Police body camera footage detailing the September arrest of Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi has been released. The sheriff was arrested at the MGM Springfield casino on a driving while intoxicated charge while operating a state-owned vehicle.
The footage was obtained from the Massachusetts State Police, which has jurisdiction at the casino, and first reported by The Republican newspaper.
Cocchi's vehicle was found in the parking garage, missing a tire and with a badly damaged rim. The sheriff entered the casino for a short time and came back. He first denied he was driving, and insisted on having an acquaintance present change the tire.
State Police Lt. Corey Mackey explained to the sheriff the seriousness of the situation.
"Sir, none of us wants to be involved with this," Mackey told Cocchi. "I can smell alcohol coming from your breath, I've got this right here, everything's on camera, I gotta take it by the numbers."
Cocchi, who was talking over Mackey, responded, "Just change the tire."
The sheriff was told by Mackey that he was conducting an investigation and that Cocchi needed to remain nearby. The sheriff said he had lost the tire on a curb near the parking garage. The video shows Mackey asking another officer to check for evidence, but none was found at the site.
Upon being questioned, Cocchi was asked where he had been that day, a Saturday. He stated he had played golf at Springfield Country Club in West Springfield and had “a couple of beers.”
The sheriff first declined to take a field sobriety test, then Mackey asked for a second time.
"Your speech is a little bit slurred, alright. I can smell it coming off your breath. I can see the redness in your eyes. I'm going to ask you for a second time if you will perform field sobriety so I can determine if you are safe to drive," Mackey said.
Cocchi, not letting Mackey finish, said, "Nope, not gonna happen."
Cocchi also declined to submit to a field breathalyzer test.
The sheriff was then arrested, and two days later submitted to sufficient facts for a guilty finding in court. His license was suspended and he agreed to attend a drivers’ education course. The case will be dismissed if he stays out of trouble for a year.
When asked for reaction to the release of the video, a spokesperson for the Hampden County Sheriff's Department issued the following statement from Cocchi:
“Since the incident, I’ve done everything I can to show the public that I believe in transparency and accountability, even for myself,” the sheriff said. “I have taken responsibility for my actions that night, and I’ve been humbled and blessed with the overwhelming support, understanding and encouragement I’ve received from the people of Hampden County..."
Cocchi was first elected in 2016.
