When you speak up and when you expose corruption, thats what they do. In this still from a video Roca posted to YouTube on March 7, 2021, Roca alleges there is corruption and racism in the Holyoke Police Department. There are only two officers in this group that are assigned to specialized units. Read the rules you agree to by using this website in our Terms As of March 9, Roca has been suspended from the department due to his violation of a rule prohibiting officers from criticizing the department on social media platforms. The Gazettes coverage of the incident notes that officers attempted to subdue Guyette with a stun gun as he rammed into cars attempting to escape. Murphy didnt have to answer to anybody. But the police reform bill changed that, clarifying that those investigations are not personnel records. It's Boston local news in one concise, fun and informative email. Who will be eaten first? license. The so-called Lexow Committee revealed to the city and nation in unprecedented detail. Another was accused of sexual assault while he was off duty. Massachusetts Officer Alleges Corruption Within Department Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca. var currentLocation = window.location; Nobody should get away with taking the law into their own hands and being above it, he said. If that doesn't work, move to step 2: literally shoot the messenger if (photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring2) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring3) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring4) > -1) { Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: hallermotorworx.com, +14799696464, +18005589044 Home Haller Motorworx & Farm Equipment Magazine, AR 479 969-6464 Rocas video has reached over 50,000 views. Im very confident that something is going to come of it, he said. Holyoke Chief of Police responds to allegations of department Holyoke Officer Rafael Roca, a former Marine hired in 2016, said in the 43-minute video . That part of the commissions work has yet to materialize either. They want to send a message to other officers: Dont be like Roca, because this is exactly whats going to happen to you., Febo said in a statement released Tuesday that it is not standard practice for police departments to comment on issues that have an ongoing personnel investigation for violations of policy. Holyoke Police Department's 24 hour anonymous "TEXT-A-TIP" Dial CRIMES (533-TIPS or 533-8477). Roca said he hopes the Massachusetts government will audit the department. Ultimately, police found the weapon in February 2012 while Morse was riding along with officers on duty. A former military police officer, Terrill has for many years researched civilian complaints against police officers in cities across the country, including a2016 study that looked at departmentsin eight different cities. That is roughly 75% of minority officers with 8 years or more [of experience] in specialized assignments. Febos statement added, The Holyoke Police Department has a Chief, 2 Lieutenants, and 4 Sergeants who are minority in the department command staff.. Citizens in Holyoke, Colorado should be aware of illegal activities surrounding police brutality among their police departments and take actions against them. They took my gun and my badge and kicked me out of the email system, Roca said during an interview at the time. Schedule a Free Consultation Fill out your information below: Law Offices of Allyn & Ball, P.C. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Out of the 92 times an officer was named in a civilian complaint, HPDs top brass only sustained, or upheld, allegations against an officer three times: a dispatcher who received a verbal warning in 2012 when she was accused of rudeness, an officer who received a verbal warning after he released a 14 year olds booking photo to the press in 2018, and another officer who received additional training in 2013 after a group of civilians accused her of swearing at them and referring to them as illegals.. 1 Catholic Memorial; roundup/list of scores, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking. He was reelected three times, with his final term expiring in January 2022. var currentheadline = document.getElementById("headline").innerText; He said that is because he is a proactive police officer who tries to engage in crime fighting., I was a very proactive officer, I would do my job, I tried to do traffic stops, he told the Gazette. v. Civil Service . Similarrecords from the Northampton Police Department, for example, show that of the 90 times an officer faced a civilian complaint from 2010 and 2020, department superiors only disciplined officers nine times. Subscribe Today, Amherst Police Chief Livingstone stepping down in May, Unions: UMass putting 100 jobs in jeopardy with privatization plan, Murdaughs fall from grace ends in life sentence for murder, Biden leaving room to change his mind on reelection. Pyle told NEPM that police departments and other public agencies will continue to withhold records or slow-roll their release until lawmakers improve the states public records law, which many have criticized as one of the least transparent in the country. He said NEPMs reporting points to a they-against-us type of mentality and not really a serve-and-protect type mentality within the police department, and that an external, non-biased party should be investigating allegations of misconduct. In March, Roca was placed on suspension after his video, which has over 56,000 views, accused officers of false overtime pay, protecting each other from punishment after misconduct and creating a culture of racism and favoritism, especially with promotions. Work Schedule:Monday through Friday Department Summary & Job Purpose: The Assistant Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Coordinator is a key leader of the College's equity and compliance work and an essential member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team centered around creating an inclusive campus community . Position Type:Staff Full-time. