” for a “smooth transition” as they conduct a nationwide search for a new chief.
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