Standing Committees of the Worcester City Council include three councilors, with each committee having jurisdiction over certain areas of the operation of city government (the Finance Committee includes all councilors for annual budget review).
The mayor, who serves as the chairperson of the city council and school committee, appoints councilors to each committee, and also names the chairperson of each committee. The chairperson of each committee exclusively controls the agenda for that committee.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released a report on Monday, December 6, covering the findings of its investigation into the Worcester Police Department (WPD) announced on November 15, 2022.
Find coverage of the findings of the DOJ report related to excessive force, or coverage of its findings related to sexual misconduct.
After the release of the report, the record of the city council committee responsible for the city’s public safety departments has come under scrutiny.
The Standing Committee on Public Safety
The Standing Committee on Public Safety has jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the Police Department, Fire Department, Communications Department, and the Inspectional Services Division. According to the city’s website, the committee considers “matters pertaining to criminal and civil law enforcement, public safety communications services and ambulance, first responder services in the City and inspections of health, safety and environmental stability of Worcester’s business and residential community.”
Councilor Kate Toomey has served in the role of chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Safety since 2016. During Toomey’s tenure as chairperson of the committee with jurisdiction over matters related to the Worcester Police Department, no item related to police misconduct or citizen complaints about police has appeared on the committee’s agenda.
Not once.
The committee also hasn’t taken up use of force or similar policies.
In contrast, in August 17, 2020, Toomey issued a chairpersons’ order:
“Chairperson Councilor Toomey brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager provide City Council with a cost benefit analysis report detailing how much the city is currently paying personnel and legal counsel to deal with WPD complaints, lawsuits, legal fees, etc. against potential spending if a permanent body-worn camera program were implemented.”
The committee spent years rarely meeting. In 2018, the committee met just once, and in 2019, it met twice. In 2024, with committee meetings concluded for the year, it met seven times. The most meetings it had in one year, 10, only happened once during Toomey’s tenure, in 2021. The committee has met 38 times during Toomey’s nine-year tenure.
In an email to This Week in Worcester, Toomey appeared to suggest that section 2-3 of the Worcester City Charter prohibits the committee she chairs to review discipline items. The text of the section says:
Section 2-3 Prohibitions.
Neither the city council nor any of its committees or members shall direct or request the appointment of any person to, or his/her removal from, office by the city manager or any of his/her subordinates, or in any manner take part in the appointment or removal of officers and employees in that portion of the service of the city for whose administration the city manager is responsible. Except for the purpose of inquiry and as otherwise provided in section 2-8 of this charter, the city council and its members shall deal with that portion of the service of the city as aforesaid solely through the city manager and neither the city council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the city manager either
publicly or privately.
It is unclear how Toomey associates the review of documents or policy related to discipline with directing or requesting the appointment or removal of a person from a position in which the city manager is responsible.
The Worcester City Council agenda, under tabled items, currently holds a citizen petition requesting the Committee on Public Safety to “investigate the issue of systemic racism and public safety with public hearings included.” On May 14, when the item was introduced, Toomey motioned to file the item, which means that no further action would be taken on the item.
That motion failed.
Toomey then explained that the committee had a review of crime statistics on its upcoming agenda and motioned to table the item, which takes just four votes to approve. That motion passed.
No additional action has been taken on the item since that day.
Here are all the items before that committee in the last three years.
December 4, 2024
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the status of existing firefighter turn out gear.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the location of all the fire hydrants in the city.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a Worcester Rodent Action Plan.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the last three 110 Periodic Inspections occurring at Washington Heights, including information relative to when such inspections occurred.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the Summer Impact Program
November 20, 2024
- Transmitting informational communication relative to internal police detail spending in fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a quarterly report on the use of WPD’s SUAS/Drone
- Transmitting informational communication relative to internal police detail spending
- Transmitting informational communication relative to ShotSpotter and Resource Router programs
- Transmitting an informational communication relative to bodywork spas in the city.
September 11, 2024
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the the City’s transition from Smart911 to RapidSOS.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the status of building the new South Division Fire Station.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to community policing foot patrols.
August 20, 2024
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the City’s response to a fire at the Washington Heights Apartment Complex.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to efforts being made to obtain PFAS-free firefighter turn out gear.
July 16, 2024
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the quarterly use of the WPD small Unmanned Aircraft System.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to processes following natural disasters.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to Status of 2 Gage Street, Worcester, MA.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to data around complaints received by the Inspectional Services Department, the percentage of those complaints that have been followed up on, percentages associated with enforcement of violations and any other pertinent information.
May 29, 2024
- Transmitting informational communication relative to Status of 2 Gage Street, Worcester, MA.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the services provided to and needs of the vulnerable population at the Worcester Public
- Library.Transmitting informational communication relative to the 2023 Crime Statistics for the City of Worcester
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the 2023 Worcester Fire Department Annual Report.
- Transmitting informational communication detailing analytics around responsiveness via the City’s 311 Application.
March 14, 2024
- Petition of Danny Diaz request City Council request City Manager consider reviewing the age requirement to become a police officer by raising the age limit from 32 to 38.
- Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Information on Gun Violence and Firearms Seized by the Worcester Police Department.
- Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Drug Trafficking Statistics.
December 12, 2024
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the weapons confiscated in 2023.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the use of a robot in critical police incidents along with the benefits of such use.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report on whether Body Worn Cameras are on when police respond to evictions and foreclosures.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a Police Cadet Program that will impact the representation and demographics of underrepresented groups within the Police workforce.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the number of confiscated Off Highway Vehicles.
- Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to Heat and Cold Weather Emergencies.
- Transmitting Informational Communication Relative to the Worcester Disaster Relief Fund
September 27, 2023
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a quarterly report detailing the deployments of the newly acquired Small Unmanned Aircraft System.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning any impediments the city may be faced with relative to providing elected officials with access to body-worn camera footage.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a Police Cadet Program that will impact the representation and demographics of underrepresented groups within the Police workforce.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to an analysis of the 2022 Crime Statistics.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a request for a report concerning number of smoke alarms that have been distributed and installed by the Fire Department.
- Transmitting research report provided by Director of Emergency Communications & Emergency Management relative to communities with Disaster Relief Fund’s.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to using reverse 911 technology when tornado watch/warnings are issued by weather services.
- Transmitting Informational communication relative to a report for the potential for the city to recoup legal and/or operational costs from monies spent on issues stemming from negligent landlords or property owner.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a summary of complaints and/or violations for 2 Gage Street, 5 Eastern Ave, 21 John Street and 13 Rena Street.
- Order of Councilor Morris A. Bergman, Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson, Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey – Request City Manager request Police Chief consider purchasing a product such as the E.M.I.L.Y. (Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard) water safety robot for use during water rescue
May 25, 2024
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the 2022 Worcester Fire Department Annual Report.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning the history of personnel, facilities, changes and training as a result from incidents, expanding roles of department, city demographic, and current challenges of the Fire Department.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report listing all recommendations from previous reports concerning line-of-duty deaths and tri-data in order to identify work that has been done and progresses made relative to line-of-duty deaths as they relate to the Fire Department Community Risk Assessment Master Plan for the Worcester Fire Department.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning the accessibility and technical updates of the accreditation process.
- Transmitting information communication relative to Emergency Management response and recovery program changes, as submitted by the Director of Emergency Communications and Management.
- Transmitting research report provided by Director of Emergency Communications & Emergency Management relative to communities with Disaster Relief Fund’s.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning the emergency response protocol when a building is condemned, as a result of natural disaster, fire, or construction.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the collaborative efforts between Inspectional Service and the Department of Public Works aimed at finding solutions for dealing with rats and rodents, trash and other nuisance issues.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the initiation of a Community Crisis Response Model.
February 27, 2023
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report detailing the implementation and structural organization of the Body Worn Camera Program and final policy thereof.
February 8, 2023
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the Emergency Management disaster response and recovery procedures
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the installation of TRAINFO Railroad Crossing Sensors.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning the recommendations and training relative to the Blue Card system.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning the Fire Department Strategic Plan.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning the emergency response protocol when a building is condemned, as a result of natural disaster, fire, or construction.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the standard operating procedures (SOP) for the 110 periodic inspections.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the initiation of a Community Crisis Response Model.
- Recommend adoption of a resolution to accept and expend a direct appropriation in the amount of Fifty One Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($51,000.00) from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety & Security for the purchase of equipment and the installation of safety equipment
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the responsibilities and enforcement policies around Lake Quinsigamond
- Transmitting informational communication relative to an overview of the Bureau of Investigative Services.
- Report of the Committee on Finance Upon the Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to training courses at the Worcester Police Department.
- Transmitting informational communication regarding a final proposal to initiate an Unmanned Aircraft System Program.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning an update regarding ShotSpotter Connect and studies related to ShotSpotter Technology.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report on training for body worn cameras.
June 1, 2022
- Transmitting informational communication relative to an Unmanned Aircraft System Proposal.
- Transmitting an informational communication concerning how the city’s recently passed ordinance relative to facial recognition technology applies to the use of drones.
- Transmitting informational communication regarding the City Council’s role relative to the creation of departmental policies and in particular its role and authority relative to the police department’s proposed acquisition of an Unmanned Aircraft System.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the use of aerial surveillance in the context of an unreasonable search under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article 14 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report on follow up regarding Unmanned Aircraft System
May 2, 2022
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a report concerning the Fire Department Strategic Plan.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to an Unmanned Aircraft System Proposal.
- Transmitting an informational communication concerning how the city’s recently passed ordinance relative to facial recognition technology applies to the use of drones.
April 20, 2022
- Transmitting informational communication relative to an Unmanned Aircraft System Proposal.
- Transmitting an informational communication concerning how the city’s recently passed ordinance relative to facial recognition technology applies to the use of drones.
April 14, 2022
- Transmitting informational communication relative to the Body-Worn Camera Program.
- Transmitting informational communication relative to a summary of the listening sessions on police body cameras.