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. I stand behind the video and what I said in it.. On March 7, Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca posted a video on YouTube alleging racism and corruption by the Holyoke Police Department. In his video, Roca references alleged abuse of overtime pay. ", He calls outgoing Police Chief Manny Febo "corrupt," contending minorities are routinely passed over for upper-tier assignments and disciplined at higher rates. They put him in handcuffs at his home, but Monsalve ultimately decided to place the driver in protective custody instead of arresting him, declining to give the driver a breathalyzer, according to testimony included in the commissions decision. Concepcion alleged that he returned again and again for hours at a time until an HPD supervisor finally interviewed him three weeks later. No probable cause, there was no weapons, there was no reason to assume there were weapons., An officer told him to shut my mouth or much more than my rights would be violated, Concepcion wrote in a complaint he later filed with the police department. Roca said he has already appealed that decision to the states Civil Service Commission. When Massachusetts lawmakers passed a sweeping police reform law in late 2020, one of the bills provisions opened up law enforcement misconduct investigations to greater scrutiny under the states public records law. Holyoke Police Officer Rafael Roca Fired Over Video Accusing Department Of Corruption And Racism November 23, 2021 | No Comments Last week, Holyoke's acting mayor fired Rafael Roca, a police officer who posted a video to YouTube making allegations of corruption and racism within the Holyoke Police Department, Daily Hampshire Gazette reported. Holyoke Police Department | Holyoke, MA The youths, Reyes report alleged, were Blood gang members who were under surveillance for their possible involvement in a shooting involving a school bus on the previous day. He said the cars possibly armed occupants made furtive movements and refused to show their hands, and that the officers on scene denied making the remarks Concepcion alleged. At the time, then-Police Chief James Neiswanger said the weapon had fallen out of Harts pickup truck. Commonwealth of Massachusetts Civil Service Commission One person sent to hospital after car crash in Holyoke Two officers did respond to say that department policies prohibit them from speaking to the press without permission from higher-ups. As of 2019, the estimated population was 40,117. The police are policing themselves., Maldonado Velez is not the first city councilor who has come under fire from Holyokes police unions. And he said that when he would leave the station during those three weeks, police would pull his car over. Asked on Monday what he thinks will happen to him after he spoke out against the department and other officers, Roca said he expects to be fired a possibility he mentioned in his video. "Yeah, they didn't waste any time. Febo also issued a statement on the matter, and said while he would not be commenting on the internal personnel matter that is ongoing, he did take the opportunity to address some of the allegations and give facts., Febo said with regard to the allegation that the department covered up stolen and/or lost rifles, the incident in question took place 10 years ago and was fully investigated by [the] previous chief, discipline meted out, and every step was reported publicly at that time., Additionally Febo referenced the claim regarding a detective that had his vehicle and weapon stolen, which was covered up. In 2014, the president of the patrol-officer union wrote a scathing letter to the City Council denouncing Councilors Rebecca Lisi and Jossie Valentin for marching in a Black Lives Matter protest where he said some protesters used anti-police rhetoric., Since that moment, it was very evident to me that some members of the Holyoke Police Department were not happy with me and with Rebecca, Valentin told NEPM in an interview from Puerto Rico, where she now lives. He also alleged gross negligence by Febo and his "favorites.". Angela Davis en LinkedIn: Two Black Minnesota police chiefs on what In an interview with NEPM, Maldonado Velez said his critique of the police department is not about individual officers but rather the system of policing. Holyoke Officer Rafael Roca, a former Marine hired in 2016, said in the 43-minute video posted on YouTube that Chief Manny Febo is "corrupt" and plays favorites, and he argued that members of. The classic response to demonstrated police corruption Step 1: Shoot the messenger. Holyoke, MA Those who are paying attention to the ever-expanding police state in the land of the free know that the system is set up in such a way that it protects bad cops while punishing the good ones. Not to stop anyone., Terrill said the best practice is to allow civilians to file complaints against officers in multiple venues in-person oronline, like the POST Commission now allows on its website and to be able to do so anonymously. (They) never investigated any of my allegations to see if I was lying, he said. Police Corruption Holyoke, MA (not me in video btw. I'm just a The police, for me, was used as a reminder to stay in my place. In one 2013 complaint, for example, a civilian alleged they watched police officer Charles Monfett pull up next to his brother in his police cruiser and hand him a bag of pot., We also overheard how it was just recovered from someone at Jones Point, the complaint alleges. Alex Morse - Wikipedia The man alleged there was a problem with the arrest report Leahy later filed, saying it contained outright lies and falsehoods. He said he never had a gun and never even stepped into the street. We definitely had examples of moments where we felt we were treated differently because of our activism and there was an underlying tone of retaliation.. var sellablestring4 = "GAZETTE FILE PHOTO"; It was originally published by New England Public Media. The Holyoke Police Department has a chief, two lieutenants and four sergeants who are minority in the department command