The police department, and the city as a whole, is mourning the death of Chelsea Police Detective Scott Conley on March 15 at the age of 52 following a lengthy illness.
“After he served our nation in the United States Army between 1991-2000, Detective Conley started his impressive career at the Chelsea Police Department on February 22, 1996 up to the moment of his passing,” stated Police Chief Keith Houghton. “During Detective Conley’s tenure, he was assigned to the Department’s first critical response team, receiving specialized training in tactical and urban operations with a focus on Gang operations. Due to his phenomenal work, Detective Conley was assigned as a Task Force Officer with the FBI’s Violent Gang Task Force, operating out of the Boston Field Office in Chelsea.”
Houghton said Conley had seasoned experience investigating transnational gangs that operate between the United State and Central America.
“Detective Conley has traveled on numerous occasions to Central America, most notably El Salvador, as a consultant for the US Department of State,” Houghton stated.
In 2017, Conley was asked to testify in front of the US Congress, Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, as a subject matter expert on border insecurity and the rise of transnational gangs in the US. Conley earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Criminology.
“We sincerely feel this tragic loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with Detective Conley’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” stated the chief. “Detective Conley’s presence will surely be missed. As we grieve his loss, remember Scott’s ardent dedication to our community and service to our nation as a United States Army veteran.
“We shall honor Detective Conley’s memory by continuing to serve with the same professionalism, dedication, and compassion he exemplified.”
The city council held a moment of silence in Conley’s memory at the beginning of Monday night’s meeting.
“I want to thank Officer Conley for his dedication and his service not only to the city of Chelsea, but to the residents all throughout our country as a veteran in the United States Army,” said District 8 Councilor Calvin Brown. “My thoughts and my prayers are with him and his family, his loved ones, and his sisters and brothers in blue as they wear the colors to represent him and also to uphold his legacy.”
District 6 Councilor Giovanni Recupero said he had the honor of knowing Conley since Conley started with the police department.
“He was a great person and he will be sorely missed by the department and by the people here who knew him,” said Recupero. “From my experience with him, he was kind, he was good, and he was fair, and that is what you need in a policeman.”