LOWELL — A veteran Lowell police officer is on paid administrative leave — for the second time in less than three years — while Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan determines whether he should face criminal charges for allegedly assaulting a Lowell High School Career Academy student last month.
Officer David Pender, who was stationed at the school as a school resource officer, was placed on paid administrative leave Friday, Nov. 11.
Police Superintendent William Taylor declined to discuss the incident except to say, “We are aware of an incident during an arrest and we have conducted an internal review that’s been referred to the (state Department of Children and Families) and to the DA.”
According to sources, the incident unfolded as Pender arrested a 16-year-old male student for disturbing an assembly. Sources said the DCF also investigated the incident and upheld the police department’s internal review.
Pender has been employed as a Lowell police officer for more than three decades. His 2016 salary is nearly $87,000.
The career academy is formerly known as the Molloy Alternative School. Located at 125 Smith St., it enrolls students in grades 9-12 who have had behavioral problems. Its coordinator is Megan O’Loughlin, who could not be reached for comment.
An attempt to reach Pender through a close friend was unsuccessful.
Pender generated headlines in late 2013 when he was arrested by Lowell police at about 1:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day at his Lowell residence on domestic assault-and-battery charges. He was immediately placed on paid administrative leave by Kenneth Lavallee, then the city’s police superintendent.
Even though Pender’s wife declined to press charges, city officials disciplined Pender with 10 punishment days in which he works for no pay and the incident is not noted on his personnel record.
At the time, Brian Martin, Lowell High School head of school where Pender was working as an SRO, said of Pender: “He plays a huge role for us, he’s just a great fit here. He tries to really engage the kids and they’re receptive to him.”
When Martin was city manager, he fired one police officer and suspended six others — including Pender — for their alleged roles in sexually harassing a female colleague during an October 1998 off-duty bus trip to a Boston political rally. Pender was suspended for a year, without pay. However, Pender challenged Martin’s ruling and the state Civil Service Commission agreed, reducing the punishment to six months.
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