This week, after pressure from many city councilors and some in the community, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno once again suspended five officers who are indicted on perjury charges.
They are accused of trying to cover up a 2015 bar fight between off-duty police and four Black men. The officers were brought back on the job a few months ago, in part, the commissioner said, because of a staffing shortage due to COVID-19.
Sarno on Tuesday issued an apology for the move, calling it a mistake.
"My apologies," Sarno said at a press conference, in which he also declared racism a public health crisis in the city. "I meant no disrespect or any ill-intent to our Black community on the reinstatement of the five officers who were involved in the Nathan Bill's incident."
Panelist Elizabeth Román noted that the fallout from the Nathan Bill's fight has continued for years.
"And I think that the Black community feels like it was a slap in the face that the commissioner put [the indicted officers] back in the first place," Román said.
Also this week, the City Council voted to retain pro bono legal counsel in its dispute with the mayor over bringing back the police commission to oversee the department. It voted to do so in 2016 and 2018, overriding Sarno's vetoes. The mayor has refused to enact the ordinance, saying it violates the city charter.
Sarno said he wants to give subpoena power to an existing community police hearing board. That has not satisfied councilors in the past or now.
"I mean, I guess this is just where it had to go at this point," panelist Kristin Palpini said. "We've been on this road for so long. Maybe it's time to hit the courts or let it go, so hitting the courts we will."
Also this week, lawmakers in Connecticut heard from essential workers who came down with COVID-19 and want better access to workers' compensation. Denise Rogers worked as a shuttle bus driver, bringing health care workers to their jobs.
“The shuttle bus only has one door. And it’s located directly opposite of the driver. I didn’t have no glass shield or any other barriers to protect me,” Rogers said.
Rogers got sick, as did her husband, who died from COVID-19. But her workers' compensation claim was denied. Some in the business community said not every essential worker who gets the coronavirus should be eligible.
Guests:
- Elizabeth Román, reporter/editor, Springfield Republican and El Pueblo Latino
Kristin Palpini, veteran western Mass. journalist
