I stand behind the video and what I said in it.. Reyes ultimately exonerated Romero. v. Civil Service . 2021
Mr. var sellablestring = "GAZETTE STAFF"; The mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts has appointed a new police chief who will be the first Latino to lead the department. Febo said a detectives vehicle was broken into and taken from that vehicle was 2 ballistic vests with 2 magazines in the pouches, along with some K9 gear, and a first aid bag. Some, but not all, of those items were later found in a vehicle stolen from Granby that was recovered in Hartford, according to Febo. Graduated from 36th Massachusetts Police Officer . Read the rules you agree to by using this website in our Terms Officer Rafael Roca posted a 43-minute video early Sunday morning that drew a wave of online attention after Roca accused Febo of being corrupt by looking the other way from certain officers misbehavior, while remaining intent on punishing others. I am a Latino. 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. The police reform bill also required police departments to turn over data on their internal investigations to the commission, which pledged to make that information public last spring. Holyoke Officer Rafael Roca, a former Marine hired in 2016, said in the 43-minute video . Concepcion said his experience with the HPDs internal affairs system shows that there isnt any accountability within the department. It's Boston local news in one concise, fun and informative email. Holyoke police officers arrived at the mall just before 7:00 p.m. for a report of shots fired. Last year, a judge ruled in favor of the newspaper and ordered the city to pay $5,000 in punitive damages and $100,000 in legal fees. 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. 8. }, Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca. Febo, who plans to retire in July, said he has nothing to hide. And I think were allowing a lot of these police departments to be above it.. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected the youngest mayor of Holyoke at age 22. var sellablestring4 = "GAZETTE FILE PHOTO"; 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 minority groups are passed over for plum assignments and that discipline is handed out selectively. 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. HOLYOKE, Mass. 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. The attorney generals office declined to comment on Tuesday. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. '"; 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. Among Roca's more generalized allegations, he called out the department for: a. and affiliate links. Its not clear and it doesnt exist. Roca had been with the department since 2015. Roca also said that other officers have not been fired after breaking the law driving drunk, for example losing firearms and other misconduct. "We cannot expect people to have respect for law and order until we teach respect to those we One complaint for rudeness was not sustained by an investigation. 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. Our forum rules are detailed in the Community Guidelines. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Roca then went on to accuse current Holyoke Police Chief, Manny Febo, of being a corrupt police officer. Internal affairs is corrupt as can be, Roca said in his video. At issue in Rocas case was whether he disobeyed a legal order from a superior, brought the Holyoke Police Department into disrepute with his statements, violated policy by posting to social media without permission from the police chief, and made public criticism that was defamatory. Whos policing the police? he asked. 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. I already knew they were going to wait until the last minute, he said. var photocredit = "'Screenshot from YouTube.' . 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. 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. Here is the list of officers: Devon Bones, Holyoke Police Department. But now he finds out if he will be charged with misdemeanor furnishing of alcohol and reckless endangerment of a. In fact, a year later, Valentin filed a civilian complaint against an HPD officer over his rudeness to her at the scene of a car crash involving her wife treatment Valentin alleged was related to her political stances. He also made the case that his statements were on matters of public concern; a Holyoke Police Department rule bars criticism of the department except on matters of public concern.. For this reason, the Holyoke Police department will have no further comment regarding Mr. Roca or his Case.. In an interview with the Republican, Febo disputed Rocas claims. All rights reserved (About Us). A newly released independent audit of the Holyoke Police Department found the HPD poses a "substantial risk" to the city it serves. 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. But some will be missing, Mass. Holyoke Massachusetts & Pennsylvania Legal Representation. 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 benefits of learning to play READ THE REST. Instead of being a man and admitting he made a mistake about seeing me with a firearm, he chose to remain silent and never appeared in court.. Uploaded By Greenpalace1. The suspended officers are listed below: Devon Bones, Holyoke Police Department Bryan Custadio, Fall River Police Department Leon Davis, Springfield Police Department Ernest Fontaine,. 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.. Jorge Monsalve. Click here to sign up for our weekly coronavirus newsletter. They took my gun and my badge and kicked me out of the email system, Roca told Masslive.com on Monday. In the video, Roca also alleged that department leadership has covered up the facts surrounding several instances when weapons have gone missing from the department. I kept yelling that they were violating our rights and they continued to search my vehicle against my will. 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.
