On April 29th, the Greater Springfield Chapter of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council held a virtual meeting with Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood to hear directly from her on issues facing the police department including systemic racism and state reforms. We also used this opportunity to share our own observations and lived experiences with the Springfield Police Department as Black and Brown seniors. Lastly, we shared our vision for meaningful reform to create a police department that is a trusted partner, responsive to the needs of the communities it serves.
Her responses during our meeting concerned us; her response following the meeting has us building our power to remove her. Will you join us? 

APRIL 29TH MEETING WITH COMMISSIONER CLAPPROOD
We Shared Our Collective Community Experiences and Observations
“Commissioner Clapprood, we have observed a police culture in our city that focuses on controlling, corralling, arresting, damaging and killing our residents, especially residents of color. This culture is militaristic, in place to create FEAR (not to support, comfort, or protect). And it is even manifested in our public places such as in malls and schools.
We recognize that the system of policing is at its core racist and in need of reform. We know that there is RACIALLY MOTIVATED POLICE BRUTALITY, ABUSE and MISCONDUCT, in the City of Springfield.
We have experienced this in our own lives, the lives of our children, and grandchildren – and EVEN in our senior years, we have not escaped.
Just within our membership, our children have been beaten, intimidated and harassed. Our grandchildren have been traumatized. And a senior in this group has been questioned for doing nothing more than pulling into their own driveway.
We know the history of the Springfield Police Department and its ONGOING RACIALLY DISCRIMINATORY policing patterns and practices.
We know that the Department of Justice under the Trump Administration launched only ONE investigation into unconstitutional policing and systemic misconduct in local law enforcement, and that was HERE – the Springfield Police Department (“SPD”).
We are the community that mourns the loss of DELANO WALKER, a teenager who “DIED at the hands of a Springfield Police Officer” and remembers that DOUGLASS GREER, a charter school principal “was DRAGGED out of his car and BEATEN by Springfield Police Officers while having a diabetic attack.”
We are the community with students at the High School of Commerce who “watched as a fellow student was GRABBED by the neck and SLAMMED to the wall by a Springfield Police officer as they tried to walk to their next class.”
We are the community where 131 residents have filed complaints against a SINGLE Springfield Police Officer who remains on the force.
These are NOT isolated incidents; we are not talking about “BAD” apples; we are talking about a ROTTEN tree that occasionally bears good fruit.
We are the COMMUNITY OF TAXPAYERS who sadly and indignantly watch as millions of OUR tax dollars are paid to VICTIMS of police MISCONDUCT and BRUTALITY perpetrated by Springfield police officers.
We are the community where the Department of Justice in July of 2020 found that the SPD narcotics unit “ESCALATES encounters with civilians TOO QUICKLY, engage in uses of EXCESSIVE force WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY and REGULARLY punch subjects in the head and neck area without LEGAL JUSTIFICATION.” This same abuse is used by the Springfield Police in non-threatening situations unrelated to narcotics including simple traffic stops.
Police brutality and misconduct are DEEPLY EMBEDDED in the Springfield Police Department. We are calling for SUBSTANTIAL POLICE REFORMS that are needed to get rid of the CULTURE OF CORRUPTION and WHITE SUPREMACY.
We know the origins of policing. It’s a SYSTEM that started before slavery ended. It was established to maintain a RACIAL HIERARCHY SYSTEM. That POLICING SYSTEM started the long history of racially biased control of Black people that continued during RECONSTRUCTION, through the era of LYNCHING and SEGREGATION and to the present: NOW!
Acknowledgement of these truths gave us a lens to confront the reality of the policing system in Springfield that stems from the racial hierarchy on which this country was built.
As Vice President Kamala Harris wrote in her book, “The Truth We Hold,” that “one thing we must do is to CHANGE the RACIAL BIAS that operates THROUGHOUT our criminal justice system…We need to accept the hard truths about the SYSTEMIC RACISM that has allowed this to happen…And we need to turn that understanding into POLICIES and PRACTICES that can CHANGE IT. That means REFORM!” (emphasis added)

We asked Commissioner Clapprood, “ What is your response to our realities?” Instead of participating in a conversation, she accused us of being angry.
We Shared Our Vision Statement on Police Reform for Springfield Chapter of MSAC
● Whereas, we have observed a police culture in our city that focuses on controlling, corralling, arresting, damaging and killing our residents, especially residents of color, and whereas this culture has become increasingly militaristic throughout the state and country including public places such as malls, airports and schools.
● Whereas, we recognize that the system of policing in our city is intrinsically racist and in need of reform, we propose the following:
● A Redefinition of the Role of Police in Residents’ Lives ― Police are employees of the community. They are paid to protect and serve all residents of the community. Residents should not “fear for their lives.” Residents should have a feeling of comfort when they see a police person. The police need to approach residents with respect, sympathy and empathy and not make assumptions based on the color of someone’s skin. They should provide guidance to residents as opposed to trying to “catch” a resident doing something wrong. They need to de-escalate situations in the community and manage their own racist and white supremacist behaviors.
● Police Need to be Held Accountable for Their Actions ― As it is with any employee of the city, police need to be monitored in regards to their behavior with residents. There should be a clear process for review of police behavior with residents and guidelines regarding how to address police behavior when incidents of violations of resident’s rights are observed or reported. It is unrealistic to expect police to provide oversight solely to themselves. Our MSAC chapter is in support of a Citizens Review Board to monitor and participate in this process. Police are employees of our residents, and residents should participate in this process of oversight and review.
● Police Training Needs to be Re-evaluated and Revised ― In order to make an impact on the police culture in the city of Springfield, the training of police officers needs to be embedded in anti-racist theory and practice. An emphasis needs to be on developing human relationship skills with residents of all races and ethnicities. Police need to develop self-awareness regarding their own racist attitudes and behaviors and learn how to manage them. Police need training in understanding their role as a supporter and protector of the residents of their community.
She left the meeting and subsequently sent the letter, (shown at left), as her response.

This is Our Response to Commissioner Clapprood
As Black and Brown elders in our communities, it is clear to us that Commissioner Clapprood is NOT the person to lead the department toward meaningful reform. She refuses to acknowledge the history of abuse, lacks the understanding of systemic racism, implicit bias, or white privilege, and clearly will never become a trusted partner to the Black and Brown residents of Springfield. We are not anti-police, we are pro-community and we need leadership that is prepared to advance meaningful reform.
Please join us on Wednesday, June 9th, 11 am on the Springfield City Hall steps to call for the immediate removal or resignation of Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood! ■