Area delegation divided on police reform
LOWELL » After a contentious summer rocked with protests following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Massachusetts legislators began a process to pass a police reform bill. The process culminated in the signing of the bill on Dec. 31 by Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican.
While the bill passed the House 107-51 and 31-9 in the Senate, Lowell-area legislators were divided on the bill. Those who voted to pass the bill include
Rep. James Arciero (D), Rep. Tami Gouveia (D), Sen. Ed Kennedy (D), Sen. Barry Finegold (D), and Sen. Michael Barrett (D).
Those who opposed the bill include Rep. Marc Lombardo (R), Rep. David Robertson (D), Rep. Tom Golden (D), Rep. Rady Mom (D) and Rep. Colleen Garry (D).
Perhaps the most significant change the bill will make establishes the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST). That commission, which will be composed of six civilians and three police officers, will be tasked with meting out punitive measures for police misconduct and maintaining a database of these disciplinary actions. POST will also oversee the licensure and revocation of police officers’ licenses, a system 46 other states have in place.
Other items in the bill include a statewide ban on police chokeholds and a tightening of restrictions on no-knock warrants, which led to the deaths of Floyd and Taylor, respectively. The bill also orders a study of structural racism in the state’s criminal justice system, including in correctional facilities and in parole and probation procedures. It also revokes qualified immunity for officers who have been decertified by POST.
Rep. Gouveia, whose district includes parts of Chelmsford, along with Concord, Carlisle and Acton, called the bill “a really strong piece of legislation that could potentially serve as a model for the rest of the country,” citing the part of the bill that created POST as one of its most important items. She applauded the bill for its inclusion of “citizen voice and oversight over police training and behavior.”
Gouveia, who said her partner is a 24-year police veteran, added that she appreciates the bill’s dual focus on training in de-escalation tactics for police officers and accountability for those officers who fail to use them. She added that her mostly liberal district overwhelmingly supported this legislation.
Sen. Kennedy of Lowell voted for the bill after hearing from constituents on both sides of the issue and “just about every call,” he said. Ultimately, he supported the bill largely because of the newly established commission’s ability to weed out “bad apples” in an otherwise good police unit.