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Date: 7/27/2021
CHICOPEE – The rehiring of former Police Officer Michael Wilk has elicited a strong response from a member of the city’s School Committee, as well as the president of the Greater Springfield NAACP.
Wilk, who retired a year ago, had been the longtime public information officer for the Chicopee Police Department. He was the subject of criticism for posts he made on social media.
Wilk is now a special police officer with the department.
Reminder Publishing received the following statement from Mayor John Vieau: “The appointment of Mike Wilk to the Chicopee Police Department as a special police officer (SPO) was due to a deficiency in trained staff for local construction and traffic details throughout the city. Every retired Chicopee police officer under the age of 65 has the opportunity in the City of Chicopee to return to duty as an SPO to assist in staff shortage details. These special police retirees can only work 960 hours per calendar year and not earn more than what they would’ve earned if they were in their current position. Special police officers are held to the same qualification standards as the other Chicopee police officers. Special Officer Wilk will not be associated with any of the Chicopee Police Department’s social media pages.”
School Committee member James Tanhauser Jr. conducted a press conference on July 21 and registered his protest about the rehiring. He said he would like to see Vieau reverse his decision about Wilk’s recent re-hiring.
He also expressed concern that up until that time, the mayor had not commented on the hiring.
Bishop Talbot Swan II sent the following letter to Vieau about the rehiring: “One year ago, after discovering racist social media posts by Officer Michael Wilk, you stated, ‘Racism has no place here in our city…no place at all.’ The Chicopee City Council unanimously passed a resolution to declare racism as a public health crisis. You further stated, ‘We will not tolerate racism or hate in this city.’ You removed Officer Wilk as the public information officer for the Chicopee Police Department and assured residents of the city that your administration would take swift and immediate action against racist actions by public officials. Your response in the wake of Officer Wilk’s actions went against the norm of most departments across the region, which typically are to defend and protect officers accused of improper behavior. Many residents of your city and beyond commended you for taking such a stance.
“It is hard to fathom the rationale as to why Officer Wilk has been rehired a year after retiring following public outcry over his racist actions. Sentiments expressed by Officer Wilk, that protesters should be shot, immigrants cut by razor wire, and Black athletes protesting injustice should be treated like George Floyd was by convicted murderer Derek Chauvin, are dangerous, racist, and unconscionable. If the Chicopee Police Department harbors individuals with violent, white supremacist views regarding Black people, non-white immigrants, and others, how can non-white residents of Chicopee and persons in the region who work, shop, visit relatives, or drive through your city, have any confidence that they will be treated justly when they encounter law-enforcement?
“I agree with what you said last year, racism has no place in Chicopee and it should not be tolerated. However, allowing the rehiring of an openly racist police officer is the epitome of tolerating racism. On behalf of the Greater Springfield NAACP, whose catchment area includes the city of Chicopee, I urge you to reconsider this action and to immediately dismiss Officer Wilk. Allowing Officer Wilk back on the police force is tantamount to a daycare center or elementary school rehiring a known pedophile after they’ve been dismissed.
“Constituents of our branch, which includes many residents of Chicopee, stand with city councilor [sic] Jim Tanhauser and all persons good moral conscious in condemning the allowance of a racist to once again carry a gun and a badge and to have the lives of Black and Brown people in his hands. Failure to correct this egregious mistake will be a stain on your record and decry any previous condemnation of racism that you have ever uttered. I am hopeful you will do the right thing.”