A Boston police officer is facing criminal charges after colleagues who went to his home allegedly found his department-issued handgun fully loaded and unsecured in his vehicle, alongside his taser. Officer Sean Cullen is charged with a felony count of improper storage of a large-capacity firearm and a misdemeanor improper-storage offense, according to court records. He has pleaded not guilty and was released on personal recognizance, and the Boston Police Department has put him on administrative leave.
Prosecutors say the incident traces back to a December 28 welfare check at Cullen’s West Roxbury home following a reported verbal domestic dispute. Responding officers asked Cullen to turn over his firearms as a precaution. He told them his department-issued pistol was in his vehicle, where officers say they discovered the gun and taser left unsecured, Boston.com reports. Cullen has been a Boston police officer since 2015, according to the same report.
Certification Suspended
In mid-March, the state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission suspended Cullen’s law enforcement certification, a move the commission describes as routine when an officer is arrested on a felony. The suspension order explains that Cullen can request a hearing before the full commission or a single commissioner to seek a stay of that suspension. The order states that the suspension will remain in place until the commission either issues a final decision or revokes it.
Court And Department Response
Cullen entered his not-guilty plea in West Roxbury District Court earlier this month and was released on his own recognizance, according to court records. Boston police confirmed that he is on administrative leave and did not immediately respond to further questions, Boston.com noted. City payroll figures cited in that reporting show Cullen earned about $195,000 in 2025.
What The Law Says
Massachusetts law requires that firearms be stored either in a locked container or secured with a tamper-resistant lock, with penalties that depend on the type of weapon involved. Under G.L. c. 140 § 131L, improper storage of a large-capacity semiautomatic firearm can bring up to 12 years in prison and fines up to $15,000, while other storage violations carry shorter sentences and smaller fines, according to Section 131L. Prosecutors would still need to prove that the gun was not under Cullen’s immediate control and that it was not adequately secured, issues that are likely to be central in any pretrial challenges.
Broader Context
The charges against Cullen come as Boston officials are already facing heightened questions about police use of force, weapons handling, and accountability. Earlier this month, prosecutors filed a manslaughter charge against Officer Nicholas O’Malley in a separate Roxbury shooting, a case that has intensified public debate over body-camera transparency and internal review procedures, according to The Boston Globe. Advocates and some city leaders have been pressing for clearer rules on when body-worn camera footage is released and how quickly the department moves on administrative reviews after serious incidents…