staff., Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. . There were obviously violations of police procedures, Murphy said. Its a problem within our commonwealth and it will continue to be a problem until we have an administrative agency that has teeth, that has enforcement power, that can punish municipalities and agencies when they withhold records improperly, Pyle said. var tag_id = document.getElementById('buylinkRocaHolyokeFiring-hg-111721,ph2'); Beyond changing the public records law, the 2020 police reform bill also created a new state agency, thePeace Officer Standards and Training Commission, which now tracks police departments internal investigations and can conduct its own preliminary inquiries into alleged misconduct. In 2016, Irving Concepcion says the Holyoke police pulled him over with their guns drawn, yanked him out of his car and slammed him down on the hood. Pratt said that Roca can still present his case to the Civil Service Commission. Murphy said that Roca had been on paid leave for eight months, and that the city needed to resolve that matter. A 2020 city report of the top 100 salaries in the city shows that, including school staff, 18 out of the top 20 highest paid city employees that year were police officers. It's that point in the year READ THE REST, We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. var sellablestring4 = "GAZETTE FILE PHOTO"; Springfield this past year reinstituted a civilian Board of Police Commissioners to oversee the department and decide on officer discipline. They took my gun and my badge and kicked me out of the email system, Roca toldMasslive.comon Monday. var photocredit = photocredit.toUpperCase(); Prosecutors pressed charges against him until the day he showed up for his trial, when he said they informed him they were dropping the case. 'Innocent bystander' killed in shooting at Holyoke Mall, one suspect in Police Capt. Early on in his tenure with the department, Roca was called to testify in an appeal hearing before the state Civil Service Commission over the suspension of a superior, Sgt. In a statement, Pratt said he knows that both the FBI and Attorney General looked into Mr. Rocas allegations and found zero evidence to open an investigation. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO Contained within the civilian complaints against HPD officers are allegations ranging from the mundane to the criminal, including accusations that officers violently beat suspects, swore at civilians, used racial slurs, fabricated charges and abused their power. Not a single person from City Hall or city government reached out at all, he said. He said the incident took place last year and involved the department responding to a call at the boat ramp where a citizen had stated that an officer had purposely rammed his boat. Febo went on to say there were conflicting accounts regarding the incident and very minor contact. He said while no formal complaint was filed, a report was filed and the incident was not covered up. Additionally, he said, the officer was spoken to about rudeness when dealing with the public. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. You can try, records from the Northampton Police Department, Amherst Police Department investigated 16 civilian complaints, Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, Holyoke police officer publicly alleged corruption, some characterized as excessive overtime, online, like the POST Commission now allows on its website, blocked from reviewing the police department's internal report. An officer ripped his work ID off his neck, he alleged, throwing it to the ground and saying, F--- your program.. Mass. police reform commission suspends 15 officers It took the HPD more than a year and a half to turn over its 69 internal investigations, all of which the department redacted to remove information about the person alleging misconduct. Later that evening, however, Roca and another officer saw the fire department lieutenant drive by in his car again at high speed. Use our free directory to instantly connect with verified Police Misconduct attorneys. Febo responded with a statement that noted that, of the total 29 minority officers on the force, there are roughly 75 [percent] of minority officers with [eight] years [of experience] or more who focus on specialized assignments. Of non-minority police officers with eight years or more of experience, 53 percent focus on specialized assignments, according to Febo. Pictured above: thumbnail of the Youtube video posted by Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca. var photocredit = photocredit.toUpperCase(); His video, posted Sunday, has been viewed 27,000 times. var sellablestring3 = "STAFF FILE PHOTO"; sites. When presented with NEPMs findings, Maldonado Velez said the lack of discipline resulting from civilian complaints is just not surprising and not unique to Holyoke. N/A civilian complaints of police misconduct. Reserve Online Appointment for New LTC / Firearms' - TimeTap Wine Alan v City of Holyoke - Massachusetts var sellablestring = "GAZETTE STAFF"; I did exactly what I was trained and paid to do but people on my watch had a problem with that because they like to sleep in their cruisers overnight; they dont want to work.. Within the department, he said he had been shamed. Holyoke Massachusetts & Pennsylvania Legal Representation. The five-year Holyoke Police officer who posted the video, Rafael Roca, explained in the beginning, that he wanted to expose the corruption and the lies and the injustice he felt was taking place within the department. They kept trying to use the grabbing of the genitals to kind of quiet me down as a form of punishment and pain, Concepcion said. Police Scorecard: Holyoke, MA Ernest Fontaine, Fitchburg State . Now, he said, one of his sons was on pain medication because of the force Romero used to arrest him. Roca was immediately placed on administrative leave as the department conducted an internal investigation. In March, Rafael Roca, who had been a Holyoke police officer since 2015, posted the video to YouTube, where it has since been