Joan left the State Police Headquarters and went straight to the MCAD. She met the receptionist there and said, "I don't have an appointment, but I would like to file a complaint!"
A representative took her into a private room and asked her a few questions. She took notes and left the room a few times. Joan was concerned that perhaps she didn't have a case. When she finished answering all the questions, however, the representative said that she had a very STRONG case. A date was set for an informal hearing with the State Police to discuss the complaint.
At 10 AM, on Nov 3, 1981, in a private room, Joan met with the MCAD representative, Colonel John O'Donovan and another State Police Colonel. She explained in detail her complaint of being denied a transfer for four years. She said that the Major Crime Unit was not a preferred assignment for many troopers and therefore, most waited the required six month period and transferred out to their home areas. The reason given to her for not being able to transfer was that there weren't enough female troopers on the job to send one to every District Attorney's Office. She repeated her request consistently, every three months, for four years and was denied each request for the same reason. O'D countered the most recent request by stating, "You had better make up your mind that you're going to be in Boston for the rest of your career!" During this same time period, approximately 100 male troopers came to the Major Crimes Unit and were transferred out. She further explained in detail how O'D reduced female trooper to receptionists.
It was now O'Ds turn to respond and he was enraged!! He started by saying, "The reason she wasn't transferred is that she never wrote a letter of request. Joan responded, "I wrote two letters and you told me not to write anymore." He then seemed to lose control as he pointed his finger at her and yelled, "I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO PESTERED BY ANY TROOPER AS I HAVE BY HER." He continued, "SHE THINKS SHE'S A PRINCESS! She goes directly to her assignment without coming to Boston first."
Joan reminded him that all troopers with distant daily assignments went direct without reporting to Boston first. He then said "WELL, SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE MOVED!" Joan explained further that she has been living with her mother in Norwood, and finally purchased her own home on Cape Cod. Those were the main points covered in the hearing.
The next morning, Joan arrived at Boston Headquarters and O'D walked up to her in the parking lot before she even reached the building, as if he were waiting for her. He put his finger about an inch from her face and said, "You had better be here every day by 8:25 AM...Do...you...understand???" Every other trooper who lived more than an hour away as Joan did, was allowed to arrive at 9 AM. This was the start of his retaliation that would remain unabated for years.
Joan went into the building after this confrontation. As she passed by the office of the second Colonel who had attended the MCAD hearing, he called out asking her to come into his office and shut the door. He said, "Trooper Farrell, you acted like a lady yesterday, and I want you to know that had you been under my command you would not have gone through what you did." She thanked him and left. She was so thankful for his supportive words.
Just steps away, she was back in O'Ds domain, and the retaliation would escalate!!!
OD is evil incarnate... God have mercy on his ignorant soul.