The complaints allege HPD officers engaged in misconduct ranging from brutality and bullying to discourtesy and dishonesty. Roca said the straw that broke the camels back and resulted in him posting the video was a call from a coworker he received the day the video was posted, March 7. Holyoke Police Department | Holyoke MA license except where otherwise noted. There were obviously violations of police procedures, Murphy said. var tag_id = document.getElementById('buylinkHolyokePD-hg031021,ph1'); After nearly a year, Reyes closed the departments investigation of the incident, saying he was unable to reach the man who complained. Ill probably lose my job, but Im good. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Febo said that Roca misportrayed some examples of lost or stolen weapons. This story has been updated to include a statement from Chief Manny Febo which he sent to the Gazette midday on Tuesday. Police Capt. NEPM also obtained a handwritten log tracking all 156 investigations of its own officers the department conducted during those 10 years, including those initiated not by civilian complaints but by superior officers. '"; His video, posted Sunday, has been viewed 27,000 times. All rights reserved, FIRST ALERT: Storm Hitting Greater Boston Live Radar, Updates. A second, by the Firearm Review Board, lists Roca as exonerated.. Rocas video has reached over 50,000 views. Roca also took issue with the fact that a Nov. 5 hearing on his case took place at City Hall without him. 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. His video, posted Sunday, has been viewed 27,000 times. In his own time, he said that he witnessed classmates incarcerated as part of the school-to-prison pipeline.. 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. A handful of other officers were "spoken to" or "cautioned" by their superiors for other offenses, but the records show no evidence that the officers were disciplined for those violations of department rules. Consultoria de Marketing e Publicidade holyoke police corruption. //LBtag_id.innerHTML = ''; 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. Pictured above: thumbnail of the Youtube video posted by Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca. In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area. Hours per week:37.5 Weeks per year:52. There are only two officers in this group that are assigned to specialized units. He alleged that later, somebody who had been arrested tipped police off to the rifles location in an effort to receive leniency in court. 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. 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.. We reenter the clubhouse, as we go back to the pool table the brother that just received the pot starts to brag about having a brother as a Holyoke police officer and that he gets stuff like pot and can make some money that way., In its investigation, the HPD found the allegations against Monfett not sustained because there was insufficient evidence to either prove or disprove the allegation.. Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca alleges there iscorruption and racism in the Holyoke Police Department. 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. Roca said he also plans to file a lawsuit over his treatment. Yeah, they didnt waste any time. Roca said he was suspended for violating the departments social media policy, which bars officers from criticizing the department on social media platforms. I plan to fight this to the end. 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. Three of those officers claimed more than 800 overtime hours that year, and another claimed more than 1,200 hours. While on the ground, [redacted] placed his hands under him refusing to place his hands behind him forcing Officer Romero to again employ more force to force his hands behind him, Reyes wrote. list of candidates for Holyoke police officer. In 2018, a man alleged that school resource officer Melvis Romero abused his authority when he threw the mans son to the ground during the school day and arrested him, injuring his neck and shoulders in the process. He said that Febo and others have stepped in to prevent him from getting jobs with other police departments. 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. Reyes, Police Chief David Pratt and Capt. if (photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring2) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring3) > -1 || photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring4) > -1) { 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.. The agency still has not released that data because of the need to clean up and validate the massive data set, according to Zuniga. Have you ever had a vision 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. 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. Image courtesy by Kate Turner 21. The comments are concerning, erroneous, harmful, but most importantly divisive, Capt. HOLYOKE A Holyoke police officer recently released a YouTube video accusing the Holyoke Police Department of corruption. 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. On March 7, Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca posted a video on YouTube alleging racism and corruption by the Holyoke Police Department. //var LBtag_id = document.getElementById('buylinkLBHolyokePD-hg031021,ph1'); 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. delays new police misconduct database, Dusty Christensen, New England Public Media. 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. 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. He said he is disappointed with how city officials reacted to his allegations. Citizens in Holyoke, Colorado should be aware of illegal activities surrounding police brutality among their police departments and take actions against them. Two of the civilian complaints that NEPM obtained alleged that police violently arrested students in the citys schools. Sgts. Isaac Holyoke, director of communications at CleanSpark, said the shift made it easier for employees to communicate with each other and that employees value "autonomy and flexibility." "People are used to being at home when they can go on business when they need to, and we have kept that culture here in the office," Holyoke said. Roca said he has already appealed that decision to the states Civil Service Commission. I think it just really supports the theory of nothing is going to happen, nothing is going to change, she said. Myrick was originally elected when he 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. The work of setting up a review board is difficult and time-intensive, Terrill said. Holyoke police officer Rafael Roca. That outcome police officers facing no discipline after a civilian alleges wrongdoing is hardly unique to Concepcions case. 