A Springfield, Massachusetts, city councilor said a judge's decision in favor of establishing a police commission is good news for the residents of the city.
In 2018, the Springfield City Council voted to form a board of commissioners to oversee the police department.
Mayor Domenic Sarno fought the ordinance, saying it was an infringement on his powers, and he kept a single commissioner in place.
Last Friday, a Hampden Superior Court judge sided with the council, and ordered Sarno to appoint the five-member commission.
Springfield city councilor Justin Hurst said he's happy with the decision.
"My hope is that when you spread out the decision-making powers," Hurst said, "that you'll have more people who are conscientious of the impacts of those decisions on the residents of this city."
In a statement, Sarno made it clear that he wasn't giving up, saying, "we have long expected that this matter would be finally decided by the Appellate Courts of Massachusetts. This is the first step and we look forward to the next step in that process."
