DEWITT WORKERS WON’T BE CHARGED
Police Commissioner William G. Gross says he won’t seek obstruction of justice charges against community center workers who police say barred officers from entering and aiding another cop who was under attack.
Gross told the Herald yesterday that the situation Thursday at the Dewitt Center in Roxbury, as undercover officers grappled with two teens suspects, “could have been devastating to both people in the community center and to officers.”
But instead of charging anyone with interfering with police, Gross said he will personally discuss officer safety and the legalities of his department serving a warrant with the center’s leaders.
“It shouldn’t have happened,” Gross said. “Our lives matter, too, and I will protect my troops to the utmost, because they have a right to go home safely.
“I personally want to go and have a discussion to solidify and ensure that we are respected, they are respected, but one thing that we should have in common, is that we should not be protecting criminals, especially those who wield guns,” Gross said, referring to allegations one of the teens had a gun.
Gross said of charging obstruction, “I don’t think it rises to that level.”
He added, “First, you have a discussion about what really happened and what the intent of the employees were. And then we can move from there . ... You want to see, how can we work around this, how can we come to an understanding, and that’s what we preach. If there’s something that’s of a disconnect, discuss it first, before you take drastic means.”
Police said that on Thursday, two undercover officers followed a teen suspect and another youth into the center, but as one officer grabbed one teen, the other came under attack. Backup officers then arrived at the scene but were prevented from entering and had to watch the beating through the glass doors.
The officers eventually got in and helped subdue a 16-year-old whom they said had a loaded .22-caliber revolver in his backpack. Two officers were transported to a nearby hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries.
Madison Park Development Corp., which operates the community center, said in a statement Monday: “We regret that one officer received a minor injury in the incident.”
Gross said he will reiterate to the center’s administrators how serious the situation was.
“Some people have a stereotypical view that we’re robots and that this is normal to get hurt or injured during an arrest, that is not the case,” Gross said. “That can be settled with a conversation. Maybe they’re not aware of that and I intend to make them fully aware, respectfully so.”