In 1999 Robert Devine became an advisor for Police Explorers and in 2002 Robert Devine was ordered to run the Explorers Program by the Chief Cachopa, a youth initiative under the department. 

Devine invited former Explorers, Matthew Farwell and his twin brother, William, to serve as guest instructors. The Explorers, a co-ed branch of the Boy Scouts, is designed for older teens and often centers on specific fields like law enforcement. Matthew Farwell and his twin brother, William were former Explorers, They joined the same program in September 1997, when  Matthew and William Farwell were 12 years old. Farwell brothers were known to have disciplinary issues while attending school.

Billy has volunteered with the Stoughton Police Explorers program with which he grew up. William Farwell was designated a the rank of Lieutenant within Explorer Program.

He has assisted Stoughton Police Executive Officer Robert Devine with the running of the annual academy, bringing in Army EOD equipment so the kids could try on a bomb suit or drive one of the robots.

On April 12, 2012, Devine said, “All were in the very first Explorers class 11 years ago. It means a lot to have one of the men in our department. They grew up right before my eyes. If we played even a small part in their success, I’m proud of that.” Devine added, “They’ve donated their time as physical and drill instructors, and they also taught an explosives class. They bring in bomb robots, blast jackets and shields. They are very good at what they do.”

Matthew Farwell is hired as a police officer for the Stoughton Police Department. Robert Devine, who is on the hiring board, covers up Matthew’s past involvement in impersonating police officers.

The Stoughton Police Department ran the Explorer program for about 15 years, but could only locate a single one-year agreement with Learning for Life, the Scouting affiliate that oversees the national Explorer program. The Stoughton Explorer program ended in 2016, and the department has not found any agreements with Learning for Life or the Boy Scouts for the other years the program was active.

Robert C. Devine, led the department’s youth program since 2003, the Stoughton Police Explorers Program. Robert Devine brought in former Explorers Matthew Farwell and his twin brother, William, as guest instructors.

September 1998 Matthew and William Farwell joined Police Explorers Program, they were 12 years old. Farwell brothers were known to have disciplinary issues while attending school.

In 2003 Robert Devine brought in former Explorers Matthew Farwell and his twin brother, William, as guest instructors. Later that year William Farwell was designated a the rank of Lieutenant within Explorer Program.

Billy has volunteered with the Stoughton Police Explorers program with which he grew up.

He has assisted Stoughton Police Executive Officer Robert Devine with the running of the annual academy, bringing in Army EOD equipment so the kids could try on a bomb suit or drive one of the robots.

Devine said, “All three were in the very first Explorers class 11 years ago. It means a lot to have one of the men in our department. They grew up right before my eyes. If we played even a small part in their success, I’m proud of that.”

2013 Devine began to have an affair with Tiffany Overstreet.

March 10, 2014, Deputy Police Chief, Robert Devine, is reading at the Stoughton Library2014, and Deputy Police Chief, Robert Devine, is reading at the Stoughton Library Listen Here

October of 2014 obtained restraining orders against Overstreet, when he claimed that he and his wife (who is also a cop in a different town) were receiving threatening messages from Overstreet. Allegedly Overstreet send flowers to his wife November of 2014 Overstreet sent naked pictures of her and Devine to his coworkers and their spouses.

December 18, 2014 Easton Police raided Overstreet’s home in Easton in order to seize her computers to prove she was the one sending the naked pictures.

Overstreet was was taken into custody by state police and charged with with three counts of violating harassment prevention orders that were filed against her by Devine and his wife and was released on personal recognizance. The case has been transferred to Dedham District Court. 

Five days after her arrest, Overstreet reported a break-in at her Easton apartment, When Easton police responded they found no sign of forced entry, according to police, but her apartment “was in disarray – dresser drawers were pulled out, couch cushions were thrown on the floor.”

During investigation it was discovered that Devine continued to meet up with Overstreet for sex. He claimed he was only doing so in order to save her life because she would commit suicide if he didn’t continue to plow ahead.

February 12, 2016 Devine was demoted by Town Manager Michael Hartman, who announced his decision in a brief press release. Devine reached an agreement with Hartman to return to the lowest rank within the department. Due to this decision in the case by Michael Hartman was one of the reasons Chief Shastany announced that he planed to retire in April, 2016.