viewed more than 56,000 times. Carla Sinclair 11:00 am Tue Mar 9, 2021. If youre in the police department, you have to obey orders.. (AP) - A Massachusetts police officer who posted a video online alleging corruption within his department says he has been placed on paid administrative leave after refusing to take . var sellablestring = "GAZETTE STAFF"; In a legal opinion sent to Murphy, which Roca provided to the Gazette, Assistant City Solicitor Kathleen Degnan said that Rocas public statements were not protected by the First Amendment, and therefore the police chiefs order for him to remove the video was lawful. He said that he saved the state troopers life, only to be treated like a piece of crap afterward, getting turned down for a job with the state police. He was deployed in 2009-2010 to Iraq where he assisted military police . I stand by the integrity of the men and women of the Holyoke Police Department and I welcome any outside agency that would like to look into any of the alleged allegations from the video, he said in a statement. AMHERST Amherst Police Chief Scott Livingstone will retire in May after nearly 14 years leading a department he joined upon graduating from AMHERST Unions at the University of Massachusetts are contending that more than 100 state jobs, and their accompanying benefits, are being WALTERBORO, S.C. One of the last pieces of a legal dynasty that doled out justice in rural South Carolina for decades crumbled Friday as lawyer WASHINGTON President Joe Biden exudes confidence as the next race for the White House approaches.During last months State of the Union address Holyoke police officer parks in the train station on Main Street on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Officers have. He said the promoted individual allegedly lost two weapons as an officer. He went on to say that one weapon had allegedly been lost and another had been stolen from the officers home, an incident which Roca claimed was covered up.. Former Brockton RMV manager, driving school owner charged by U.S. Attorney with giving passing test scores to people who failed, Complete Boston payroll for 2022: Your Tax Dollars at Work, Boston drug trafficker set to do 11 years in prison, give up Louis Vuitton bags, feds say, Union drive: Uber, Lyft drivers rally for right to unionize, Boston sees first open race for Suffolk Superior civil court clerk magistrate in nearly 50 years, High school tournaments: Winchester stuns No. Image courtesy by Kate Turner 21. He said he was in the hospital due to stress from the situation. He said that currently, there were 46 total patrolmen with eight years or more of full-time experience on the job., Out of those 46, 12 are minority officers. Roca said he had performed consistently in his role as a police officer and engaged in crime fighting when others were allegedly sleeping in their police cruisers and ignoring crime. He went on to say there had been officers he knew of that were allegedly involved in drunk driving incidents, who had assaulted people with their boats who have been labeled as racist and officers who had stolen money. He went on to say there were police officers who allegedly have made an excess of $260,000 a year and no one had questioned the situation. Roca said in his report that the driver attempted to back into a state trooper, at which point he fired his gun three times at the driver. Mayor Alex Morse said in a statement that he could not comment on a personnel matter. "whether the employee has been guilty of substantial misconduct which adversely affects the public interest by impairing the efficiency of public service." School Comm. HOLYOKE, Mass. He said he felt as though for too long officers have been afraid to speak up and wanted this to change. Last August, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia hired the New. Because Roca has filed an appeal, the state Civil Service Commission will now determine whether his discipline will stand. All rights reserved (About Us). Holyoke Police Officer Rafael Roca Fired Over Video Accusing Department The city of Holyoke is not alone in resisting transparency, and I think thats the only way to describe an 18-month delay in providing access to records that clearly were public, said Jeffrey Pyle, an attorney with the firm Prince Lobel Tye LLP who specializes in media and First Amendment law. Boing Boing is published under a Creative Commons Good Cop Predicts His Video Exposing Crimes in Dept Will Get Him Mount Holyoke College Assistant Vice President for Civil Rights and HOLYOKE Last week, the citys acting mayor fired a police officer who earlier this year posted a viral video on social media alleging corruption and racism within the Holyoke Police Department. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Holyoke Police Department Will Have First Latino Chief | WAMC Iowa Police Chief arrested after selling black market military machine guns, "I'm a Cop" is a classic horror comic using real-life quotes from police departments, Transform your ideas into unique art with this CES-featured, AI art tool, now on sale for $49.99, Safely organize your devices and chargers with the CES-featured Bento Stack Charge 8000, Start your musical journey with the Populele Smart Ukulele, now only $159.99, Terms Law Offices of Allyn and Ball | Lawyers in MA and PA Areas of Practice When asked about allegations that the HPD made civilians wait in the police department to file a complaint, he described that as an old-school, tried-and-true tactic of the agencies to keep their complaint level down.. He went on to say that he had tried to sue, tried speaking with the supervisors, Ive tried my union, Ive tried it all. Roca said he hoped that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Attorney General, along with the FBI, would open an investigation into the department. var sellablestring2 = "STAFF PHOTO"; The analysis found that 15 officers were paid more than 500 hours of overtime in fiscal year 2020, including four of the departments five highest-paid officers, who earned hourly overtime rates ranging from $94 to $109 an hour.