A two-month investigation by 25 Investigates has uncovered a scandal within the Lowell Police Department involving the abrupt resignation of an officer and the quiet discipline of two others. At the center of the controversy are allegations of an inappropriate relationship between the former officer and a vulnerable teenager, according to sources.
Dylan DaSilva, 32, a former Lowell Police officer who joined the force in 2023, abruptly resigned and The Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission immediately suspended his state law enforcement certification on November 20th.
Multiple sources allege that DaSilva was investigated for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. While sixteen is the legal age of consent in Massachusetts, the circumstances of their meeting have raised ethical alarms.
Sources indicate that DaSilva first encountered the teenager while on duty when she was reportedly experiencing a behavioral health crisis. According to sources, the girl has a history of reported mental health struggles.
When reached at his Lowell home for comment, a woman who answered said DaSilva was “not available” before abruptly ending the encounter.
In late November, the department publicly announced that DaSilva was no longer with the force after violating “numerous policies,” but they have denied 25 Investigates public records requests for police reports, internal affairs reports, and body camera footage.
Justin Silverman, Executive Director of the New England First Amendment Coalition (NEFAC), criticized the department’s refusal to release even redacted documents.
“This isn’t just about police transparency. This is also about our weak, if not broken, public records law,” Silverman stated. “Surgically redact information that can be redacted under the law and release everything else.”
Lowell Police Deputy Superintendent Mark LeBlanc defended the department’s decision to withhold the records, citing privacy laws. “Releasing the requested documents, even in redacted form, would violate Massachusetts General Law,” LeBlanc wrote in an email. He argued that citing a specific exemption could “jeopardize the privacy” of the individual involved.
“We are firmly committed to protecting the privacy of this individual, who is not a police officer, and our adherence to the law should not be misconstrued or inferred to be anything different,” Leblanc wrote in an email.
The scandal extends beyond DaSilva. On October 3, 2025, internal affairs investigators discovered misconduct by two other officers. Sources tell 25 Investigates these officers attempted to conceal DaSilva’s relationship from body camera video and in paperwork.
The department confirmed that both officers received deferred six-month suspensions, with 30 “punishment days” to be served.
“An administrative investigation was immediately initiated, and that investigation determined that (the officers) did not properly adhere to multiple Lowell Police Department Policies, and Rules and Regulations. As a result, the Appointing Authority determined there was just cause to issue discipline,” according to Deputy Supt. Leblanc.
Lowell Police Superintendent Greg Hudon issued a statement emphasizing the department’s response: “We take any and all allegations of misconduct very seriously and took immediate action when our Command Staff was made aware of these allegations. We hold our officers to the highest standards of ethics and integrity.”
The complete investigation was forwarded to the Massachusetts POST Commission in October 2025. Meanwhile, 25 Investigates has filed an appeal with the Secretary of State’s office to force the release of the records.
In his most recent ruling, Supervisor of Records Manza Arthur has directed Lowell Police to provide his office with an unredacted copy of the records to determine if they should be released or withheld.
“We need a way to change the law to make sure that the law is being followed,” Silverman said, “and more broadly, change this culture of secrecy that we’re seeing in Massachusetts right now.”
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW