Bishop Talbert W. Swan, II
Senior Pastor, Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ
President, Greater Springfield NAACP
Dear Commissioner Clapprood,
I have been on the forefront of the fight for justice in the City of Springfield, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and across the nation for the better part of 30 years. I have worked diligently on advocating for police reform, voting rights, access to health care, women’s rights, political reform, and criminal justice reform to name a few. From pushing for the divestment of the University of Massachusetts out of apartheid South Africa as a student to being an integral part of the coalition that brought about ward representation in Springfield, my entire adult life has been a long string of efforts to bring about justice and to bring into existence the beloved community espoused by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
My efforts have come at a great sacrifice. As you are well aware, I consistently receive death threats and threats of bodily harm as there are currently ongoing investigations by your department and the FBI. My family has been threatened. I have been profiled by our local police department and have received hateful communications from them. My children have had opportunities denied because those in decision making positions have disagreed with stances taken by their father. I make no complaints about the indignities I have suffered because I understand they come with the territory of being a freedom fighter and a warrior for social justice.
I have worked to better police community relations in Springfield my entire adult life. Those efforts have often resulted in strained relations with mayors and police chiefs/commissioners who were uncomfortable with my uncompromising positions and penchant for brutal honesty when it comes to police brutality/misconduct, white supremacy, racism, and anti Black bigotry. Again, that comes with the territory. I worked with your predecessors John Barbieri, William Fitchet, Edward Flynn, Paula Meara, Daniel Spellacy, and Ernest Stelzer. While we never fully agreed on matters regarding police/community relations, there was a mutual respect regarding the very different roles we played in the community.
As a local pastor, jurisdictional bishop of the largest African American Pentecostal denomination in America, and the president of the Greater Springfield NAACP, I represent the interests and speak the sentiments of thousands of constituents in our city and across the region and nation. I’m convinced that how you handle an individual also speaks volumes about what you think about the people the individual represents.
I was somewhat taken aback by your public declarations to a group of residents who interacted with you at the police department to express their concerns regarding police accountability. During that discussion, the topic of building trust came up. You took that as an opportunity to slander my efforts and paint me as a problematic leader who’s not ‘helping to bridge the gap’ between the community and the police. While you have the right to your opinion, venting your obvious frustration with my advocacy for accountability was unprofessional, counterproductive, and divisive.
I’m not the problem, corruption within the department you lead is the problem. I’m not the problem, reinstating rogue cops under indictment for lying on police reports to cover up a crime is the problem. I’m not the problem, lack of true civilian oversight is the problem. I’m not the problem, police who lie on police reports and Brady cops kept on the force are the problem. I’m not the problem, cops who threaten to crush the skulls of suspects during interrogations are the problem. I’m not the problem, cops who push 15-year-old Black boys into traffic, causing their deaths are the problem. I’m not the problem, a lack of accountability and a nepotic relationship between the police department and the district attorney’s office is the problem.
It seems that blaming community leaders was a natural progression for you in the videotaped conversation. Yet, you took no responsibility for any of the concerns the residents brought to you. You blamed me for ‘creating my own narrative and twisting’ what the police are trying to do.
I ask you Commissioner Clapprood, what did I twist? What narrative did I ‘create?’
Did off duty police beat 4 Black men at Nathan Bill? YES
Did on duty police lie on police reports to cover up the crime? YES
Did the police collude to ensure no charges would be filed against the officers by the DA? YES
Is the only reason the 14 current and former officers got charged because Attorney General Maura Healy launched an investigation and indicted the cops involved? YES
Did you reinstate 5 cops under criminal indictment for falsifying police reports to cover up a crime? YES
Did you defend the reckless decision to reinstate the officers? YES
Did you and the mayor ignore pleas from the city council, Urban league, NAACP, FBI, and the community to re-suspend the officers? YES
Did you and the mayor agree to participate in a digital town hall on police accountability sponsored by the Pioneer Valley Project and the NAACP? YES
Did you and the mayor pull out of your commitment to participate in our digital town hall and subsequently plan one where you could control who was invited, who could speak, the agenda, etc? YES
Did the police and the mayor attempt to spin a protest we planned at Nathan Bill as potentially nonpeaceful? YES
Did the police instruct the city’s towing contractor to tow cars from Nathan Bill in an attempt to disrupt our protest? YES
Did the mayor request the officers be re-suspended only after tremendous community pressure and the climate of civil unrest in the nation? YES
Did you claim to support the mayor’s request to re-suspend the officers, yet defend your original decision to reinstate them? YES
Do we have a problem with police officers who lie on police reports and Brady cops on the force? YES
Is there a problem with trust between the Black community and the police that has been exacerbated by the recent actions of reinstating and seemingly protecting indicted police officers? YES
Did the department suspend Officer Bigda for 60 days (a slap on the wrist) for threatening to murder a Latino suspect during an interrogation? YES
Is the only reason Bigda is facing accountability because of a federal indictment after your department failed to properly discipline him and investigate his crime so charges could be filed by the district attorney? YES
Did the same department that failed to initially fire Bigda or fire the 5 officers currently under indictment that it reinstated, recently fire a Latino officer for a social media post supporting Black Lives Matter (a far less egregious infraction than those of the officers protected by your department)? YES
Where is the spun narrative, Commissioner? Where is the lie?
The only way police/community relations can be improved in our city is by mutual respect and honest dialogue. You have my personal number and I have yours. You’ve been invited to my church to address the community on more than one occasion. If at any time you have concerns with my ‘narrative’ or want to provide information that will clarify matters, you’re free to contact me directly.
Until we meet again, Be blessed.
Bishop Talbert W. Swan, II
Senior Pastor, Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ
President, Greater Springfield NAACP
