By KENNEDY GRIFFIN
(Greenfield, MA) The Greenfield Police Department and Chief Robert Haigh Jr. were found to have racially discriminated against former Greenfield police officer Patrick Buchanan by jury’s verdict in Hampshire Superior Court on Friday, May 6th.
Former Officer Buchanan filed a lawsuit against the Greenfield Police Department and Chief Haigh for racial discrimination in the promotional process for the position of sergeant in 2014-2015. Buchanan reportedly scored the highest in the department in the exam for the position, was provisionally promoted, and then lost the promotion after an internal affairs investigation initiated by a complaint from Sergeant Daniel McCarthy after reviewing traffic stops made by Buchanan that resulted in warnings rather than tickets.
In 2020, three sergeant positions became available and according to Buchanan’s lawsuit, Chief Haigh allegedly scored Buchanan low to keep him out of the running. The jury found that Buchanan had been racially discriminated against by the Greenfield Police Department and Chief Haigh in the promotional process of 2014-2015 and discriminated or retaliated against Buchanan in the 2020 promotional process.
Buchanan has been awarded $92,930 in back wages and $350,000 for emotional distress. The verdict is now being reviewed by Greenfield and Chief Haigh’s representatives, as well as Mayor Wedegartner.
Chief Haigh has commented saying he’s proud of the work he’s done in the department and that “[t]his is not what the Greenfield Police Department stands for and I hope they know that. And I hope the community knows that.”
Mayor Wedegartner has said that she’s “confident that at the end of the process, Chief Haigh will be completely exonerated.”