The city attorney suggested that under the circumstances the city was getting off easy. Roca also took issue with the fact that a Nov. 5 hearing on his case took place at City Hall without him. He was deployed in 2009-2010 to Iraq where he assisted military police . Growing up Puerto Rican in the Flats neighborhood of Holyoke one of the citys majority-Hispanic lower wards Maldonado Velez said he heard plenty of stories from those whom that system harmed. Becoming a police officer was his "life long dream" but that dream was "quickly affected" and "hurt" by the corruption and racism of police officers, which "goes back to as long as anyone can remember. He went on to say that he felt as though he would either be fired or suspended for posting the 45-minute long video. Pictured above: thumbnail of the Youtube video posted by Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca. When the state Legislature passed its police reform bill, state Senate President Karen E. Spilka, D-Ashland, described the legislation as a necessary first step towards achieving systemic change through law enforcement accountability and transparency.. HOLYOKE, Mass One person was killed during a shooting at the Holyoke Mall Saturday night, according to the Hampden County District Attorney's office. In another case filed in 2018, a city resident wrote on their complaint form: It shouldnt take over an hour to get this paperwork to file a complaint., In 2017, former Holyoke resident Janette Hernandez Pagan sued the city, claiming HPD officers beat her 12-year-old son unconscious in 2014. Amid Pandemic, Boston Loses Title as Country's Worst City for Traffic, Biden Hopes to Boost Offshore Wind as Mass. He went on to say that he had tried to sue, tried speaking with the supervisors, Ive tried my union, Ive tried it all. Roca said he hoped that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Attorney General, along with the FBI, would open an investigation into the department. Febo said that Roca misportrayed some examples of lost or stolen weapons. Joshua Garcia was sworn in as Holyokes 45th mayor on Monday. Now, he said, one of his sons was on pain medication because of the force Romero used to arrest him. Tensions soared last fall between some Holyoke residents and the HPD amid a debate in the City Council over the departments desire to purchase the controversial gunfire-location technology ShotSpotter. At the end of the video, Roca went on to tell viewers to seek accountability from elected officials. In an interview last week, Garcia said he planned to follow through with an assessment of the police department, later adding: This is not an investigation, its an assessment.. The HPDs log of complaints and internal investigations contains no evidence the department ever opened an internal investigation into the incident. John Hart was suspended and fined for losing a department-issued sniper rifle. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Roca said he hopes the Massachusetts government will audit the department. In an interview, POST Commission Executive Director Enrique Zuniga said the agencys investigations will eventually come before the full commission, which can go so far as to decertify officers found to have violated state standards a career-ending type of decision, Zuniga said. Months later, on Nov. 10, then acting mayor Terence Murphy followed Pratts recommendation, firing Roca after a city lawyer determined that there was just cause, the Gazette reported. Project Advances, What Happened to the Money?' Pyle told NEPM that police departments and other public agencies will continue to withhold records or slow-roll their release until lawmakers improve the states public records law, which many have criticized as one of the least transparent in the country. Each police department documented the incident and can be retrieved easily., Febo then addressed the incident in which Roca referred to an officer involving an alleged intentional boat accident. A second, by the Firearm Review Board, lists Roca as exonerated.. program This story has been updated to include a statement from Chief Manny Febo which he sent to the Gazette midday on Tuesday. I find that the amount of force used was reasonably necessary under the circumstances, the internal investigation concluded, noting that fellow officers described Hamels initial interaction with the man as peaceful, calm and cooperative.. Garcia said that a sub-group from the city's Police Relations Advisory Committee reviewed several consulting firms' proposals to conduct the audit. Notes. Thats what police was for. His video, posted Sunday, has been viewed 27,000 times. It goes back as long as anyone can remember, he said in the video. We reenter the clubhouse, as we go back to the pool table the brother that just received the pot starts to brag about having a brother as a Holyoke police officer and that he gets stuff like pot and can make some money that way., In its investigation, the HPD found the allegations against Monfett not sustained because there was insufficient evidence to either prove or disprove the allegation.. He says he was consistently singled out for vocalizing his opposition to the police chief, made to repeat pieces of training and attacked via email for not supporting one supervisors protest against police reform. He has since been suspended for refusing to take the video down. Reyes the internal affairs officer found the officers actions justified and