On January 25th, Lucas Harney, a Cambridge police officer, faced the Somerville District Court for allegations of illegally distributing criminal records and improperly storing firearms. Harney is suspected of two counts of improper firearm storage and three counts of unlawful dissemination. The officer of seven years pleaded not guilty to all charges; neither Harney nor his attorney offered a statement to the press.
Accusations of the misconduct initially arose this past September, when Officer Harney reportedly shared his sister-in-law’s boyfriend’s confidential record information with familial members. Moreover, the charges implicate the veteran police officer of storing loaded firearms in unsecured vehicle compartments. As of the present, Harney is one of 24 Cambridge police officers undergoing investigation for allegations of misconduct.
Harney joined the Cambridge Police Department in 2016, following years of volunteering as an auxiliary officer. In 2018, he faced his first experience with public controversy as his role in the forceful arrest of a Black Harvard student was disclosed. The case outraged the Cambridge community, with many accusing the involved officers of police brutality. A tape of the scene showed officers attempting to restrain the student, tackling, and repeatedly punching him. A witness even told NPR that “a pool of blood remained on the pavement as the ambulance departed.” Despite the local outrage, in an extensive review done by the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the group of officers was found to have “acted appropriately,” and “[the Chief Justice] found no evidence that they used excessive force.”
In 2020, Harney was placed under pretrial probation following claims of being “rude and discourteous towards a member of the public,” though CPD spokesperson Robert Goulston reported that “the staff investigation did not find any policy violations.” Despite having to engage in substance abuse and mental health evaluations following the allegations, Harney was reinstated to full law enforcement duties.
Despite the recent allegations, Harney, a self-proclaimed “avid gun collector,” remains certified to instruct gun safety. According to The Cambridge Day, Harney said, “There is no nexus between a computer infraction and gun ownership,” in relation to the allegation of unlawful dissemination. No details have been released to the general public surrounding the nature of the charges.
CRLS student Lucia Ocshendorf ’26 commented to the Register Forum on what this infraction could mean for the community. “It is so crucial for communities to feel safe, and gun control is a vital part of that,” she said. “Police officers need to be held to this, even after seemingly insignificant infractions.”
The recent allegations against Harney raise questions for the Cambridge community, as they imply that nationwide reckoning with excessive police power spreading to the local area. CRLS Student Noemi Noblett ’26 told the Register Forum, “It is crucial that law enforcement be held accountable as their abuse of power affects many local lives.” Noblett continues, “this incident with Officer Harney further proves this. His lapse in judgment creates issues of misconduct and deceitfulness within Cambridge.”
This article also appears in our February 2024 print edition.
