West Springfield officer fired after mistreatment probe

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) -- A West Springfield police captain under investigation for alleged mistreatment of a woman in police custody has lost his job.

Mayor Gregory Neffinger fired Capt. Daniel O'Brien Monday after failed attempts to reach a negotiated settlement in the case.

O'Brien, who's been on paid leave since January 2012, said he could not accept a deal offered by the city and will seek a chance to defend himself at a Civil Service hearing.

The 26-year police veteran has been under investigation since a photograph surfaced of a woman bound to a restraint chair with packing tape over her mouth.

O'Brien has previously said that the woman was spitting and that her mouth was covered to protect officers. The woman had been taken to the police station after a disturbance and was not charged.

Cox Media Group