In it, he alleged that superior officers falsify overtime pay, have protected each other from punishment for misconduct and have fostered a culture of favoritism and racism when it comes to promotion. Rafael Roca, a former US Marine who became a Holyoke, MA police officer in 2016, released this 43-minute video on Sunday exposing the corruption in his department. I think the challenge with that is in most jurisdictions that have a civilian review board or some version of that, its very rare for that board to have investigatory powers, Terrill said. In his video, Roca references alleged abuse of overtime pay. Roca said he hopes the Massachusetts government will audit the department. Office Location: 57 Suffolk St. Suite 200 Holyoke, MA 01040 Call Us The investigating officers found that Roca had violated four department policies: failing to comply with an order to take his video down, unbecoming conduct, criticism of the department and social media rules. 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. [Deleted/Censored Video] Holyoke, MA Policeman w/ Integrity Fired For Based on the report, Police Chief David Pratt suspended Roca for five days and recommended that the citys mayor terminate him. Thats what police was for. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The attorney generals office declined to comment on Tuesday. Israelis protest legal overhaul plans for 9th week - WWLP Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca. 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. //var LBtag_id = document.getElementById('buylinkLBRocaHolyokeFiring-hg-111721,ph1'); Ill probably lose my job, but Im good. Alex Morse - Wikipedia var photocredit = "'Screenshot from YouTube.' Thats according to William Terrill, a professor at Arizona State University's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca alleges there iscorruption and racism in the Holyoke Police Department. Holyoke Police Chief Manny Febo fact-checks allegations in suspended He says he was consistently singled out for vocalizing his opposition to the police chief, made to repeat pieces of training and attacked via email for not supporting one supervisors protest against police reform. 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. Read about what we do with the data we gather in our Privacy Policy. Months later, on Nov. 10, then acting mayor Terence Murphy followed Pratts recommendation, firing Roca after a city lawyer determined that there was just cause, the Gazette reported. He said they did the same to a few teenagers in the car with him, taking one of them to the ground, putting a knee to his back and arresting him. tag_id.innerHTML = ' Buy this Image'; Locally, the city of Pittsfield has a Police Advisory and Review Board. 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. Internal affairs is corrupt as can be, Roca said in his video. Springfield this past year reinstituted a civilian Board of Police Commissioners to oversee the department and decide on officer discipline. Compare the best Police Misconduct lawyers near Holyoke, MA today. He was also advised that he is not to respond to his own complaints while off duty., Lastly, Febo responded to Rocas claim that minority officers are not given opportunities for specialized assignments. They would just tell me to just stop doing what I was doing, its not going to go nowhere, its only going to cause me more hardships and problems, Concepcion said. Holyoke police officer alleges corruption within department var currentLocation = window.location; ", Police departments in America have a lot of unnecessary military hardware, thanks to sweetheart deals between legislators and arms dealers that allow for layers of creative financial accounting as long READ THE REST, Here's how creator Johnny Damm explains the project: Can policing be reformed? Some people who filed a complaint with the HPD said that officers actions impacted their lives long after the alleged misconduct took place. In his internal report on the incident, HPDs internal affairs officer, Manuel Reyes, said police pulled over Concepcion for a traffic violation. You hear from those that came before us saying the police would kick you back down to the Flats; you couldnt be seen up above High Street, Maldonado Velez said. He said he is disappointed with how city officials reacted to his allegations. And he said that when he would leave the station during those three weeks, police would pull his car over. Graduated from 36th Massachusetts Police Officer . Concepcion alleged that he returned again and again for hours at a time until an HPD supervisor finally interviewed him three weeks later. We dont have that today.. var sellablestring4 = "GAZETTE FILE PHOTO"; Audit finds Holyoke Police Department poses 'substantial risk' to city HOLYOKE Mayor Joshua Garcia announced this week that the city has hired a firm to conduct an audit of the Holyoke Police Department. The man alleged that Leahy tackled him to the ground at 2 a.m. after he had left a club, put a gun to his head and told him to shut up when he asked what was going on. The city attorney suggested that under the circumstances the city was getting off easy. 