City Council president objects to the recall of five police officers

April 22, 2020 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Domenic Sarno supports the move of asking five police officers back to duty before the criminal charges brought against them are settled.

The announcement brought a swift reaction from City Council President Justin Hurst.

Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood made the announcement on April 15. The five officers are facing charges in the April 8, 2015 incident in which 13 officers and one retired officer were accused of participating in beating or covering up the attack of four people in the parking lot of Nathan Bill’s restaurant.

Clapprood said in a written statement, “We are short officers through sickness and retirements. Our Academy doesn’t graduate until the end of May. Now is the time to bring some of the officers who were not in the original altercation, who are in need of work, back to the department pending the outcome of their criminal case. These officers have been suspended without pay for more than a year. The cases of some of their co-defendants have been dismissed or nolle prossed. Their cases have been continued again, possibly not resuming until 2021. Bringing back these five officers at this time is the right thing to do.”

If they chose to come back they could start this week.

Hurst said, “Reinstating these officers sends the wrong message to residents who need to trust our government and police officers now more than ever. Our job as leaders is to protect the citizens of Springfield during this crisis – not put them more at risk. The system is broken when our mayor sanctions decisions by the Commissioner of Public Safety that undermine our justice system.

“Commissioner Clapprood should execute the plan in place! Just a few days ago she informed us that 75 National Guard personnel would be assisting the Springfield Police Department along with a second layer of help coming from the Massachusetts State Police. Both of these moves appeared to be very calculated and sensible considering the high level of risk to our police officers being exposed to this pandemic and the necessity to maintain proper levels of staffing.

“What we can’t do during this crisis is put the public more at risk by reinstating officers facing criminal charges whose cases have yet to be adjudicated. There is no logical justification for putting these officers back on the streets. They pose a risk to our residents as well as their colleagues and could subject the city to a myriad of lawsuits and cases being thrown out if these officers are ultimately convicted.”

In a written statement, Sarno defended the re-hiring and said, “Again, we’re in unprecedented times with ‘all hands on deck’ needed to continue to keep all our residents and business community safe and sound.”

Judge Mark D. Mason has dismissed the cases of the Supervisor on-duty that evening and another responding officer, as well as on off-duty officer who was a bystander. The remaining off-duty officers who were indicted remain suspended without pay at this time.

Ryan Walsh, media relations specialist for the department, told Reminder Publishing the officers in question would be on “active duty with no restrictions.”

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