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. Roca responded saying he already appealed the decision to the Massachusetts Civil Service Commission. He saidthat ultimately there was sufficient cause to terminate Roca. Roca mentioned the incident in his video over the weekend. Roca said he retired from the U.S. Marines after a lengthy career in 2016 and pursued his lifelong dream of being a police officer. var sellablestring2 = "STAFF PHOTO"; Im very confident that something is going to come of it, he said. A newly released independent audit of the Holyoke Police Department finds the HPD poses a "substantial risk" to the city it serves. (They) never investigated any of my allegations to see if I was lying, he said. 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.. Another was accused of sexual assault while he was off duty. 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. He was reelected three times, with his final term expiring in January 2022. Febo, according to Roca, allegedly promoted a friend to the position of provisional lieutenant. Joshua Garcia was sworn in as Holyokes 45th mayor on Monday. He added, I want to [assure] the citizens of Holyoke that they can continue to have confidence in the men and women of the Holyoke Police Department and the great work that they do every day.. 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. 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. When Romero put his hand on the boys shoulder and told him to go back to his classroom, Reyes said the boy smacked the officer's hand and swore at him. Suspected. Last August, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia hired the New Hampshire-based consulting firm Municipal Resources, Inc., to audit the city's police department. The 69 complaints that NEPM obtained are just the ones that civilians managed to file with the HPD in the first place. Holyoke St. Patrick's Committee holds 67th Grand Video / Feb 18, 2023 / 10:41 PM EST The 70th annual Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade is now nearly a month away and at the Log Cabin Saturday . Previously, police departments were able to argue that those documents were personnel records, which are typically exempt from disclosure under the law. The father said in his complaint that his boys had been through a lot of trauma made worse by now living in a homeless shelter, and that as a result they didnt always react to what they were told to do. One officer was accused of using his siren at a drive-thru window to get his ice cream more quickly. Roca claimed that Manny Febo, the first Latinx police chief in Holyoke, has targeted him and other employees by refusing them positions and recognition for their work. 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. The classic response to demonstrated police corruption Step 1: Shoot the messenger. '"; He went on to say that he felt as though he would either be fired or suspended for posting the 45-minute long video. In January, Holyoke settled the police brutality suit against the city and officers for $65,000. When you speak up and when you expose corruption, thats what they do. Published: 11/16/2021 9:42:49 PM HOLYOKE Last week, the city's acting mayor fired a police officer who earlier this year posted a viral video on social media alleging corruption and. The police, for me, was used as a reminder to stay in my place. 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. Advocates call for more police oversight after WBUR investigation, Mass. That part of the commissions work has yet to materialize either. Because when you speak up and you expose corruption, he said in the video, thats what they do.. We were unable to subscribe you to WBUR Today. In the departments investigation, police said they pulled him over for running a stop sign, then tried to tow his car after learning his license was suspended and registration revoked. How do cops view themselves and their work? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Reminders Publishing. Alex Benjamin Morse (born January 29, 1989) is an American politician who served as the 44th mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts from 2012 to 2021. The HPD is not the only local department that rarely disciplines officers based on civilian complaints. Roca said a police captain called him about a day after he posted the video. Becoming a police officer was his "life long dream" but that dream was "quickly affected" and "hurt" by the corruption and racism of police officers, which "goes back to as long as anyone can remember. Neiswanger said that a tipster found the gun in an alley, and that the mayors presence was a coincidence. 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. 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. HOLYOKE Two days after a Holyoke Police Officer posted a viral YouTube video accusing his own department of corruption and racism, Police Chief Manny Febo has clapped back. Not one time did they respond to a call, not one time were they on the radio, he said. Last August, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia hired the New. The mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts, has broken his silence about an NEPM investigation that revealed the city's police department almost never disciplines officers whom civilians accuse of wrongdoing. Pratt said that Roca can still present his case to the Civil Service Commission. In an interview, POST Commission Executive Director Enrique Zuniga said the agencys investigations will eventually come before the full commission, which can go so far as to decertify officers found to have violated state standards a career-ending type of decision, Zuniga said.