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. A second, by the Firearm Review Board, lists Roca as exonerated.. Tagged: Holyoke, Rafael Roca, Holyoke Police Department, Manny Febo, YouTube, Ella White, Pioneer Valley, Italian professors departure would mean end of Italian major and minor programs, Students mobilize against the rise in tuition costs/tuition increase, Holyoke police officer suspended after alleging corruption. Holyoke Police investigating after receiving two shots-fired calls in Two of the civilian complaints that NEPM obtained alleged that police violently arrested students in the citys schools. I speak to citizens, I speak to former police officers, retired police officers and they all say corruption and racism has taken place within this department for as long as anyone can remember., In an interview with the Gazette, Roca said that after posting the video which had more than 27,000 views days after it was posted a police department captain called him to say that Police Chief Manny Febo was ordering him to remove the video. Yeah, they didnt waste any time. None of them provided comment on the civilian complaints they faced or the departments investigation of them, and the heads of both the patrol officers union and supervisors union did not respond to questions from NEPM. In 2017, for example, a civilian accused Holyoke police officer Patrick Leahy of putting him through hell for almost a year.. Audit finds Holyoke Police Department poses 'substantial risk' to city Roca said he has already appealed that decision to the states Civil Service Commission. Concepcion, who alleged that police unjustifiably yanked him out of his car at gunpoint in 2016, said he attempted to file a complaint against the officers that day, but police at the station told him they had no complaint forms on hand. According to the commissions decision, it had been Rocas first solo patrol in October 2016 when he pulled over a driver who had been driving down the street in the opposite direction. His video, posted Sunday, has been viewed 27,000 times. If you need to reach our office by phone, contact us at 413-538-7118. 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. var photocredit = photocredit.toUpperCase(); It was not there to help me.. One complaint for rudeness was not sustained by an investigation. Roca responded saying he already appealed the decision to the Massachusetts Civil Service Commission. HOLYOKE A Holyoke police officer said he has been suspended after posting a lengthy video online alleging widespread corruption and racism within the police department. }. 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. He said: The chief saw your video and hes ordering you to take it down, Roca said. 8. Many of those officers all but one of whom are supervisors collected tens of thousands of dollars last year in overtime pay. var sellablestring4 = "GAZETTE FILE PHOTO"; The police are among the very worst offenders under the current Massachusetts public records regime, even after all of the legislative progress that has been made.. 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. I already knew they were going to wait until the last minute, he told the newspaper. This story has been updated to include a statement from Chief Manny Febo which he sent to the Gazette midday on Tuesday. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Some complaints involve allegations that police officers broke the law. Police officer placed on leave, alleges corruption within department He alleged that he was denied a job with the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus police at the request of his police chief and that when he saved the life of a white state trooper, the state trooper was rewarded over himself. Holyoke Chief of Police responds to allegations of department - WWLP 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.. [15] Located 8 miles (13 km) north of Springfield, Holyoke is part of the Springfield Metropolitan Area, one of the two distinct metropolitan areas in Massachusetts." Story about Holyoke police beating a 12 year old Latino boy in 2014 and fallout: "Three Holyoke police officers beat a 12-year . During the mayoral campaign, Garcias opponent, At-large City Councilor Michael Sullivan, responded to the Gazettes reporting by calling for an audit of the police departments handling of state and federal grant programs, calling the use of overtime excessive. Garcia responded to say that he, too, would support an audit. