DARRC Coalition

After viewing the NBC10 story reported by Investigative Reporter, Ryan Kath Thursday
evening, the members of the DARRC Coalition of Brockton are firmly committed to continuing
efforts the group has expended for the past two years to seek transparency and accountability
from the Brockton Police Department (BPD) and other city and state officials. The cover up of the multiple vehicle crash caused by former Police Chief Emmanuel Gomes on May 15, 2021 in Bridgewater is a devastating recent example of the standard response from BPD when Brockton residents seek transparency. The DARRC Coalition, their partners, and affiliates in Brockton Interfaith Community and MCAN - Massachusetts Communities Action Network are continuing to seek accountability and establish a Civilian Review Board to oversee the handling of disciplinary matters involving Brockton’s Police Department.

The response from BPD, City Hall, specifically former City Council President Winthrop Farwell and Mayor Sullivan, to these and other incidents including Gomes’ accident, has been consistent in the city denying any wrongdoing. Mayor Sullivan has continuously cited the need to speak with legal counsel but has not followed up in any way. The Mayor’s repeated response of not making hasty decisions has been a repeated position to deflect and support the ongoing inaction by city government officials. The total disregard of transparency, accountability and public concern are the reasons why we, the people, have to hold public officials and the police force accountable to reimagine what public safety should look like.

WE CALL FOR THE CREATION OF A CIVILIAN LED REVIEW BOARD and A COMPLETE RETHINKING AND REWRITING OF THE POLICE USE OF FORCE POLICY WITH EQUAL INPUT FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS CHOSEN BY THE COMMUNITY.