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New Bedford: We Didn't Have Right To Check Background
Local and state officials gave two different stories Thursday about whether the city could have done a criminal background check on a city worker who was charged with armed robbery.
Neil Mello, the mayor's chief of staff, said city officials did not know a Department of Public Facilities worker was on probation for a home invasion when he was hired last year. He also said the city never did a criminal history check because the state prohibits them.
But Terrel Harris, a spokesman for the state Executive Office of Public Safety, said the city can either do a criminal history check or it can ask the prospective employee in an interview whether he or she has ever been convicted of a crime and then do a check if it is warranted.
Mello said that New Bedford did not research any criminal history of Brandon Medeiros, 28, because his position (laborer) doesn't fall into the category that allows the city to make an inquiry.
"We are prohibited by state law from doing criminal background checks except in instances where the employee interacts with children, the elderly or the job requires them to enter private residences," he said.
Medeiros was arrested for the Aug. 18 robbery of the Boost Mobile Store at 93 Rockdale Ave.
Mello said he had spoken on Thursday with Mayor Jon Mitchell, who is on vacation.
"The bottom line for the mayor and this administration is that (Medeiros) would not have been hired had information about his criminal past been known at the time," Mello said.
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