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The chief did, however, address several of the allegations Roca made in the video. He said that the officer had allegedly been instructed to give him remedial training on how to apply a tourniquet. This, he said, was a result of an incident in late January in which he had responded to an incident that resulted in a stabbing and been praised by his coworkers. Leon Davis, Springfield Police Department. hallermotorworx.com Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa The Hampden District Attorney's Office told NEPM it was unable to confirm this report or comment on it without more information, like the name of the defendant, which was redacted from the public records response. Roca also alleged that he has been the subject of retaliation for speaking out about misconduct in the department. MASSACHUSETTS-In early March, two police sergeants were suspended without pay for speaking with a reporter about mismanagement, corruption and racism within the Holyoke Police Department, and for providing him with internal documents. HOLYOKE A Holyoke police officer said he has been suspended after posting a lengthy video online alleging widespread corruption and racism within the police department. All rights reserved, FIRST ALERT: Storm Hitting Greater Boston Live Radar, Updates. On March 9, spokesperson for the Holyoke Police Department Matthew Moriarty confirmed that Roca was on paid leave while an internal investigation was completed regarding the matter. But now he finds out if he will be charged with misdemeanor furnishing of alcohol and reckless endangerment of a. Now that Roca has filed an appeal, the Civil Service Commission will decide whether the termination holds up. Daily Hampshire Gazette Contests & Promotions, Daily Hampshire Gazette Evening Top Reads, Daily Hampshire Gazette Weekly Top Stories, Daily Hampshire Gazette Dining & Entertainment, Support the YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. //LBtag_id.innerHTML = ' Buy this Image'; tag_id.innerHTML = ' Buy this Image'; The HPDs log of complaints and internal investigations contains no evidence the department ever opened an internal investigation into the incident. Coughlin has been living large on his State Police pension of $131,961 a year. He alleged that later, somebody who had been arrested tipped police off to the rifles location in an effort to receive leniency in court. 'Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca alleges there iscorruption and racism in the Holyoke Police Department. What I can say is that I have full confidence in the integrity and professionalism of the Chief of Police and the men and women that make up the Holyoke Police Department, he wrote. Roca said Monday that he wasnt surprised to have been fired, though he said he was disappointed that no city, state or federal authorities fully investigated his allegations. In an interview last week, Garcia said he planned to follow through with an assessment of the police department, later adding: This is not an investigation, its an assessment.. Holyoke police officer parks in the train station on Main Street on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Youre immediately going into this intimidating environment and youre having to go up to the desk sergeant asking for this, and then youre put on ice and made to sit there, Terrill said. 540K subscribers in the Bad_Cop_No_Donut community. if (photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring2) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring3) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring4) > -1) { That outcome police officers facing no discipline after a civilian alleges wrongdoing is hardly unique to Concepcions case. The Holyoke Police Department is working very hard to reduce crime and impact violence in this industrious Western Massachusetts city. The classic response to demonstrated police corruption Step 1: Shoot the messenger. Murphy reportedly said he felt no pressure to fire Roca before he left office. Neiswanger said that a tipster found the gun in an alley, and that the mayors presence was a coincidence. He was reelected three times, with his final term expiring in January 2022. Howie Carr: From lab scandal to pool death, a statie's sad story He has since been suspended for . Pratt said that Roca can still present his case to the Civil Service Commission. Roca was immediately placed on administrative leave as the department conducted an internal investigation. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Rafael Roca, 37, uploaded the now viral video early Sunday morning. One person sent to hospital after car crash in Holyoke Position Type:Staff Full-time. Police Capt. N/A civilian complaints of police misconduct. 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. 15 Massachusetts law enforcement officers suspended by reform commission 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. Holyoke officer who alleged corruption, OT abuse is fired They label you a liar, he said. Yeah they didnt waste any time. Valentin, who went on to work as a staffer for U.S. Sens. Others, he added, have managed to escape from serious instances of misconduct without any disciplinary action. Roca said he expected to face discipline after posting the video but was invested in calling attention to what he saw as problems within the department. A newly released independent audit of the Holyoke Police Department found the HPD poses a "substantial risk" to the city it serves. A newly released independent audit of the Holyoke Police Department finds the HPD poses a "substantial risk" to the city it serves. Speaking