As Medford officials deal with the fallout of having 20 police officers suspended in connection with a 2018 pay scandal, residents told the Herald that they were angered by the officers’ misconduct and that they are worried their absence could lead to an uptick in crime.

“It’s concerning, because being police officers, you would expect them to hold themselves to a pretty high standard,” said resident Daniel Vincent. “And having less people on patrol certainly means that there’s a higher probability of officers not being able to respond to emergencies as quickly, or just keep the peace in certain situations.”

Mayor Stephanie Burke and Police Chief Jack Buckley announced Thursday that 20 officers were being suspended in connection with a pay scandal at a construction detail site last year, though they did not say who exactly would be suspended or what their exact infractions were.

“I usually see Medford police pretty often, especially up and down Main Street, and it makes me feel good to see that they’re out there all the time. But if they couldn’t be out there all the time like that anymore, I think it would be a big loss,” Vincent said.

Of the 45 Medford officers who were investigated, 20 officers were suspended without pay and seven officers were disciplined with a reprimand letter. The officers must pay back any money that they weren’t supposed to receive from the details.

“It’s terrible. These are law enforcement officers,” said resident George Lumsby. “The more I read about it the more I realize that this is obviously something that’s not good.”

Some police officers improperly received as much as $2,000, and the total compensation from the illegitimate details was $17,000.

“To think that all those hundreds and hundreds of tax dollars I pay every week are going to some folks who are not doing their job the way they should be, this is not a good thing,” said resident Dan Fournier. “Twenty cops just taking this money and being corrupt is not cool. Hopefully we get it back and it goes toward other stuff in the area.”

Despite the concerns from some, not all Medford citizens agreed that the city is at a higher risk with fewer officers on patrol.

“I’m not worried about it. This is a very well-run city,” Lumsby said.

The mayor learned about potential violations of the officers in June and, after talking to Buckley and City Solicitor Mark Rumley, launched an investigation, which was conducted by an independent investigator with no connection to the city, the police department or any officer.

“As Mayor, I’m dismayed and disappointed with the actions of some members of the Medford Police Department,” Burke said in a statement Thursday. “However, I remain confident that in concert with the Chief of Police, we handled this matter swiftly, professionally and with veracity.”