Worcester city officials create DOJ report webpage for public
The resources are aimed at explaining to the community what work the city is doing to address recommendations from both the DOJ and Center for Naval Analyses (CNA), which conducted the audit.
The report, released in December last year, found that officers in the Worcester Police Department used excessive force, engaged in discriminatory practices and engaged in illegal sex acts with vulnerable women.
The DOJ outlined 19 recommendations for the police department, ranging from improvements in the use of force standards, to 'a complete prohibition on engaging in sexual contact for law enforcement purposes.'
But beyond those recommendations, the DOJ has left it up to the city to take next steps — ones that residents are eager to see.
'My Administration has emphasized our commitment to transparency as we've worked to address these recommendations,' City Manager Eric D. Batista said.
'We have shown that commitment through communications to the City Council and the public, and we are now taking a further step with these public resources, which will continue to be actively updated with the latest information and new initiatives,' Batista said.
The webpage will have detailed updates describing progress related to the 34 recommendations developed by CNA, and a timeline that shows all initiatives and programs implemented by the police department related to the findings of the DOJ report.
Following a Summary Report on the DOJ findings that was submitted to the Worcester City Council in March this year, city officials said the department has taken further steps to address the findings.
These include applying to the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Program and the allocation of funds for Bureau of Professional Standards (BOPS) internal affairs software that will help break down BOPS reports.
The department has also given 'color-of-law' training to 400 officers on topics like use of force, obstruction of justice and sexual assault, the officials said.
Similar resources will also be developed for the audits of the Human Resources and Health & Human Services departments.
The news comes after residents demanded further reform within the police department in March, and said the the Worcester City Council and Batista need to take the report seriously.
At a council meeting that month, the council members discussed the report and the revisions in the department's policy as outlined by Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier in a communication to the city manager on March 4.
They also heard from residents who said they do not feel safe around the Worcester Police Department.
'This disgusting culture has to change. Many of these officers have no empathy, no compassion, no civility for the public,' said William Gardiner, a former Worcester Police Officer. 'And that won't stand.'
At the time, the residents demanded a Civilian Oversight Board. While they appreciated Saucier's reforms, they said it didn't help with 'transparency and accountability' — and 'that's what we need,' said Keith Linhares, a Worcester resident running for District 1 councilor this year.
'More people in this community are worried about trust,' Linhares said.
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