By KENNEDY GRIFFIN
(Greenfield, MA) Today at 10:30 a.m. Greenfield Mayor Roxann Wedegartner held a media availability to address the civil suit of Buchanan and Dodge V. the City of Greenfield and Police Chief Robert Haigh as well as the matters of Chief Haigh and Lieutenant Todd Dodge being placed on paid administrative leave.
The Mayor began by addressing the residents of Greenfield and conveying that she has been listening to what the people have been saying in regards to the case and the City’s actions; “Make no mistake, I understand the gravity of the jury’s decision citing racial animus. There is no place for racism in our city.”
Mayor Wedegartner believes the Greenfield Police Department under the leadership of Chief Haigh has made progress in recent years, but that there’s more work yet to do. And with that, the City will be seeking an independent audit of the police department with “full agreement” of both Chief Haigh and Acting Chief William Gordon.
“With racial bias, discrimination, and gender equity as the primary rationale, the audit will cover organizational structure and governance, operating policies and procedures, department culture, hiring and promotional practices, professional standards and accountability, budgeting, and planning.”
The Mayor says that “[she] can’t direct the course of legal process, [but she] can determine how best to ensure that the culture of the police department is not racially biased and help strengthen the department’s resolve to foster racial justice and equity internally and externally.”
In terms of the court case, she wants the public to understand that it is a civil suit and that differs from a criminal case in that the jury doesn’t deliver a guilty or not guilty verdict as they would in a criminal case. Here, the jury’s decision “is only one step in the legal process” for this civil case and Judge Mason has not given his judgment on the decision yet.
Mayor Wedegartner notes that the legal fees and the judgment award would be paid by the City’s liability insurer. The decision of how to proceed in the case is up to the City’s attorney and the insurance company, who believe that the City and Chief Haigh did not receive a fair trial.
As a co-plaintiff in the case, the jury’s decision in Lt. Dodge’s case was in favor of the city; “they did not believe his claim that the city had retaliated against him in violation of the Massachusetts Whistleblower Law.” And as of yesterday, Lt. Dodge has been reinstated to his role in the Greenfield Police Department and no longer on paid leave, but the investigation into Dodge’s allegations in his testimony will continue.
Before ending her speech, the Mayor says that she has heard the calls to fire Chief Haigh and Lt. Daniel McCarthy, but it not as simple as a “Trump-style” “you’re fired”, there are established procedures for civil service employees.
Updates on the court case, the City’s actions, the status of Chief Haigh, Lt. Dodge, and Lt. McCarthy’s positions, and the Greenfield Police Department will continue to be closely followed.
Watch the Mayor’s address in full via WWLP-22 News