proper, and consistent with standard protocols for crash-scene response and safety. In a legal opinion sent to Murphy, which Roca provided to the Gazette, Assistant City Solicitor Kathleen Degnan said that Rocas public statements were not protected by the First Amendment, and therefore the police chiefs order for him to remove the video was lawful. According to the Holyoke Fire Department, at approximately 8:30 p.m . Others, he added, have managed to escape from serious instances of misconduct without any disciplinary action. Last year, a judge ruled in favor of the newspaper and ordered the city to pay $5,000 in punitive damages and $100,000 in legal fees. We were unable to subscribe you to WBUR Today. Its a problem within our commonwealth and it will continue to be a problem until we have an administrative agency that has teeth, that has enforcement power, that can punish municipalities and agencies when they withhold records improperly, Pyle said. They took my gun and my badge and kicked me out of the email system," Roca said on Monday,according to MassLive. He said when he spoke out against the alleged injustice, racism and favoritism and nepotism that he had witnessed, he was punished and shunned. Roca said his attempts to transfer to a different police department were allegedly sabotaged by the chief, and cited a single informal complaint made against him that he said ended with no investigation and him working in an administrative role for more than a month. The city of Holyoke is not alone in resisting transparency, and I think thats the only way to describe an 18-month delay in providing access to records that clearly were public, said Jeffrey Pyle, an attorney with the firm Prince Lobel Tye LLP who specializes in media and First Amendment law. And in Amherst, records show that during a 12-year period, theAmherst Police Department investigated 16 civilian complaints; in only one of those cases did an officer face discipline. Roca was suspended with pay Tuesday as Holyoke police pursue an internal investigation, he said. ", He calls out corrupt officers, including the "corrupt police chief, and he is out to get me" He also talks about the "vast misrepresentation when it comes to minority police officers. Roca had been with the department since 2015. The Holyoke Police Department has a chief, two lieutenants and four sergeants who are minority in the department command staff., Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. (WWLP) - Holyoke's Chief of Police responded to the allegations of corruption within the department, made by an officer in a widely-circulated YouTube video. license. I already knew they were going to wait until the last minute, he said. If you go behind the curtain of law enforcement, oftentimes youll hear officers say the surest way not to get a complaint is not to interact with the public, he said. The Holyoke Police Department is working very hard to reduce crime and impact violence in this industrious Western Massachusetts city. Concepcion alleged that he returned again and again for hours at a time until an HPD supervisor finally interviewed him three weeks later. //LBtag_id.innerHTML = ''; In January, Holyoke settled the police brutality suit against the city and officers for $65,000. HOLYOKE, Mass. . Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca. (AP) - A Massachusetts police officer who posted a video online alleging corruption within his department says he has been placed on paid administrative leave after refusing to take . Compare the best Police Misconduct lawyers near Holyoke, MA today. ", Police departments in America have a lot of unnecessary military hardware, thanks to sweetheart deals between legislators and arms dealers that allow for layers of creative financial accounting as long READ THE REST, Here's how creator Johnny Damm explains the project: Can policing be reformed? That decision was made after aHolyoke police officer publicly alleged corruptionwithin the HPD and aDaily Hampshire Gazetteinvestigation found whatsome characterized as excessive overtimein the department, including among some of its highest-paid officers. Roca, a five-year veteran of the police force who served in the U.S. Marines before that, said he refused to remove the video upon Febos orders on Sunday. You hear from those that came before us saying the police would kick you back down to the Flats; you couldnt be seen up above High Street, Maldonado Velez said. That decision was made after a Holyoke police officer publicly alleged corruption within the HPD and a Daily Hampshire Gazette investigation found what some characterized as "excessive. Holyoke Police Department killed 1 person from 2013-21. Prosecutors pressed charges against him until the day he showed up for his trial, when he said they informed him they were dropping the case. On December 24, 2015 and January 25, 2016, HRD, at the request of the City, sent Previously, police departments were able to argue that those documents were personnel records, which are typically exempt from disclosure under the law. This story is a production of the New England News Collaborative. At the time, Roca told the commission that he had told Monsalve he was OK with the driver being placed in protective custody instead of being arrested because he did not view it as his decision.. The Hampden District Attorney's Office told NEPM it was unable to confirm this report or comment on it without more information, like the name of the defendant, which was redacted from the public records response. Daily Hampshire Gazette Contests & Promotions, Daily Hampshire Gazette Evening Top Reads, Daily Hampshire Gazette Weekly Top Stories, Daily Hampshire Gazette Dining & Entertainment, Support the
