The complaints allege HPD officers engaged in misconduct ranging from brutality and bullying to discourtesy and dishonesty. In March, Rafael Roca, who had been a Holyoke police officer since 2015, posted the video to YouTube, where it has since been viewed more than 56,000 times. 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). It goes back as long as anyone can remember, he said in the video. MASSACHUSETTS-In early March, two police sergeants were suspended without pay for speaking with a reporter about mismanagement, corruption and racism within the Holyoke Police Department, and for providing him with internal documents. Reyes, Police Chief David Pratt and Capt. In August, the city of Holyoke hired a firm to audit its police department, including its internal affairs processes. Roca said that the department is rife with racism. var sellablestring2 = "STAFF PHOTO"; Roca then went on to accuse current Holyoke Police Chief, Manny Febo, of being a corrupt police officer. Daily Hampshire Gazette Contests & Promotions, Daily Hampshire Gazette Evening Top Reads, Daily Hampshire Gazette Weekly Top Stories, Daily Hampshire Gazette Dining & Entertainment, Support the Roca, however, claimed that somebody stole the gun from Harts house during a party. Play all audios: Loading. The so-called Lexow Committee revealed to the city and nation in unprecedented detail. var tag_id = document.getElementById('buylinkHolyokePD-hg031021,ph1'); Holyoke Police Department's 24 hour anonymous "TEXT-A-TIP" Dial CRIMES (533-TIPS or 533-8477). Matthew Moriarty, who handles communications for the department, all failed to answer numerous email and phone messages. Skilled in Microsoft Word, Police Procedures, Defensive Tactics, Emergency Management, Law Enforcement, Conflict Resolution and Public Speaking. At least 85,000 law enforcement officers across the USA have been investigated or disciplined for misconduct over the past decade, an investigation by USA TODAY Network found. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. (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 . Use our free directory to instantly connect with verified Police Misconduct attorneys. 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. if (photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring2) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring3) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring4) > -1) { In 2018, a man alleged that school resource officer Melvis Romero abused his authority when he threw the mans son to the ground during the school day and arrested him, injuring his neck and shoulders in the process. This story has been updated to include a statement from Chief Manny Febo which he sent to the Gazette midday on Tuesday. 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. }. His video, posted Sunday, has been viewed 27,000 times. For example, he characterized it as a workplace where now-former Police Chief Manny Febo favorites were not disciplined despite losing weapons and facing restraining orders, according to the accusations. He said that he saved the state troopers life, only to be treated like a piece of crap afterward, getting turned down for a job with the state police. Febo, according to Roca, allegedly promoted a friend to the position of provisional lieutenant. Despite the high Puerto Rican population in Holyoke, Roca said there are not enough police officers from the community. She wrotethat she believed Rocas public statements to be untruthful and self-serving, and that he made them with the intent to defame the Holyoke Police Department.. var currentLocation = window.location; He said cities would have to go all in to train civilians to do that work. While on the ground, [redacted] placed his hands under him refusing to place his hands behind him forcing Officer Romero to again employ more force to force his hands behind him, Reyes wrote. The Appellant left the Holyoke Police Station at approximately 11:00 p.m. and proceeded to the detail in his personal vehicle by means of Southampton Road. They kept trying to use the grabbing of the genitals to kind of quiet me down as a form of punishment and pain, Concepcion said. He expressed frustration that former Mayor Alex Morse did not do enough to address issues of racism during his tenure. Roca also said that other officers have not been fired after breaking the law driving drunk, for example losing firearms and other misconduct. HOLYOKE, Mass. A handful of other officers were "spoken to" or "cautioned" by their superiors for other offenses, but the records show no evidence that the officers were disciplined for those violations of department rules. Not a single person from City Hall or city government reached out at all, he said. Cannabis company Trulieve will pay $14,502 after reaching a settlement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over the death of an employee who worked at Trulieve's Holyoke cultivation site. He attested that state troopers consistently call him to translate for them, as they do not have enough Spanish speakers on the force. var sellablestring3 = "STAFF FILE PHOTO"; Roca has NEVER provided any credible information or documentation to substantiate his claims to the HPD, his union, the FBI, Attorney General or any other investigators that I am aware of, Pratt wrote, adding that Roca was given due process. Pratt said that Roca can still present his case to the Civil Service Commission. 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. 