The Springfield Mayor is out with an action plan that sets in motion a series of actions designed to improve race relations in the city. The Mayor says that it is important that we not allow what is going on around the country or the state to divide residents within the city. Mayor Dom Sarno says there has been much pain and anguish and although that must be remembered the mayor says it must be used to improvement within the city.
The Mayor says that “we must and will better understand and respect each other and understand that the shoes we walk in day in and day out.” He says that when that understanding is met then there will be respect and concrete change that will properly honor George Floyd’s legacy.
The Mayor says that he meant no disrespect to the Black Community with the reinstatement of 5 police officers involved in the Nathan Bill’s Bar incident. He says that it was a mistake. He is calling on the Police Commissioner to re-suspend the officers until the cases against them are adjudicated.
The Mayor has also declared Racism as a Public Health Crisis. That is something that the Springfield City Council President Justin Hurst had asked him to do. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh had done the same. The Mayor says that The Office of Racial Equality will be established and will work with the community on a variety of issues.
The Mayor also said that he would submit a series of orders that codifies and strengthens Community Policing. He is calling for the Police Hearing Board to have subpoena powers in the review of police matters.
The action plan comes hours after a round table discussion that was hosted by the mayor in which several high profile civic leaders declined to attend for a variety of reasons.