A MOSTLY PEACEFUL PROTEST JUNE 1st IN NORTHAMPTON
AFTER GEORGE FLOYD WAS KILLED IN POLICE CUSTODY IN MINNEAPOLIS
LEFT POLICE CRUISERS DAMAGED AND THE STATION DEFACED.
IN A SUBSEQUENT PROTEST, POLICE CHIEF KASPER WAS AMONG THE
OFFICERS WHO TOOK A KNEE WITH PROTESTERS.
I SPOKE WITH KASPER TO LEARN MORE.
>> WELL, I THINK WE'RE ALL UNITED ON A LOT OF THE ISSUES
HERE, WE'RE ALL UNITED AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY AND WE CAN ALL
ACKNOWLEDGE DECADES AND CENTURIES OF RACISM.
RACISM WITHIN OUR SYSTEM, AND DIFFERENT TREATMENT DEPENDING ON
WHO YOU ARE IN THIS COUNTRY.
SO WE CAN STAND UNITED IN THAT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YEAH WE HAVE
A PROBLEM IN OUR SYSTEM AND IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO WORK ON.
I WANTED TO DEAL WITH PROTESTERS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO
THAT AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES TO KNOW THAT WE'RE
UNITED ON THIS ISSUE.
>> WHEN YOU MADE THAT GESTURE, DID YOU FEEL, WAS THERE A SHIFT
IN THE WAY THE PROTESTERS RECEIVED YOU AND YOUR OTHER
OFFICERS OR WHAT DID YOU OBSERVE?
>> I COULDN'T SPEAK TO WHAT OTHERS WERE FEELING.
IT DID FEEL LIKE IT CHANGED THINGS AFTER THAT.
PEOPLE CAME UP AND, YOU KNOW, WE SHOOK HANDS AND PEOPLE CHATTED
AND SAID THANK YOU AND WE HAD SOME GOOD DISCUSSIONS AFTERWARDS
WITH A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO CAME UP TO TALK.
AND I THINK THERE WAS A COMMON GROUND THAT WAS FOUND THERE,
THAT MAYBE BEFORE THAT THERE WAS A QUESTION OF HOW POLICE DO FEEL
ABOUT THIS TOPIC, HOW DO THE NORTHAMPTON POLICE FEEL, HOW DO
I FEEL, HOW DO WE PERCEIVE THIS GOING ON IN OUR COUNTRY.
SO I THINK IT WAS GOOD THAT WE COULD SENSE THAT SHIFT OF PEOPLE
REALIZING THAT WE SHARE IN THESE SAME CONCERNS.
>> HAVE YOU HAD A SENSE THAT WHEN THERE ARE THESE INCIDENTS
WHERE POLICE USE EXCESSIVE FORCE OR USE FORCE IN WHICH SOMEONE
ENDS UP DYING, AS WE SAW WITH MR.
FLOYD, THAT THEN PEOPLE IN GENERAL TEND TO LUMP ALL
OFFICERS TOGETHER AS SOMEONE WHO WOULD USE THAT SAME EXCESSIVE
FORCE?
>> WITHOUT A DOUBT.
WHEN THERE ARE NATIONAL EVENTS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT INVOLVE
POLICE BRUTALITY, WE CAN BE TARGETED BECAUSE WE DO WEAR A
SIMILAR UNIFORM AND WE'RE AFFILIATED WITH THAT SYSTEM,
WE'RE PART OF THAT SYSTEM.
SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT AND THEY WORRY ABOUT IT HAPPENING HERE,
WHETHER THEY THINK I MIGHT INDIVIDUALLY DO SOMETHING OR
SOMEONE ELSE, THEY JUST WORRY IN GENERAL, CAN THIS HAPPEN HERE
AND WHAT ARE THE SAFEGUARDS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE OR THAT
ARE IN PLACE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY FROM THESE SORTS OF
EVENTS HAPPENING HERE.
>> I SHOULD JUST AMEND WHAT I JUST SAID.
THE COURTS WILL DECIDE WHETHER EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS USED, BUT
THAT LEVEL OF FORCE IS THE PHRASING I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE
APPROPRIATE THERE.
I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT TRANSPARENCY IN
YOUR DEPARTMENT PUBLICLY IN SAYING THAT YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF
THAT TRANSPARENCY.
YOUR POLICE POLICIES ARE ONLINE, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE USE OF
FORCE I NOTICED THAT CHOKE HOLDS ARE ILLEGAL IN YOUR DEPARTMENT,
ARE NOT ALLOWED, THEY'RE PROHIBITED.
