Officer facing domestic assault charge

Cop accused of punching wife is on paid leave

LEOMINSTER » A city police officer was placed on paid administrative leave last week after being arrested for allegedly punching his wife in the stomach during an argument at their home on June 27, according to police and court documents.

On that Monday morning, the wife of Michael P. Booth, a fiveyear veteran of the Police Department, visited the Fitchburg Police Department — believing it wasn’t appropriate to go to Leominster, police reported. After making the allegations about the assault, two officers from Leominster went to Fitchburg to interview her to understand what had happened earlier that morning, police reported.

She told the officers that she and Booth, 33, of Church Street, had started arguing after Booth accused her of being unfaithful and calling her names.

While she was trying to talk to him, he became “extremely angry,” and while walking behind him, he spun around and punched her in the stomach and then asked her if she believed him now that he didn’t want to be with her, the victim told the two officers. She also had taken a photo of the red welt on her stomach, police reported.

Officers checked a location where Booth’s wife believed he might be, but they couldn’t locate him and finally called him and explained to him he needed to come to the station, police reported.

Once he arrived at the station, he was informed of the charge

and was asked if he wanted to address the allegation, to which he said no, police reported. He was then placed under arrest, police reported.

He was carrying a personal handgun at the time and it was seized by the officers, including his department ID, keycard and department issued gear and weapon, police reported.

When interim Police Chief Aaron Kennedy spoke of the allegation against Booth, he said, “We should be held to a higher standard… no officer working for me should get accused or arrested for this.”

Kennedy also said an additional charge could possibly be filed against Booth. He did not elaborate.

Booth’s wife told officers she would be seeking a restraining order against him.

She did and it was granted by District Court Judge Mark Noonan, according to court documents.

When arraigned last Monday, Booth pleaded not guilty. He was released on personal recognizance and ordered to stay from the victim and abide by the restraining order, according to court documents.

Booth is due back in court on July 28 for a pretrial hearing, according to court documents.