On first day, State Police boss orders probe into altered report

Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin in March.Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff/File

On her first full day on the job, the new commander of the State Police launched an investigation into whether her predecessor acted properly when he ordered troopers to revise written reports about the arrest of a district court judge’s daughter.

The move by Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin came about 24 hours after Governor Charlie Baker swore Gilpin in as the leader of the State Police — and also demanded an inquiry into the arrest of Alli Bibaud and subsequent disciplinary actions taken by Gilpin’s predecessor.

“Colonel Gilpin has determined that her office will conduct an investigation into the revisions made to Alli Bibaud’s arrest report and a review of applicable policies and regulations,’’ State Police spokesman David Procopio wrote in an e-mail. “This effort will inform the colonel with regard to actions taken by state police officials.”

Procopio said Gilpin wasn’t available for an interview Thursday.

Baker praised the move by Gilpin to undertake an internal review.

“The brave men and women of the Massachusetts State Police work tirelessly to keep our communities safe to promote transparency and ensure accountability,” Lizzy Guyton, a spokeswoman for Baker, said in a statement. “Governor Baker supports Colonel Gilpin’s decision to investigate the handling of the Alli Bibaud case as she takes her post as the new superintendent.”

Richard McKeon and his top deputy, Francis P. Hughes, retired from the State Police this week in wake of reports by the Globe that McKeon and other commanders ordered troopers to alter the report on the arrest of Bibaud. Bibaud was charged with driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, as well as other charges, last month.

McKeon told Trooper Ryan Sceviour to excise Bibaud’s remarks about trading sex for heroin or leniency and about her father, Judge Timothy Bibaud of Dudley District Court.

Sceviour alleges he was punished and forced to falsify records to protect the judge and his daughter and has filed a federal lawsuit against McKeon and others.

Another trooper, Sceviour’s partner Ali Rei, has also filed a federal lawsuit against McKeon and other officials. Rei alleges she was told to shred and redact reports containing crude statements made by Bibaud after the troopers arrested her.

Attempts to reach Lenny Kesten, a lawyer for Rei and Sceviour, and Dana Pullman, the head of the troopers union, for comment Thursday were unsuccessful.

Gilpin’s investigation will address whether changes are needed in State Police policies and procedures, Procopio wrote.

“The review of policies and regulations will identify whether additional clarification, training, and guidance is necessary in the writing and reviewing of report narratives,’’ Procopio wrote. “The results of this investigation and review will determine whether further action is required.”

The Globe has reported that Sceviour was instructed to bring the edited report to Worcester District Court — to swap for the original report in the court file, according to the lawsuit. But officials scrapped the plan, the suit alleges, when they realized it would probably be discovered.

Instead, a top aide to Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. made an oral motion to redact the police report, which was allowed by the presiding judge.

Early’s spokesman, Tim Connolly, said Thursday the district attorney wouldn’t comment on the case “while it is being reviewed by the attorney general’s office and under litigation.”

In a motion Thursday, Kesten asked that Rei’s case be assigned to the same federal judge that’s hearing Sceviour’s lawsuit.

“For the sake of judicial economy and consistency in rulings, the plaintiffs contend that it would be in the best interest of all parties and the court for the cases to be assigned to the same judge,” Kesten wrote.