AND OFFICERS ARE REQUIRED TO INTERVENE IF THEY BELIEVE THAT
ONE OF THEIR FELLOW OFFICERS IS NOT ADHERING TO THE POLICIES
THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT UPHOLDS, AND I POINTED OUT THESE TWO
BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN BROUGHT UP REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY AS
THINGS WHERE PROTESTERS ARE CALLING FOR CHANGE AROUND THESE
PARTICULAR AREAS.
WHY HAS YOUR DEPARTMENT HAD THESE POLICIES, BECAUSE IT'S NOT
SOMETHING NEW, YOU HAVEN'T MADE THIS CHANGE RECENTLY.
>> SO, WE HAD OUR USE OF FORCE POLICY UPDATED IN I THINK IT WAS
AROUND 2018, BECAUSE WE WANTED OUR POLICY TO BE REFLECTIVE OF
BEST PRACTICES.
WE HAD SEEN THINGS GO ON IN THE COUNTRY WHERE MAYBE SOMEONE, AN
OFFICER MAYBE DIDN'T RENDER AID AFTER FORCE WAS USED, AS AN
EXAMPLE, OR ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP.
SO WE REACHED OUT TO AN OUTSIDE AGENCY, AN OUTSIDE COMPANY AND
HAD THEM LOOK AT OUR POLICY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT WHAT
WOULD BE BEST.
SO WE MODIFIED OUR POLICY IN 2018.
I WILL SAY IT WAS MISSING ONE COMPONENT THAT I THINK IS
IMPORTANT THAT WE DID JUST ADD AND THAT IS THE PART ON DUTY TO
INTERVENE.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT'S IN ANOTHER POLICY THAT WOULD
REQUIRE OFFICERS TO STEP IN IF THEY SAW SOMETHING THAT WAS
ILLEGAL.
HOWEVER, I THINK IT SHOULD BE PARCELED OUT IN OUR USE OF FORCE
POLICY, SO THAT IS THE ONE CHANGE WE MADE.
WE MADE IT MORE CLEAR THAT YOU MUST INTERVENE IF YOU SEE
EXCESSIVE FORCE BEING USED BY ANOTHER OFFICER.
>> SO WHEN DID YOU MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT SPECIFICALLY?
>> JUST A WEEK AGO.
>> WAS THAT AS A RESULT OF WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM PROTESTERS?
>> WELL, NOT FROM PROTESTERS SPECIFICALLY, BUT I GOT EMAILTHE
EIGHT CAN'T WAIT POLICY COMPONENTS, I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU'VE SEEN THAT, BUT IT'S GOING AROUND TO A LOT OF POLICE CHIEFS
NOW, YOU CAN FINE IT ONLINE.
BUT THERE ARE SPECIFIC POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE SHOWN
TO DECREASE USES OF FORCE AND EXCESSIVE FORCE IN DIFFERENT
AGENCIES.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THEM.
WE HAD THE OTHER SEVEN, BUT THAT EIGHTH ONE OF DUTY TO INTERVENE
WASN'T SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN IN OUR USE OF FORCE, SO THAT'S
WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
PEOPLE EMAILED ME ABOUT THAT AND I THOUGHT IT MAKES GOOD SENSE.
>> GOVERNOR BAKER SAID HE'S GOING TO BE PUTTING FORTH
LEGISLATION THAT WILL LOOK AT CERTIFICATION OF POLICE OFFICERS
ACROSS THE STATE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT CONCEPT?
>> YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, ABSOLUTELY.
HAVING LIKE A POST PROGRAM WHERE OFFICERS ARE CERTIFIED AND CAN
ALSO BE DECERTIFIED.
SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
>> ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT, THE NORTHAMPTON, THE
CITY WILL BE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT $200,000 WILL BE ELIMINATED FROM THE CURRENT
PROPOSED BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
PEOPLE ACROSS THE NATION AND THIS REGION HAVE BEEN CALLING
FOR THIS IDEA OF DEFUNDING THE POLICE AND SOME PEOPLE TALK
ABOUT THE IDEA OF REALLOCATING MONEY FROM DEPARTMENTS TO OTHER
AREAS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF THE BUDGET IN YOUR
CITY BEING CUT?
>> SO THE AMOUNT THAT HAS BEEN CUT RIGHT NOW IS CUT FROM OUR
LINE THAT COVERS THE PURCHASE OF NEW CRUISERS.
SO 86% OF OUR BUDGET IS PERSONNEL.
THIS CUT CAME OUT OF A NONPERSONNEL SIDE.
