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PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Contact: Marian Sullivan, Communications Director

(413) 886-5166, msullivan@springfieldcityhall.com

Commissioner Barbieri and Mayor Sarno Issue Open Letter to Springfield Residents, Business
Community and Beyond on SPD Officer Larivieres Facebook Comments

Dear Springfield Residents, Business Community and Beyond,

We appreciate your many justified comments and concerns in regards to this matter. We are well aware
that there is always more work to do and that we certainly do not have all the answers, but we do want
to assure you that the management team at the Springfield Police Department takes this matter very
seriously. Our goal is to serve and protect all peoples in our city.

In the last three years, we have worked hard to professionally develop our personnel to better serve the
community, fostering a guardian mentality working by with and through the community on crime and
quality of life issues. Some of the pertinent instruction topics include, but are not limited to:
diversity/bias training; de-escalation; and point on point training (addressing the need for officers to
intercede/report bad peer misbehavior). We have a unique program, for our most economically
troubled areas, C-3 policing, featured on 60 Minutes. Our C-3 officers work with for-profit, non-profit,
church, local, state and federal agencies and residents to address ALL neighborhood issues. Officers
assigned to that unit (including Commissioner Barbieri) have attended a 40 hour course, Healing Racism.
Additionally, before this incident, the department began working with the Massachusetts Commission
Against Discrimination regarding costs/logistics for their instructors to provide expanded multi-diversity
training. We will continue to work with that agency to make that happen. There are numerous
community meetings held monthly as well as two recently held community forums hosted by the U.S.
Attorneys Office the input received regarding our officers has been positive. With these initiatives, we
have reduced overall crime this year by nearly 20%.
In regards to expanding the diversity of the department, a survey by the Massachusetts Major Chiefs
Association listed the Springfield Police Department as employing the highest percentage of minority
officers in its ranks compared to other Massachusetts police departments. The survey showed that 38%
of Springfields police force were minority officers. The next closest department in the survey was
Boston with 34%. Springfield will continue efforts to recruit and promote a diverse work force reflective
of the community we serve.

The Internal Investigation of this incident is ongoing we have prioritized it. At completion, the
investigation will be reviewed by an all civilian volunteer review board Community Policing Hearing
Board. They have the power to hold hearings, listen to testimony, review all evidence and make a
determination regarding disciplinary recommendations.

Respectfully,

John R. Barbieri
Police Commissioner

Domenic J. Sarno
Mayor