I am a Latino. He said that currently, there were 46 total patrolmen with eight years or more of full-time experience on the job., Out of those 46, 12 are minority officers. Carla Sinclair 11:00 am Tue Mar 9, 2021. As of March 9, Roca has been suspended from the department due to his violation of a rule prohibiting officers from criticizing the department on social media platforms. Its not clear and it doesnt exist. In court filings, Pagans lawyer called the HPDs process of reviewing civilian complaints baroque, pointing to the fact that James Neiswanger, who was the police chief at the time, said in a deposition that before complaints were investigated, an administrator reviewed them to determine if they had merit., Hernandez Pagan attempted to file a complaint, the lawsuit alleged. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, told NEPM that she filed the complaint because she wanted to push back against her constituents dominant perception: that there was no point in filing a complaint against the HPD. var sellablestring4 = "GAZETTE FILE PHOTO"; I think it just really supports the theory of nothing is going to happen, nothing is going to change, she said. Current Police Chief David Pratt suspended Roca in March and then recommended that the mayor terminate Roca. During the mayoral campaign, Garcias opponent, At-large City Councilor Michael Sullivan, responded to the Gazettes reporting by calling for an audit of the police departments handling of state and federal grant programs, calling the use of overtime excessive. Garcia responded to say that he, too, would support an audit. Roca said he was suspended for violating the departments social media policy, which bars officers from criticizing the department on social media platforms. var photocredit = "'SCREENSHOT/YOUTUBE' 'Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca. . She testified she complained about her sons beating, was assured the matter was being investigated but was never instructed on what other steps she could take to formally complain against police.. Of the remaining 34 non-minority officers in this group, 18 are in a specialized assignment. NEPM has obtained a decades worth of civilian complaints against HPD officers and the departments own internal investigations of them. 'Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca alleges there iscorruption and racism in the Holyoke Police Department. Later that evening, however, Roca and another officer saw the fire department lieutenant drive by in his car again at high speed. Boing Boing is published under a Creative Commons var sellablestring = "GAZETTE STAFF"; I think the challenge with that is in most jurisdictions that have a civilian review board or some version of that, its very rare for that board to have investigatory powers, Terrill said. }. Work Schedule:Monday through Friday Department Summary & Job Purpose: The Assistant Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Coordinator is a key leader of the College's equity and compliance work and an essential member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team centered around creating an inclusive campus community . Citizens in Holyoke, Colorado should be aware of illegal activities surrounding police brutality among their police departments and take actions against them. Reyes, the HPD captain who oversees internal investigations, said in his final report that the boy had let his twin brother and another student back into the building after they were suspended a major breach of security because of shootings and gang activity in the community. The city settled that lawsuit for $65,000 in 2020. 8. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Roca, however, claimed that somebody stole the gun from Harts house during a party. I speak to citizens, I speak to former police officers, retired police officers and they all say corruption and racism has taken place within this department for as long as anyone can remember., In an interview with the Gazette, Roca said that after posting the video which had more than 27,000 views days after it was posted a police department captain called him to say that Police Chief Manny Febo was ordering him to remove the video. We definitely had examples of moments where we felt we were treated differently because of our activism and there was an underlying tone of retaliation.. When presented with NEPMs findings, Maldonado Velez said the lack of discipline resulting from civilian complaints is just not surprising and not unique to Holyoke. When Romero put his hand on the boys shoulder and told him to go back to his classroom, Reyes said the boy smacked the officer's hand and swore at him. As of March 9, Roca has been suspended from the department due to his violation of a rule prohibiting officers from criticizing the department on social media platforms. A newly released independent audit of the Holyoke Police Department finds the HPD poses a "substantial risk" to the city it serves. Boing Boing uses cookies and analytics trackers, and is supported by advertising, merchandise Nobody should get away with taking the law into their own hands and being above it, he said. I stand by the integrity of the