State Representative To File Bill To Return Non-Lethal Equipment To Tewksbury State Hospital Security

CBS Boston

Updated on: April 22, 2026

There have been four violent attacks in three weeks at Tewksbury Hospital and a state representative is taking the fight to Beacon Hill to give security the non-lethal equipment back.

Representative David Robertson (D) is planning to file a bill to amend the budget after the Department of Public Health removed pepper spray, handcuffs, and rubber batons from the security staff at Tewksbury State Hospital weeks ago. The department said the equipment was not conducive to a therapeutic environment.

The hospital has seen a large amount of violence in recent weeks, with the latest incident happening Monday night. A patient allegedly assaulted another patient with scissors. Then last week, a visitor allegedly pushed a chair into a pregnant staff member, and in a separate case, a woman threw a trash can into a window. Staff said that waiting for the police to arrive to help puts them at risk. Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus called the decision "negligent."

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