Residents from and outside of Canton are “begging” the Police Audit Committee to act professionally, specifically calling out the chairman’s behavior they believe is interrupting the task at hand.

A video taken at Monday night’s committee meeting that surfaced on social media Tuesday shows a man passionately demanding Chairman Bob McCarthy apologize for his behavior, with McCarthy responding, ‘No.’

“Who do you think you are?” the man asked, with McCarthy saying: “I’m the chairman.”

“You think you are self-ruler,” the man said. “These people voted for an audit. We’re going to get the audit with or without your (expletive).”

Tension has escalated in the Canton community as the committee looks to select a firm to conduct the independent audit – prompted by the fallout of the Karen Read and Sandra Birchmore cases – by the end of the month.

The committee moved its convening Monday from Town Hall to the local Pequitside Tavern, a venue that has limited capacity in terms of seating and ability to live-stream meetings.

Before the meeting started, resident Jennifer O’Donnell, a vocal critic of how officials conduct business, pressed McCarthy to allow residents to make public comments at the beginning instead of at the end.

“So that people can feel heard,” O’Donnell said, “and you can carry on with business that is on a timeframe. This is in your best interest.”

McCarthy approved the matter without issue.

Resident Janet Chamberlain highlighted how she’s worked with McCarthy on school and library projects. She said she’s “begging, asking, and pleading” for the committee to behave professionally.

“For whatever reason, you are not working well with this group,” Chamberlain told McCarthy. “I think the reason is you didn’t want the audit. It’s over. It’s done. It’s happening. … No more eye-rolling, no more name-calling, no more disparagement.”

Per the hyperlocal Canton Citizen, McCarthy voted against the audit at last November’s special Town Meeting, urging the town to “stop pandering to the disruptive minority and move on.”

The $200,000 audit received approval from 903 residents while 800 rejected it.

Finance Director Randy Scollins appointed McCarthy as committee chairman before it met for the first time this past spring.

At last month’s meeting, McCarthy tried to quickly motion votes and get them accepted without discussion, spoke out against residents and committee members who voiced opposition to his behavior, and told a couple of residents to leave.

A woman who identified herself as a former procurement officer in a neighboring town said in her 38 years of experience, she never saw politics get involved in the way it has in Canton.

“I have watched some of your meetings, and I have to say how completely unprofessional it’s been,” the woman said. “As a procurement official, it was always my duty to make sure that things were done in a very kind way, that things were done in an educated way.”

Monday’s meeting featured clashes between McCarthy and members Kathleen Howley and David Clough over the legalities of receiving and rejecting bids and the methodology of ranking the firms who submitted.

Howley led the petition that resulted in the special Town Meeting on the audit, and petitioners appointed Clough to serve on the committee.

Clough accused McCarthy of opening bids “in secret” with the town’s procurement officer and an assistant town accountant which the chairman denied.

The committee is looking to interview finalists next week, and for whoever is selected to start the audit next month. A final report and presentation are scheduled to be submitted and made next spring.