Issued Wednesday, September 12, 2018
“First of all, I have much regard for the late Police Lt. Robert Caulton and his family. He was a true gentleman and a good cop, who I knew personally and served with on the Board of Directors for the Girls Club Family Center in the mid 1990’s to early 2000’s. Legally, this cannot be done and this revisionist history would open up a Pandora’s box. This request is reserved for an officer killed in the line of duty. Civil service rules and regulations were followed and indicate he was not bypassed. I get a kick out of some City Councilors, who want to go back to the same Board of Police Commissioners, who they now state wronged Lt. Caulton – very hypocritical. I am also pained, that after the fact*** that some City Councilors and some community members would play politics and evoke the emotions of two highly respected African-American families – the late Lt. Robert Caulton and the late Captain Joseph Budd. A decision had been made and rendered, when brought forth by a group of citizens some time ago, that a new Springfield Police Headquarters will be named after Captain Joseph Budd. That being said, the City would be more than willing to honor Lt. Robert Caulton appropriately within the new Joseph Budd Police Headquarters.”
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno
***Please see the accompanying emails below.