men and women of the Holyoke Police Department and I welcome any outside agency that would like to look into any of the alleged allegations from the video, he said in a statement. All rights reserved, FIRST ALERT: Storm Hitting Greater Boston Live Radar, Updates. Yeah, they didnt waste any time. Febo, who plans to retire in July, said he has nothing to hide. Roca said that the department is rife with racism. In his video, Roca references alleged abuse of overtime pay. All rights reserved (About Us). For this reason, the Holyoke Police department will have no further comment regarding Mr. Roca or his Case.. HOLYOKE A Holyoke police officer said he has been suspended after posting a lengthy video online alleging widespread corruption and racism within the police department. Roca responded saying he already appealed the decision to the Massachusetts Civil Service Commission. In one 2011 complaint, a civilian alleged that during a traffic stop that involved Officer Jared Hamel, police held a gun to the civilian's head and knocked him unconscious, after which officers stomped on his face and dislocated his jaw. The five-year Holyoke Police officer who posted the video, Rafael Roca, explained in the beginning, that he wanted to expose the corruption and the lies and the injustice he felt was taking place within the department. Instead of arresting the driver, Monsalve, one of a number of officers who responded, decided to park the drivers car and give him a ride back home. In his 2016 study in the journalPolice Quarterly, Terrill and fellow researcher Jason Ingram found that in cities that had police conducting internal investigations, but where an external civilian oversight agency reviewed their decisions, the department was "significantly more likely to sustain complaints." The youths, Reyes report alleged, were Blood gang members who were under surveillance for their possible involvement in a shooting involving a school bus on the previous day. He said the cars possibly armed occupants made furtive movements and refused to show their hands, and that the officers on scene denied making the remarks Concepcion alleged. In 2016, Irving Concepcion says the Holyoke police pulled him over with their guns drawn, yanked him out of his car and slammed him down on the hood. '";
Get the latest news on COVID-19 delivered to you. Skilled in Microsoft Word, Police Procedures, Defensive Tactics, Emergency Management, Law Enforcement, Conflict Resolution and Public Speaking. This followed years of battles between the mayor and City Council over control of the department and the effectiveness of a previous advisory panel, the Civilian Community Police Hearing Board. SCREENSHOT/YOUTUBE Roca said he expected to face discipline after posting the video but was invested in calling attention to what he saw as problems within the department. If you need to reach our office by phone, contact us at 413-538-7118. The mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts has appointed a new police chief who will be the first Latino to lead the department. Roca said that as a result, supervisors have given him a bad image that has influenced others in the department. The five-year Holyoke Police officer who posted the video, Rafael Roca, explained in the beginning, that he wanted to "expose the corruption and the lies and the injustice" he felt was taking place within the department. He noted that he was terminated in the final days of Murphys tenure as acting mayor. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Ill probably lose my job, but Im good. I talked with two police chiefs in Minnesota about what happened when Tyre Nichols was stopped by Memphis police officers and fatally beaten last month. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Mayor Alex Morse said in a statement that he could not comment on a personnel matter. He said the incident took place last year and involved the department responding to a call at the boat ramp where a citizen had stated that an officer had purposely rammed his boat. Febo went on to say there were conflicting accounts regarding the incident and very minor contact. He said while no formal complaint was filed, a report was filed and the incident was not covered up. Additionally, he said, the officer was spoken to about rudeness when dealing with the public. Whos policing the police? he asked. The incident was fully investigated by previous chief, discipline meted out, and every step was reported publicly at that time, he wrote. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's contentious plan to overhaul the country's legal system, as the governm It took the HPD more than a year and a half to turn over its 69 internal investigations, all of which the department redacted to remove information about the person alleging misconduct. When. Concepcion, who alleged that police unjustifiably yanked him out of his car at gunpoint in 2016, said he attempted to file a complaint against the officers that day, but police at the station told him they had no complaint forms on hand. Holyoke Officer Rafael Roca, a former Marine hired in 2016, said in the 43-minute video . After nearly a year, Reyes closed the departments investigation of the incident, saying he was unable to reach the man who complained. Neiswanger said that a tipster found the gun in an alley, and that the mayors presence was a coincidence. For those reasons, Reyes cleared the officers of violating department policies.