SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - The leaders of three Springfield community organizations are calling for a more open process in selecting a new police commissioner for the city.
Leaders of the Greater Springfield NAACP, the Council of Churches of Western Massachusetts, and Arise for Social Justice said in a joint statement Monday that in “the interest of transparency,” the process should have more public input.
The statement came after The Republican newspaper (https://bit.ly/1nADT1o ) reported that Mayor Domenic Sarno has completed closed-door interviews with the department’s three deputy chiefs, the only candidates for the position.
The statement said one candidate “has a long history of insensitivity toward communities of color and women.” That candidate denied those allegations.
The city is searching for a replacement for Commissioner William Fitchet, who’s retiring this year.
Sarno had no immediate response.
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Information from: The Springfield (Mass.) Republican, https://www.masslive.com/news/
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