Chief Shastany, said “The town manager cut me out of the entire process of an employee in my department. He made a deal without even talking to me. I wasn’t even allowed to speak to the lawyer handling my employee. There was a serious breach of courtesy and dignity. I won’t work for someone with no credibility. My integrity is worth too much.”

2016 – The Stoughton Explorer program ended in 2016, and the department has not found any agreements with Learning for Life or the Boy Scouts for the other years the program was active.

2019 Robert Devine writes a Recommendations for Improving Firearms Vetting in Massachusetts. In the same article, Devine thanks his family for helping and supporting him through the Law School. 

I would like to thank my wife Lisa, my son Stephen and my daughter Makenna. Without your support, I would not have taken on the challenge of law school, much less that of writing this Article. I also thank the UMass Law Review editors for their hard work on this Article, as well as Professors Jeremiah Ho and Dwight Duncan for their guidance. I would finally like to dedicate these recommendations to those killed at Sandy Hook Elementary on December 14, 2012. May they rest in peace.

Investigation into Sandra Birchmore Death:

Internal investigators found Facebook messages between Birchmore and Devine during which he asked her for sex acts and discussed locations to meet. Devine communicated with Birchmore on Facebook, using the alias Marty Riggs, a police officer from “Lethal Weapon.”

Devine had a sexual relationship with Sandra Birchmore while she was still a member of the Explorers Program, but, by 2020, he was having full-fledged sexual encounters with her at various locations, including inside his Stoughton P.D. patrol car.5 Defendant Devine’s relationship with Ms. Birchmore appears to have been ongoing at the time of her death.  Read here

January 11, 2021 – Robert C. Devine was Admitted to the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers Number: 707102

2022 Devine resigned in 2022 following an internal affairs investigation that found he had an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with Sandra Birchmore and other young girls.

2024 His wife Lisa J. Devine is still employed by Quincy PD and is on the promotional list as a sergeant of Quincy PD.

Devine took over control of the police explorers in approximately 2003, it was in existence prior to his assignment as the juvenile officer. He was ordered to run the program by the former Chief Cachopa. After taking over, Devine gave the first group that he took on, the option of making the program less about scouting and to run it like a junior police academy. The group went with this option and the program remained that way until it ended.

Devine described the program, its structure, rank, ride alongs, and age groups 13-18 YOA, requirement for parental consent as well as advertising for the program were also discussed.

Devine met the victim Sandra Birchmore when she entered to the program in 2011 at age 14. He was familiar with the difficult home life that she had both while in school, as an explorer and as an adult.

When asked if he kept in touch with her, Devine said that he had not but that Sandra Birchmore would find him, but she never had his cell phone. He discussed her obsession with polico officers. He would meet her while he was on duty and she would offer to bring him coffee etc. They would typically talk for a while and then he would leave. This occurred about once per week.

When asked if he kept in touch with her, Devine said that he had not but that Sandra Birchmore would find him, but she never had his cell phone. He discussed her obsession with police officers. He would meet her while he was on duty and she would offer to bring him coffee etc. They would typically talk for a while and then he would leave. This occurred about once per week.

Devine denied having any type of social interaction with Sandra Birchmore outside of his employment with the Town.

Devine discussed how Sandra Birchmore would exaggerate stories and he spoke of her telling him of

Devine discussed an encounter where Sandra Birchmore approached him at Doyle’s pub in Brockton at around the time of her 21″ birthday. She approached him at the bar and he left.

Devine denied that he communicated with Sandra Birchmore on any texting, messaging, social media platform, burner phone, snapchat, or otherwise. He spoke of the

Devine found out about the relationship between Matthew Farwell and the victim Sandra Birchmore “When he got put out on leave” and later qualified his response that Sandra Birchmore had mentioned the relationship previously as a consenting adult. She spoke to Devine about her relationship with William Farwell; Devine did not believe her.

Devine admitted to engaging in flirtations behavior with a former police explorer and police intern named ——— He also spoke about former police explorers that he has kept contact with as adults.

The Stoughton Police Department ran the Explorer program for about 15 years, but could only locate a single one-year agreement with Learning for Life, the Scouting affiliate that oversees the national Explorer program. The Stoughton Explorer program ended in 2016, and the department has not found any agreements with Learning for Life or the Boy Scouts for the other years the program was active.