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. Moriarty, the president of the HPDs supervisors union, said at a press conference held specifically to address Maldonado Velezs comments. One of our detectives who is assigned to a task force had his task force vehicle broken into, he said. He also made the case that his statements were on matters of public concern; a Holyoke Police Department rule bars criticism of the department except on matters of public concern.. '"; 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. SCREENSHOT/YOUTUBE In 2014, the president of the patrol-officer union wrote a scathing letter to the City Council denouncing Councilors Rebecca Lisi and Jossie Valentin for marching in a Black Lives Matter protest where he said some protesters used anti-police rhetoric., Since that moment, it was very evident to me that some members of the Holyoke Police Department were not happy with me and with Rebecca, Valentin told NEPM in an interview from Puerto Rico, where she now lives. Roca was immediately placed on administrative leave as the department conducted an internal investigation. They put him in handcuffs at his home, but Monsalve ultimately decided to place the driver in protective custody instead of arresting him, declining to give the driver a breathalyzer, according to testimony included in the commissions decision. v. Civil Service . In one 2013 complaint, for example, a civilian alleged they watched police officer Charles Monfett pull up next to his brother in his police cruiser and hand him a bag of pot., We also overheard how it was just recovered from someone at Jones Point, the complaint alleges. And often, legal protections and collective bargaining agreements with police unions prevent those boards from interviewing officers, he added. Roca said he had performed consistently in his role as a police officer and engaged in crime fighting when others were allegedly sleeping in their police cruisers and ignoring crime. He went on to say there had been officers he knew of that were allegedly involved in drunk driving incidents, who had assaulted people with their boats who have been labeled as racist and officers who had stolen money. He went on to say there were police officers who allegedly have made an excess of $260,000 a year and no one had questioned the situation. 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 city settled that lawsuit for $65,000 in 2020. 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. Holyoke, MA Those who are paying attention to the ever-expanding police state in the land of the free know that the system is set up in such a way that it protects bad cops while punishing the good ones. When you are someone who speaks up about injustice and about corrupt police officers, they label you as a liar, they label you as a dirty police officer, they label you as someone who is untrustworthy, he said. Alex Benjamin Morse (born January 29, 1989) is an American politician who served as the 44th mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts from 2012 to 2021. Holyoke police officers arrived at the mall just before 7:00 p.m. for a report of shots fired. AMHERST Amherst Police Chief Scott Livingstone will retire in May after nearly 14 years leading a department he joined upon graduating from AMHERST Unions at the University of Massachusetts are contending that more than 100 state jobs, and their accompanying benefits, are being WALTERBORO, S.C. One of the last pieces of a legal dynasty that doled out justice in rural South Carolina for decades crumbled Friday as lawyer WASHINGTON President Joe Biden exudes confidence as the next race for the White House approaches.During last months State of the Union address Holyoke police officer parks in the train station on Main Street on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. As of 2019, the estimated population was 40,117. Previously, police departments were able to argue that those documents were personnel records, which are typically exempt from disclosure under the law. One complaint for rudeness was not sustained by an investigation. The officers on the scene denied that they had drawn their weapons and challenged the extent of the mans injuries; they said he refused to get out of the car and then reached for the center console. Holyoke Police Officer Rafael Roca suspended after posting viral video alleging corruption at the department 'Because of this video I will probably be fired': Holyoke officer alleges. I stand behind the video and what I said in it.. designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated Roca said a police captain called him about a day after he posted the video. "Holyoke has always been known as the Paper City. Carla Sinclair 11:00 am Tue Mar 9, 2021. tag_id.innerHTML = ''; Advocates call for more police oversight after WBUR investigation, Mass. In January, Holyoke settled the police brutality suit against the city and officers for $65,000. "Yeah, they didn't waste any time. I dont think the mayors office is the right place to do a criminal investigation of the police, Murphy said when asked whether the city had investigated Rocas claims. Howie Carr: What's so urgent in Holbrook, Mr. Speaker? Roca also claimed in his video that recently, a police officer had his car stolen with guns and equipment inside. He alleged that the car was found in Hartford, but the guns and equipment were missing. Febo, who plans to retire in July, said he has nothing to hide. In this still from a video Roca posted to YouTube on March 7, 2021, Roca alleges there is corruption and racism in the Holyoke Police Department. But now he finds out if he will be charged with misdemeanor furnishing of alcohol and reckless endangerment of a. A police officer says he's on paid administrative leave for refusing to take down the 43-minute video that alleges corruption within the police department in Holyoke, Massachusetts. After Customers Paid Large Deposits for Home Projects, Contractor Files for Bankruptcy, How Much Snow Has Fallen in Your Area So Far, The House Where JonBenet Ramsey Was Found Dead Is Listed for Sale at Nearly $7M, FIRST ALERT: Wintry Mix Keeps Falling as Storm Hits New England (Live Radar). Another was accused of sexual assault while he was off duty. delays new police misconduct database, Dusty Christensen, New England Public Media. Murphy didnt have to answer to anybody. Roca said that as a result, supervisors have given him a bad image that has influenced others in the department. In his own time, he said that he witnessed classmates incarcerated as part of the