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Excessive Force

Police & Fire
No Jail Time For Ex-Mass. Officer Who Punched Handcuffed Man 13 Times: Feds No Jail Time For Ex-Mass. Officer Who Punched Handcuffed Man 13 Times: Feds
No Jail Time For Ex-Mass. Officer Who Punched Handcuffed Man 13 Times: Feds A former Weymouth police officer who was caught on video camera beating a handcuffed suspect will not serve any jail time, federal authorities said.  Justin Chappell, 43, was sentenced to two years of supervised release, with the first six months to be spent under house arrest, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said on Tuesday, July 16. He must also complete 40 hours of community service each year of his supervised release.  Chappell pleaded guilty in May to a single count of deprivation of rights under color of law, the prosecutor said.  The assault happened on July 2,…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Feds Open Investigation Into Worcester Police Potential Bias, Use Of Force Feds Open Investigation Into Worcester Police Potential Bias, Use Of Force
Feds Open Investigation Into Worcester Police Potential Bias, Use Of Force The Department of Justice has opened a civil investigation into the Worcester Police Department to determine if the agency uses excessive force or engages in racial or gender bias.  The US Attorney's Office didn't say what sparked the investigation but said the probe would be comprehensive. Analysts will scrutinize Worcester's training, policies, procedures, evidence handling, interactions with the public, accountability systems, how superiors handle complaints, and disciplinary procedures.  "The purpose of this civil investigation is to determine – through objective and thorough …

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Police Misconduct: Lawsuit, Mistrust Couldn't Come At A Worse Time For Worcester Police Misconduct: Lawsuit, Mistrust Couldn't Come At A Worse Time For Worcester
Police Misconduct: Lawsuit, Mistrust Couldn't Come At A Worse Time For Worcester A Worcester Police Officer was recently blocked by citizens as he attempted to help a woman who had been shot on May Street. It’s an example of just how strained the relationship between police and community is right now, not just here, but across the U.S. The civil fallout, stoked by George Floyd’s killing, comes at a bad time for Worcester, which is experiencing a spike in violence this summer. Largely fueled by gang warfare, there have been at least 17 shootings in the city since January, said Police Chief Steven M. Sargent. That’s a 31 percent in incidents compared to the same time peri…

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by Kristin Palpini