Officer Faces Charges Over Racist Rant and Alleged Threats Made to Black Teen Over Black Lives Matter

In 2020, The Boston Globe reported about an off-duty police officer’s involvement with two teenage boys who were visiting her son during a sleepover. After it came to light, the unnamed police officer was placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation over the September incident. At that time, the primary details referenced lawyer Risa King and information being provided to police, after the officer allegedly aimed racist criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement at King’s 14-year-old son and a 14-year-old Hispanic boy who was attending a sleepover at the officer’s home on September 19.

Recently, The Boston Globe identified the officer who was involved in the incident. Patricia Lio, 52, was the unnamed officer, she will be prosecuted criminally over the incident in which she allegedly derided and threatened her son’s 14-year-old friend, who is Black, over his support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Additionally, Lio also allegedly attacked her husband. The man reportedly attempted to quell the confrontation that occurred at their Westwood home. His wife’s charges include assault to intimidate her son’s friend, in addition to assault and battery on him, according to a court official’s ruling.

Assistant Clerk Magistrate Beth P. Cook, determined that there was probable cause for criminal charges, although Lio’s lawyer said that the incident should not have been treated as a criminal matter, according to The Boston Globe.

“She is a good police officer. She’s a good person and a good citizen,” Douglas I. Louison told the Globe. “She has no racial animus.”

The New York Times provided more details about the alleged incident.

King, a Boston lawyer and the mother of the Black teenager, said that on the evening of Sept. 19, she received a “troubling text followed by a phone call” from her son, according to The Times.

According to Alfred A. Gray, who has been representing King and her son, the incident unfolded when three boys were watching the Celtics game at Lio’s home. Gray said Lio berated the Black teenager about “his stance on Black Lives Matter and her beliefs that his stance on B.L.M. was inappropriate.”

She allegedly accused him of posting something negative toward police officers on social media. However, Gray maintained that the teenager had not done so, nor did he express any intent to engage in any violence toward police officers.

Additionally, NBC Boston also reported that police say Lio stood close to the teenager’s face while using expletives and clenching her fists.

“We just want to see the officer accountable for her outrageous behavior toward the kids,” said King, according to The New York Times.

Deputy Chief James O’Neil of the Milton Police Department said in a statement that although the outcome of the criminal and internal cases is still unknown, ‘the Milton Police Department has zero tolerance for any bias behavior, domestic violence, or aggressive behavior towards children.’

Officer Lio will face charges of assault to intimidate, and assault and battery on a household member, according to court records. She is set to be arraigned in late May.