SO THIS IS MANAGEABLE FOR US FOR THE SHORT TERM.
OBVIOUSLY REPAIR AND COST TO VEHICLES WILL GO UP OVER TIME.
MY CONCERN IS IF WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT CUT, AND I'VE HEARD
PROPOSALS FOR BIG NUMBERS OF CUTS UP TO ONE-THIRD, FOR
INSTANCE, FROM A POLICE BUDGET, THAT WOULD BE DEVASTATING FOR
US.
WE DO NOT HAVE -- THAT WOULD ALL BE STAFF.
WE DO NOT HAVE A ROBUST AMOUNT OF STAFF ON WHERE THEY'RE IN THE
CITY AND NOT BEING USED.
JUST YESTERDAY I WAS WORKING AND EVERY SINGLE OFFICER ON THE
SHIFT WAS TIED UP AND WE HAD NO ONE TO RESPOND TO CALLS.
SO WE'RE ALREADY AT A POINT WHERE WE ARE, OUR STAFFING
COVERS THE CITY APPROPRIATELY.
NOW, ARE THERE WAYS THAT WE COULD ADD SOCIAL WORKERS,
ABSOLUTELY, AND I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING THAT FOR A LONG TIME.
AND I HAVE SOME EXCITEMENT ABOUT SOME OF THE REFORM SUGGESTIONS
AROUND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND SOCIAL WORKERS BEING
CORRESPONDERS, I THINK THAT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA.
BUT I AM VERY WARY ABOUT SIGNIFICANT CUTS TO THE
PERSONNEL SIDE OF OUR POLICE BUDGET, WHICH WOULD REALLY
REDUCE OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES TO THE
CITY.
>> THE EXCITEMENT YOU JUST SPOKE TO ABOUT THOSE ISSUES BEING
RAISED, WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THOSE
SPECIFICALLY MIGHT BE?
>> WELL, IT'S NOT ENTIRELY IN MY CONTROL AT THIS POINT.
WE HAVE A CITY COUNCIL THAT'S TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO
DO.
I KNOW THE MAYOR HAS SOME THINGS HE MIGHT LIKE TO DO.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE WAITING TO SEE HOW THIS IS GOING TO, HOW
WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE THIS ISSUE IN OUR CITY.
WE HAVE A BUDGET VOTE THIS WEEK AND I THINK WE'LL REEVALUATE
WHERE WE ARE AFTER THAT BUDGET VOTE AND COME UP WITH A PLAN ON
HOW WE WANT TO APPROACH THIS, HOW WE WANT TO EVALUATE OUR
CALLS, HOW WE WANT TO CONSIDER WHAT TYPE OF PUBLIC SAFETY
SERVICES COULD BE PROVIDED BY MAYBE CIVILIAN PERSONNEL OR
OTHER SPECIALISTS.
SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT AND TO EXPLORE THAT, AND
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY, SO I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT
THE OUTCOME OF EXPLORING PUBLIC SAFETY IN NORTHAMPTON.
>> ONE LAST QUESTION I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT DIVERSITY IN THE NORTHAMPTON DEPARTMENT, HOW
DIVERSE IS IT?
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PUBLIC SAFETY REPRESENT THE
COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.
JUST TRADITIONALLY IN THE FIELD OF POLICING, WE ARE NOT VERY
DIVERSE IN MANY WAYS, IN RACE, ETHNICITY AND GENDER.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE LAST FIVE OR
SIX YEARS WHILE I'VE BEEN CHIEF, AND AS I WAS CAPTAIN OF
OPERATIONS IN CHARGE OF HIRING.
SO WE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO ATTRACTING MORE DIVERSE
CANDIDATES AND WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY HIRED MORE DIVERSE
CANDIDATES, SO I'M VERY PLEASED WITH NEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
JOINING OUR DEPARTMENT OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
AND WE'VE IMPROVED THAT.
WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, IT IS A CHALLENGE TO ATTRACT
DIVERSE CANDIDATES IN THE FIELD OF POLICING AND PARTICULARLY
RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THAT LOOKING AT THIS FIELD, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF DIVIDED RIGHT NOW IN OUR COUNTRY, WHERE
PEOPLE MAY BE LOOKING AT POLICE OFFICERS NEGATIVELY AND WE WANT
TO ATTRACT GOOD PEOPLE INTO THE FIELD.
IT'S HARD TO DO THAT WHEN PEOPLE FEEL
LIKE
IT'S NOT
A GOOD
FIELD
TO GO INTO.
SO THAT IS OUR
CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW.