Springfield officials met with U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Andrew Lelling on Friday to discuss the opening of a federal investigation into the former Narcotics Unit of the Springfield Police Department.
The investigation is civil in nature and will look into whether the unit engaged in a pattern or practice of using excessive force.
The Narcotics Unit was in the spotlight in 2016 when video was publicized showing a detective, Gregg Bigda, threatening to kill a teen who was arrested for stealing an undercover police car.