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Date: 9/28/2022
SPRINGFIELD – Six months into its establishment, the Police Commission is expressing frustration with their current progress. The commission aired their sentiments and other updates during a Public Safety Subcommittee meeting on Sept. 19.
The Supreme Judicial Court ordered for the commission to be reestablished in January after years of dormancy. Mayor Domenic Sarno appointed five members to the commission in March: Civilian Community Police Hearing Board member Albert Tranghese, former School Committee member Norman Roldan, security business owner Robert C. Jackson, Hampden County Sheriff Department employee Madeline Fernandez and professor of Criminal Justice at Springfield College Dr. Gary Berte.
During their first meeting on April 11, the commission named Berte as its chairman while establishing some of their operational procedures. The commission then met with the Public Safety Subcommittee on May 9 to discuss introductory updates, such as how the commission will receive public responses and operational needs.
For the Sept. 19 meeting, Berte presented an overview of the Police Commission’s progress. So far, the commission vetted five to six misconduct complaints and two Preliminary Investigations of Employees (PIEs). The commission took action in “almost all of” the issues,” according to Roldan.
Berte discussed the expectation that the commission submit a quarterly report on its work and an annual report to the City Council, stating that the group does not possess the tools to accomplish a formal process.
“We need to be honest and open, we’re not sure how to do that yet because we don’t have the resources or administrative process to get it done … we’re waiting for that,” said Berte.
When asked by Ward 6 City Councilor and Public Safety Subcommittee Chair Victor Davila when the first report will be accomplished, Berte said he is unsure. Berte also shared that the commission has yet to be listed with their contact information on the city’s website.
“I’m not trying to make excuses, but we do need support and we do need resources,” said Berte.
Additionally, Berte requested for the commission to have a meeting space dedicated to their work.
The Police Commission chair also stressed the commission needs its own set of commission-related technologies in order to operate without concerns of involving their personal devices.
“We would hope that the board someday would have its own free-standing set of communication … That can be a problem because of the law. Having our phones subpoenaed, that just seems to be unfair,” said Berte.
Roldan aired grievances with the commission’s lack of procedures and availability to the public. He said the process setting up the commission has taken “too long.”
“We want to be able to reach out to the people and the people reach out to us, and we don’t have that connection … we get calls from people, and then we want to be able to follow up on that. We need to make sure we document this stuff,” said Roldan.
Ward 8 City Councilor Zaida Govan expressed concern with the lack of internet access to the commission. Davila assured the commission and subcommittee members that he would contact the Information Technology Department to address the matter after the meeting.
City Councilor At-Large Justin Hurst inquired if the commission shared their concerns with the Sarno administration and the Department of Justice (DOJ). Berte said he endured a “brief check-in” with the DOJ once and has a meeting scheduled with the compliance evaluator hired by the city on Sept. 27.
Berte relayed concerns to Police Superintendent Cheryl Clapprood – who he views as “very receptive” throughout the commission’s inaugural months.
Hurst asked the commission to highlight their requests and submit them to the mayor and the City Council. The councilor stressed the importance of achieving a request list so that the commission members are not blamed for the current issues.
“People need to know. The last thing that I want is for you all to be put in the front lines of the firing squad and for it to not be your fault at all,” said Hurst.
The councilor also expressed gratitude in the commission’s transparency about their current state.
“I appreciate you all having the courage to say what you’ve said here … if you scream loud enough, at some point in time, folks will learn how to listen or get embarrassed,” said Hurst.
City Councilor At-Large Tracye Whitfield said she will present these requests to the city’s finance team during a Finance Subcommittee meeting. She shared that there are resources that can accomplish the commission’s funding needs.
“We have different funding sources. We have a whole like $14 million sitting in the MGM bucket that could be used because this is for the needs of the residents of Springfield. It’s not like we don’t have some of the funding to get some of the work done,” said Whitfield.
Whitfield took issue with the fact that civil complaints go to the city-appointed legal representation for the commission, Attorney Kevin Murphy, before the commission itself. In August, the council voted against funding Murphy’s appointment due to concerns about his appointment occurring without community involvement.
“That’s really no real oversight … He’s still going to push forward what the administration wants pushed forward because they hired him behind the scenes and he’s a friend of the crew. I don’t even know how the process is running like this, I don’t know how it’s equitable and I don’t know if the DOJ are aware of it.”
Whitfield continued, “There’s no way to tell what came in initially because there’s nothing on the city website. There’s no way to tell what has moved forward … They could know some of the names involved and say, ‘We’re not going to push this forward, we are going to handle this on the side.”
Fernandez also expressed frustration with the commission’s current progress.
“It’s not like we are sitting back and not doing nothing about it. I think we are doing a good job trying to voice, but it seems like our voice isn’t loud enough,” said Fernandez.
Going forward, the commission will be meeting again with the City Council on Oct. 5. Davila concluded by stating he would like to see a Police Commission report by the middle of December.