Radio Roundtable Examines Worcester’s Civilian Review Board Debate

“This is a city council that does not want to have a citizen review board for the Worcester Police Department. The votes aren’t there, so it’s not going to happen.”

By-Editorial Staff
Graphic – Radio Worcester

WORCESTER, MA-This episode of the Radio Roundtable examines Worcester City Manager Eric Batista’s decision not to recommend a civilian review board for police oversight.

Panelists Hank Stolz, Ben White, George Russell, and Randy Feldman,look at the politics surrounding the decision and ponder what the board would look like if it did go ahead. “This is a city council that does not want to have a citizen review board for the Worcester Police Department. The votes aren’t there, so it’s not going to happen.” said Stolz in arguing that regardless of what the City Manager put forward you’re not going to see a Civilian Review Board. George Russell noted “This council is a very conservative council. It made a real move to the right.” He also noted that “The reason why this was held was so that they could talk about it for a month… the progressives that want to use it as an issue to try and turn that council around.”

The discussion addresses the role of independent oversight in police accountability, and recent police misconduct settlements. With Randy Feldman noting a recent settlement by the city to twelve individuals who had brought suit in the wake of a George Floyd protest in Worcester, “You don’t give away $825,000 as go away money. You give that away when you believe that there is going to be evidence that there was misconduct”

The panel also examines the political composition of the current city council, the tactics used by both supporters and opponents of the review board, and whether existing city administration oversight provides adequate checks on police conduct.