to the Gazette, he alleged he has worked on grant-funded shifts during which supervisors who were supposed to be working were nowhere to be found the entire shift.. and affiliate links. Rafael Roca, a former US Marine who became a Holyoke, MA police officer in 2016, released this 43-minute video on Sunday exposing the corruption in his . I talked with two police chiefs in Minnesota about what happened when Tyre Nichols was stopped by Memphis police officers and fatally beaten last month. The police are policing themselves., Maldonado Velez is not the first city councilor who has come under fire from Holyokes police unions. Despite the high Puerto Rican population in Holyoke, Roca said there are not enough police officers from the community. HOLYOKE, Mass. 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. list of candidates for Holyoke police officer. Mr. SCREENSHOT/YOUTUBE 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. }, Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca. I am a Latino. "Yeah, they didn't waste any time. He was suspended for violating the departments social media policy, which prohibits officers from criticizing the department on social media platforms. of Holyoke Police Department | Holyoke MA - Facebook Roca said he was suspended for violating the departments social media policy, which bars officers from criticizing the department on social media platforms. I stand behind the video and what I said in it. But for Concepcion, the man who alleged police abused their authority pulling him over in 2016, thats exactly the kind of work Holyoke and other cities should be doing. Boing Boing uses cookies and analytics trackers, and is supported by advertising, merchandise 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. He also mentioned that he was fired right before Joshua Garcia was sworn in as Holyokes mayor on Monday. Febo did not use any names in his statement, but addressed an incident 10 years ago where rifles were lost. var sellablestring4 = "GAZETTE FILE PHOTO"; In January, Holyoke settled the police brutality suit against the city and officers for $65,000. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He has since been suspended for refusing to take the video down. Nearly two dozen people arrested following 'high visibility' detail in I dont think the mayors office is the right place to do a criminal investigation of the police, Murphy said when asked whether the city had investigated Rocas claims. In his 2016 study in the journalPolice Quarterly, Terrill and fellow researcher Jason Ingram found that in cities that had police conducting internal investigations, but where an external civilian oversight agency reviewed their decisions, the department was "significantly more likely to sustain complaints." Degnan said in her report that she offered him the ability to participate via telephone and that she did not receive a physicians note with sufficient detail to verify that he could not participate in the hearing. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, Holyoke Police Officer Rafael Roca suspended after posting viral video alleging corruption at the department, Because of this video I will probably be fired: Holyoke officer alleges police corruption in viral video, Holyokes fiscal future appears bright as Joshua Garcia enters office. She wrotethat she believed Rocas public statements to be untruthful and self-serving, and that he made them with the intent to defame the Holyoke Police Department.. When the state Legislature passed its police reform bill, state Senate President Karen E. Spilka, D-Ashland, described the legislation as a necessary first step towards achieving systemic change through law enforcement accountability and transparency.. "Holyoke has always been known as the Paper City. (WWLP) - Holyoke's Chief of Police responded to the allegations of corruption within the department, made by an officer in a widely-circulated YouTube video. v. Civil Service . var sellablestring = "GAZETTE STAFF"; Reyes ultimately exonerated Romero. And often, legal protections and collective bargaining agreements with police unions prevent those boards from interviewing officers, he added. At the end of the video, Roca went on to tell viewers to seek accountability from elected officials. 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. And cities where complaints of police misconduct are rarely ruled in favor of civilians could benefit from creating an oversight structure to independently investigate these complaints. March 15, Febo addresses the allegation that minority officers are not given opportunity for specialized assignments, as Roca said in his video that minorities are underrepresented in specialized positions. Get the latest news on COVID-19 delivered to you. Terrill said that often, complaints arent sustained because civilians have a misperception about what is, and isnt, a violation of department policy. Roca also said he wasnt surprised he was fired, but expressed disappointment that no city, state or federal officials fully investigated his allegations, according to the Gazette.