FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 17, 2014

Greater Springfield NAACP, Council of Churches of Western Massachusetts and Arise for Social Justice Call on Mayor Domenic Sarno to Open the Process for Selecting New Police Commissioner and to Remove Deputy Chief Robert McFarlin from Consideration
The Springfield Police Department has had a problematic history regarding police community relations and police personnel hiring practices. For many years the department consisted of predominantly white males and was regarded as racially insensitive by communities of color. Its notorious reputation for mistreatment of minorities and women earned it the nickname, the House of Hate. The Castro-Beecher decision of the mid 1970s resulted in one-to-one minority hiring, which has given the department more representation from communities of color. Efforts in the 1990s supporting a change to community policing led to increased safety and began to slightly improve police-community relations. While the community policing effort met with resistance from many police commanders, who wanted to retain traditional line style command that limited community involvement, it was a bold and innovative move toward a better partnership with the community. Through the years, complaints lodged by the community at the police department along with several high profile incidents such as the Ham Party, Benjamin Schoolfield shooting and APB put out on an African American city councilors vehicle after he voted against the Quinn Bill became the catalysts for an investigation by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). As a result of its findings, the DOJ initially requested a consent decree, but later modified that request to a monitoring agreement. Five years later the DOJ dropped those demands due to the reforms made under the administrations of former Mayor Michael Albano and Chief Paula Meara. The implementation of a consent decree would have lasted for many years, cost the city millions of dollars and disgraced this city along with creating economic harm to both citizens and the business community. Through the years, our respective organizations have worked tirelessly to bring about police accountability and to foster better police community relations. Unfortunately, many of the gains made both within the department and in fostering better relations between the police and the community were undermined by the Finance Control Board with the creation of a single police commissioner and abolishment of civilian oversight. Currently, policy making, administration, personnel decisions, discipline and other important facets of policing are accomplished with no meaningful public input or feedback. This practice only exacerbates an historically tenuous relationship between the community and the police department.

Further complicating this matter is the decision of Mayor Domenic Sarno to close the process of selecting the next police commissioner. The mayors decision decries the notion espoused by both the mayor and several city councilors that the city should always hire the best and the brightest, a stance that they vehemently argued only a few months ago in the debate over residency. A process involving closed door interviews, which excludes the public displays an irresponsible lack of transparency. This flies in the face of the mayors promise when he ran for reelection that he would strive for transparency and accessibility. While each of the three men that came to be final candidates through no formal selection process have long careers with the Springfield Police Department, we have major concerns with the prospect of Deputy Chief Robert McFarlin becoming police commissioner. Deputy Chief McFarlin was promoted by the current Police Commissioner and is now being considered to lead the department by Mayor Sarno despite a long history of insensitivity toward communities of color and women. The list of consistent actions on his part, which show a blatant disregard for those segments of our community is too numerous, yet, here are some highlights of his greatest hits: Nicknames: It is reported that McFarlin uses inappropriate and unprofessional nicknames for both police officers and administration officials. N Word: McFarlin is known to use a replacement code word for the N word to hide a shameful habit of referring to blacks by the racist and repugnant term. Oak Grove Cemetery: McFarlin strip-searched an African American man, Kenneth Spence, for drugs. Finding none, the candidate took his clothing leaving the man naked in Oak Grove Cemetery. As the man was screaming that he wanted his clothes, McFarlin yelled out to him to have a nice day. Spence sued the city and received a cash settlement. City Councilor Morris Jones: McFarlin was demoted for his actions pinpointing an attack against the property of former City Councilor Mo Jones for voicing opposition to funding the Quinn bill. The demotion was reversed at Civil Service as they did not consider it progressive discipline. Though McFarlin considers himself to be found innocent, the community doesnt see it that way. Roy Parker: McFarlin supported and led other officers to support former officer Jeffrey Asher when he was charged with police brutality in the arrest of Roy Parker. As Asher was brought before the civilian Police Commission, McFarlin and those he influenced menacingly stood behind Asher to support of him. This was widely portrayed in the media despite the fact that the Parker/Asher incident occured while the department was under a pattern and practice review by the United States Department of Justice. Alleged Corruption: In 1996 the current police commissioner made charges of corruption against McFarlin. He alleged that McFarlin took money during drug raids. Then District

Attorney William Bennett ordered an investigation by the state police. No charges were brought as the allegations were past the statute of limitations. Melvin Jones: McFarlin again supported former officer Jeffery Asher when he was charged with police brutality against Melvin Jones. Jones was badly beaten by Asher during a videotaped arrest and was charged in criminal court, found guilty by a jury, incarcerated, and then given a disability retirement. Lucy Jones: McFarlin was the shift commander, the Captain in charge of the police station, during the arrest of Lucy Jones and her family members in the lobby of the police station. Jones and her family came to inquire about police coming to her store with arrest warrants for her son, William Owens, and daughter, Nicole Jones. A melee ensued under McFarlins command and in his physical presence in the lobby of the station. It is alleged that McFarlin participated in the melee and used a baton to physically assault members of the Jones Family. This melee resulted in the arrest of Lucy Jones and others in family. Charges from that arrest were later dismissed in court and there was a civil judgment of a million dollars against the city in this case. A video of this ugly confrontation, bringing shame to the department is available on YouTube.

1. Chief Paula Meara: Prior to being promoted to police chief, it is reported that Meara was subjected to the humiliating habit of McFarlin spitting on the ground each time she passed in an attempt to show his disdain for her and disapproval for a woman being promoted through the ranks. Despite the reprehensible conduct of McFarlin and his consistent disrespect for women and people of color, he has risen to become a two-star Deputy Chief under the same closed door, private promotions process that the mayor is now using in selecting a new commissioner There is widespread fear in the Springfield community concerning McFarlins candidacy and a concern that his selection will bring irreparable damage to police community relations. In the interest of transparency, we call on the mayor to open his selection process and to allow public input. In the best interest of the city and police community relations, we urge the mayor not to appoint Deputy Chief Robert McFarlin as the next police commissioner. Rev. Talbert W. Swan, II Greater Springfield NAACP Archbishop Timothy Paul Council of Churches of Western Massachusetts Michaelann Bewsee Arise for Social Justice