The commissioner of Worcester’s emergency communications department has been placed on paid administrative leave following his arrest on drunken driving and related charges after a traffic stop on the Massachusetts Turnpike, according to published reports.
Charles Goodwin, who oversees the city’s 911 dispatch operations and emergency management services, was arrested Friday, Oct. 23, in Westborough while driving a city-owned vehicle, according to court documents reviewed by the Telegram & Gazette and MassLive.
Goodwin pleaded not guilty Monday in Westborough District Court to operating under the influence, a marked lanes violation, possession of an open container of alcohol in a vehicle and following too closely. He was released on personal recognizance and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Dec. 11, according to MassLive.
City spokesperson Tom Matthews confirmed the arrest Monday, telling both news outlets that officials learned of the incident Friday evening and immediately placed Goodwin on administrative leave.
The city subsequently clarified to MassLive that Goodwin was on paid time off Friday, despite a statement attributed to him in the police report indicating he was working when stopped.
“The city is investigating the matter and has no further comment at this time,” Matthews said in a statement.
A deputy commissioner is handling the department’s operations during Goodwin’s absence, according to the city.
State Police describe traffic stop
The arrest occurred around 1 p.m. Friday after Massachusetts State Police received a report of a truck swerving on the Mass. Pike in Westborough, according to court documents obtained by the Telegram & Gazette.
Trooper Jared Layman found the vehicle in question and pulled the car over. In his report, Layman wrote that Goodwin nearly struck a guardrail while pulling over. Goodwin told the trooper he was traveling from Springfield to Worcester and was “currently working,” according to the police narrative cited by the Telegram & Gazette.
Layman reported smelling alcohol and observing that Goodwin’s speech was slurred and labored. According to the report, Goodwin did not successfully complete two field sobriety tests and was arrested.
Police also reported finding eight small liquor bottles, commonly known as nips, inside the vehicle, four of which were empty.
The vehicle was registered to the City of Worcester, according to court documents cited by MassLive.
The discrepancy between Goodwin’s reported statement that he was working and the city’s assertion that he was on paid time off raises questions about his use of a municipal vehicle during the incident. City officials have not publicly explained the circumstances of that use.
Goodwin was not carrying his firearm at the time of the arrest, according to the Telegram & Gazette.
Commissioner since 2021
Goodwin has led Worcester’s Department of Emergency Communications and Management since July 2021.
The department operates the Worcester Regional Emergency Communication Center on Coppage Drive, which handles emergency 911 calls and dispatches police, firefighters and emergency medical responders. It also oversees the city’s 311 nonemergency service and coordinates emergency preparedness and response.
Goodwin earned $155,798 in gross pay in 2025, according to city payroll records cited by the Telegram.
His attorney, Fernando Figueroa, could not immediately be reached for comment by the Telegram & Gazette. The newspaper also reported that Goodwin did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
The city has not announced how long Goodwin will remain on leave or when its investigation is expected to conclude.
This is a developing story. The Worcester Guardian has contacted Worcester city officials and the Massachusetts State Police for additional information and requested the arrest report and related records. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
