Dugan Arnett

I asked if Paul Oliveira had ever investigated or disciplined another officer for smoking, but he didn't respond, other than to note that he was not chief when Richard was fired, and thus the ultimate decision to terminate Richard wasn't his.

I asked if Paul Oliveira had ever investigated or disciplined another officer for smoking, but he didn't respond, other than to note that he was not chief when Richard was fired, and thus the ultimate decision to terminate Richard wasn't his.

The city of New Bedford said Richard was fired for a number of violations and matters, including the cigar, and it noted that the case went to an arbitrator who agreed with the decision. Either way, a cigar was part of Bobby's ultimate undoing. And yet, I found that Oliveira, as chief or deputy chief, oversaw officers accused of much more serious misdeeds.

The city of New Bedford said Richard was fired for a number of violations and matters, including the cigar, and it noted that the case went to an arbitrator who agreed with the decision. Either way, a cigar was part of Bobby's ultimate undoing. And yet, I found that Oliveira, as chief or deputy chief, oversaw officers accused of much more serious misdeeds.

In many of those cases, the officers either received minimal discipline or were allowed to resign before discipline was handed down.

In many of those cases, the officers either received minimal discipline or were allowed to resign before discipline was handed down.

Oliveira isn't talking to me, but he's been asked by others about police misconduct. In this interview, he's responding to a question about officers in his department making mistakes.

Oliveira isn't talking to me, but he's been asked by others about police misconduct. In this interview, he's responding to a question about officers in his department making mistakes.

Much of the information that police gather from CIs is used in court as evidence. But if the underlying evidence is bad or false, how many cases could be tainted? How deep does the rot go? Pretty deep, according to Richard, in another source I spoke with. There's another member of the same drug unit who saw the same things and feels the same way.

Much of the information that police gather from CIs is used in court as evidence. But if the underlying evidence is bad or false, how many cases could be tainted? How deep does the rot go? Pretty deep, according to Richard, in another source I spoke with. There's another member of the same drug unit who saw the same things and feels the same way.

My producer Max and I met this man late one night in an isolated parking lot underneath a bridge, a town over from New Bedford. It was dark out, foggy. It felt like the perfect setting for a clandestine meeting with an off-the-record source, which is what this was. We talked to him about setup cases, about the manipulation of informants, and the practice of collaborating with drug dealers.

My producer Max and I met this man late one night in an isolated parking lot underneath a bridge, a town over from New Bedford. It was dark out, foggy. It felt like the perfect setting for a clandestine meeting with an off-the-record source, which is what this was. We talked to him about setup cases, about the manipulation of informants, and the practice of collaborating with drug dealers.

Yeah. But he refused to go on the record. He believes members of the police department, under Oliveira's command, will target his family.

Yeah. But he refused to go on the record. He believes members of the police department, under Oliveira's command, will target his family.

Right. And you want to be like, that's crazy. That's insane. But then it's the thing that if I was in his shoes that I would be worried about is how could this come back on my family? And there's something else I haven't told you. Something that ties this source and Richard together. Both have been contacted by the FBI and asked about Oliveira.

Right. And you want to be like, that's crazy. That's insane. But then it's the thing that if I was in his shoes that I would be worried about is how could this come back on my family? And there's something else I haven't told you. Something that ties this source and Richard together. Both have been contacted by the FBI and asked about Oliveira.

Richard said the phone call came out of the blue around 2017.

Richard said the phone call came out of the blue around 2017.

He was FBI all day long, you know what I mean? The agent is from the FBI's Public Corruption Unit. Did they ask about Paul? Specifically, yeah. And Richard says he tells him everything he knows.

He was FBI all day long, you know what I mean? The agent is from the FBI's Public Corruption Unit. Did they ask about Paul? Specifically, yeah. And Richard says he tells him everything he knows.