Winchester Firefighter Terminated After Weapons Charges

Winchester Firefighter, John Travers, who on Friday, Feb. 11 on weapons charges, had his employment terminated by the town, effective Monday, March 8 at 4:30 p.m.

A gun Travers had owned was used to commit a Boston crime.

“I believe the decision was appropriate,” said Fire Chief John Nash. “The expects a high level of integrity and behavior from its members on duty and off. Despite the allegations against Travers, his behavior is not reflective of the exceptional work the firefighters and paramedics do on a daily basis.”

According to Lt. Peter MacDonnell of the , Travers, 33, was arrested and charged with illegal possession of a gun without a license and possession of ammunition without a license on Feb. 11.

The Winchester Fire Department had placed Travers on paid administrative leave pending an investigation and hearing by the town, which took place this past Thursday, March 3.

“The decision was based on conduct unbecoming of a Winchester Firefighter,” said Acting Town Manager, Mary Ellen Lannon.

Travers has been with the department since 2005.

As a civil service employee, Travers does have the right to appeal with the union within 10 days, however, no decision has been made as to whether or not he will appeal.

According to Nash, a replacement will be immediately found for the position.

In June 2010, the Winchester Police removed 15 guns (nine handguns and six rifles) from Travers’ Swanton Street home because of a restraining order issued against him, MacDonnell said.

Approximately on Feb. 7, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) informed the Winchester Police they wanted to speak with Travers about a gun they recovered in a Boston crime that was registered to him.

“We took his guns in June, but it was unbeknownst to us at the time that he had more weapons,” MacDonnell said. “And the ATF wanted to know how that gun got into the hands of a criminal.”

There were two weapons Travers never turned in – the one used in the Boston crime and another weapon that had yet been recovered. Travers told Winchester Police he sold six weapons to the Four Seasons gun store in Woburn; however, the store only had Travers selling them four weapons.

On Feb. 11, Winchester Police, along with a member of the ATF, executed a search warrant at Travers’ home where they found the second gun.

“We needed to find that other gun, that was our main concern,” MacDonnell said.

Travers is next due in court on April 5.