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Lucas Harney, a Cambridge Police officer who has worked in the department for seven years, is facing charges of illegally distributing criminal record information and storing firearms improperly.
Harney pleaded not guilty to the charges on Thursday. The case — which was initiated by the department — investigated the allegation that Harney asked officers for information about his sister-in-law’s boyfriend, which he then gave to family members. Harney is also accused of storing loaded firearms in unlocked vehicle compartments.
The complaint against Harney, which includes two counts of improper firearm storage and three counts of unlawful dissemination, was initially filed in late September. Harney became a Cambridge police officer in 2016 after six years of volunteering as an auxiliary officer.
Harney’s lawyer declined to comment.
In 2018, Harney was among four officers criticized for the forcible arrest of a Black Harvard student, sparking national outcries and allegations of police brutality. A video of the incident shows officers tackling and punching the student in an attempt to restrain him.
CPD spokesperson Robert Goulston wrote in an email that following the 2018 arrest “an independent review, conducted by a former Judge, found the officers had complied with departmental policies.”
The review, which was led by former Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Roderick L. Ireland, found that the officers acted “appropriately” and “found no evidence that they used excessive force.”
Harney was also the subject of an internal investigation in 2020 for being “rude and discourteous towards a member of the public.” Goulston wrote that “the staff investigation did not find any policy violations.”
The department has placed Harney on pretrial probation for the next year, and he has agreed to undergo substance abuse and mental health evaluations. According to Middlesex District Attorney spokesperson Sarah Lamson, the charges against Harney will be dropped if he complies with the conditions.
In an affidavit, Harney wrote that he is an “avid gun collector,” and was certified to teach gun safety, according to the Cambridge Day. He also wrote that “there is no nexus between a computer infraction and gun ownership,” in regards to the charge of illegally distributing criminal record information.
Harney’s name was published in mid-October by the Middlesex County district attorney’s office on a list of police officers “subject to exculpatory evidence disclosure.”
Harney is one of 24 current Cambridge police officers listed as facing internal affairs investigations and one or more allegations of police misconduct. Allegations include untruthfulness, sexual harassment, racial bias and improper handling of evidence.
Goulston wrote that the department “proactively submits information on misconduct investigations and findings” to the District Attorney.
—Staff writer Sally E. Edwards can be reached at sally.edwards@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @sallyedwards04 or on Threads @sally_edwards06.
—Staff writer Asher J. Montgomery can be reached at asher.montgomery@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @asherjmont or on Threads @asher_montgomery.
