The United States Attorney's Office in Massachusetts says an agreement has been reached with the city of Springfield to reform unconstitutional practices of the police department. The agreement, which must be approved by a judge, would resolve claims that the Springfield PD's narcotics bureau engaged in a pattern of excessive force. Under the proposed consent decree, the department will improve policies and training related to use-of-force.
“When communities don’t trust or fear law enforcement, it undermines public safety. Some within the Springfield Police Department, through their sustained and documented constitutional violations, have tarnished the name of the many upstanding and decent police officers working in Springfield,” said U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins for the District of Massachusetts. “Today is the first step in repairing the harm and mistrust their misconduct and violence caused. After lengthy negotiations, we are pleased to have reached an agreement that includes significant and sustainable reforms to ensure effective and constitutional policing going forward in the City of Springfield. This is the first police misconduct Settlement Agreement entered during the Biden Administration. Our U.S. Attorney’s Office will always protect the constitutional rights of Massachusetts residents.”
Springfield Police Superintendent Cheryl Clapprood said;
"We have also made transparency a cornerstone of our operations. The Springfield Police Department has acquired early warning intervention software that collects and assesses data to identify trends in troublesome conduct, and I am very proud that all sworn personnel now wear body-worn cameras while on duty. Our Use-of-Force and Internal Investigations Unit policies have been modernized, and we have begun the process toward achieving the department’s first-ever, voluntary and self-initiated State Certification. "We have already seen encouraging outcomes as a result of these reforms. In 2021 body-worn camera footage helped to resolve all seven use-of-force complaints against officers, including one against the now-former Narcotics Unit, with zero of the complaints being sustained. This work will continue in the coming years as we plan for additional changes, including a new state-of-the-art Records Management System and transforming how we respond to, report and investigate use-of-force calls," said the Superintendent.
Additionally, there will need to be better supervision of officers and improved internal investigations of misconduct.
(Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)