school-to-prison pipeline.. That second entry likely relates to an incident in 2017 when Roca fired his gun at a Leeds resident, Dan Guyette, who led officers on a high-speed chase through Holyoke before crashing into parked cars. Holyoke Massachusetts & Pennsylvania Legal Representation. "I'll probably lose my job, but I'm good. Twelve of the 46 patrolmen with eight years or more of experience are part of a minority group, and nine of them have specialized positions, Febo wrote. The HPDs log of complaints and internal investigations contains no evidence the department ever opened an internal investigation into the incident. It's Boston local news in one concise, fun and informative email. But he said other studies have found that civilian review boards have a minimal effect on accountability. Coughlin has been living large on his State Police pension of $131,961 a year. Last fall, five of the remaining six members of the board quit after they wereblocked from reviewing the police department's internal reporton the police killing of city resident Miguel Estrella. "I'm here to make this video to expose the corruption, and the lies, and the injustice that is taking place within the police department in Holyoke, Massachusetts," he says at the start of the video. NEPM also obtained a handwritten log tracking all 156 investigations of its own officers the department conducted during those 10 years, including those initiated not by civilian complaints but by superior officers. He also called for the FBI or the state attorney generals office to investigate the department. 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. sales What I can say is that I have full confidence in the integrity and professionalism of the Chief of Police and the men and women that make up the Holyoke Police Department, he wrote. 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. 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. Schedule a Free Consultation Fill out your information below: Law Offices of Allyn & Ball, P.C. 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. So far, the commission has only suspended 19 officers statewide because they were either arrested, charged or indicted on a felony charge. He also said that academics have struggled to answer the question of whether a complaint against an officer represents a problem officer, a productive officer or some combination of the two. Last week, Holyokes acting mayor fired Rafael Roca, a police officer who posted a video to YouTube making allegations of corruption and racism within the Holyoke Police Department, Daily Hampshire Gazette reported. He alleged that later, somebody who had been arrested tipped police off to the rifles location in an effort to receive leniency in court. According to Roca, supervisors in the department have lied on the stand. I said Im sorry but, respectfully, I refuse to take it down.. When Massachusetts lawmakers passed a sweeping police reform law in late 2020, one of the bills provisions opened up law enforcement misconduct investigations to greater scrutiny under the states public records law. var photocredit = photocredit.toUpperCase(); 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. of 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. 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. They took my gun and my badge and kicked me out of the email system," Roca said on Monday,according to MassLive. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. There was no set up.. And cities where complaints of police misconduct are rarely ruled in favor of civilians could benefit from creating an oversight structure to independently investigate these complaints. HOLYOKE, Mass. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Ernest Fontaine, Fitchburg State . And he said that when he would leave the station during those three weeks, police would pull his car over. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Officer Rafael Roca posted a 43-minute video early Sunday morning that drew a wave of online attention after Roca accused Febo of being corrupt by looking the other way from certain officers misbehavior, while remaining intent on punishing others. Locally, the city of Pittsfield has a Police Advisory and Review Board. Who will be eaten first? tag_id.innerHTML = ''; Some complaints involve allegations that police officers broke the law. HOLYOKE, Mass. will soon post complaints against police officers online. 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.. Speaking to the Gazette, he alleged he has worked on grant-funded shifts during which supervisors who were supposed to be working were nowhere to be found the entire shift.. He said NEPMs reporting points to a they-against-us type of mentality and not really a serve-and-protect type mentality within the police department, and that an external, non-biased party should be investigating allegations of misconduct. sites. The comments are concerning, erroneous, harmful, but most importantly divisive, Capt. 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. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. OSHA, cannabis company reach $14k settlement in Holyoke worker's death . One officer was accused of using his siren at a drive-thru window to get his ice cream more quickly. In 1894 the New York State Senate launched the first comprehensive investigation of corruption in the NYPD. A vehicle was stolen in Granby, Mass., that vehicle was driven by suspects who drove around and broke into parked vehicles in driveways in South Hadley. of 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. Nobody should get away with taking the law into their own hands and being above it, he said. For those reasons, Reyes cleared the officers of violating department policies. Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca alleges there iscorruption and racism in the Holyoke Police Department. And thats the ultimate way of holding police accountable from the commissions perspective..
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