Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announced today that the Community Police Hearing Board (CPHB) is finalizing its annual report for 2019.
Mayor Sarno stated, “The COVID-19 crisis has delayed the finished report however, the statistics have continued to be produced and posted as usual. I am informed that the CPHB will have a final report for 2019 by the end of this month.”
Commenting on the statistics for 2019, Mayor Sarno stated that the statistics show CPHB is helping to ensure that all complaints are investigated thoroughly and fairly and no complaint has been ‘swept under the rug’.
The statistics are posted on the CPHB website:
https://www.springfield-ma.gov/cos/index.php?id=2967.
A summary of the details of each report showing the category of charges and disposition or status as pending, are also posted on the website for viewing.
The Mayor also announced that the CPHB is in the process of planning an online community meeting, and is in the process of transitioning to a “remote” participation format for their review of complaints.
The CPHB Annual Report for 2019 will provide statistics as to the total number of all complaints and categories reviewed whether they were sustained or not sustained, or pending. A compilation of data detailing all of the various charges contained in the complaints that were reviewed as well as their outcome will be included in an appendix to the report and posted on the City’s website. A summary of the data is set forth in various tables will be the body of the report.
The CPHB report will also include statistics on police misconduct litigation, and a table of all cases since 2006 through 2019 will be included in a table of all police excessive force/misconduct lawsuits where the City or members of the police department were named as defendants in litigation since 2006.
Mayor Sarno stated that he “believes our efforts to assure best practices, improve our policies and practices, and take advantage of new technology, such as Tasers and Body Worn Cameras, is putting us on a path where improved trust, confidence, and effective policing will be the end product.”
The current members of the CPHB include: Chair Attorney Ernesto Castillo, Owner of a Security Business Robert C. Jackson, Former Labor Union representative and retired Human Resource manager Albert Tranghese, Retired Police Officers Pastor Gail Hill and Gary Berte, who is a Professor of Criminal Justice, and Joseph Griffin. Funeral Director and Business Owner Paul A. Phaneuf and Property Manager Linda Caron are also members.