WORCESTER, Mass. — Dozens of Worcester residents filled City Hall on Tuesday night, many waiting outside the council chamber for a chance to speak against City Manager Eric Batista’s recommendation not to establish a civilian review board to oversee the city’s police department.
Public commenters urged city leaders to reconsider, arguing that Worcester has lagged behind other communities that have implemented civilian oversight.
“How long do the city residents need to wait for this city to have proper mechanisms like a civilian review board?” former City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj asked during the meeting. “Something that has been backed by data, by research and by models that this city can implement — how long?”
The debate comes as calls for greater police accountability have intensified in recent years following a U.S. Department of Justice report that detailed allegations of excessive force, racial bias and sexual assault during some arrests by members of the Worcester Police Department.
Residents have advocated for a civilian review board for decades, but the issue gained renewed momentum after the federal report and additional local research.
Last year, the Worcester Regional Research Bureau released a report concluding that the city was long overdue for an independent civilian review board.
During Tuesday’s meeting, several speakers criticized Batista’s decision to reject that recommendation.
“They have them across the nation. Worcester does not,” one resident said during public comment. “What’s wrong with Worcester?”
Another speaker said the recommendation undermined public confidence in local government.
“To see the city manager just completely ignore those recommendations, I feel like that must play a big part in why people don’t think voting is worth it,” the resident said.
Former Worcester police officer William Gardiner also addressed the council, saying he witnessed misconduct during his time with the department.
“From the time I was in the police academy, I was bullied and abused, verbally assaulted on a regular basis because I refused to behave poorly, and I refused to bend the law,” Gardiner said.
He argued that independent oversight remains necessary.
“They can’t police themselves, and these other organizations either don’t have the capacity or don’t have the will,” Gardiner said.
City manager cites recent reforms
Batista defended his recommendation, pointing to several reforms implemented by the city and police department in recent years.
Those initiatives include the rollout of body-worn cameras, anti-harassment training for officers, and the creation of a racial equity audit and public accountability dashboard.
In a letter to the City Council released Tuesday, Batista said the city’s existing oversight measures have strengthened accountability and transparency.
“Put simply, the multilayered framework that the municipality has built to strengthen its oversight, transparency, and review mechanisms is working,” Batista wrote. “Based on the findings and recommendations presented in this report, which weigh the benefits of an independent CRB against the significant resources required for it to be impactful, my recommendation is to not pursue a CRB.”
Batista also said allegations involving excessive use of force have declined significantly since 2023.
Despite the recommendation, many residents who attended Tuesday’s meeting said they plan to continue advocating for a civilian review board and expect to return for future City Council meetings as the discussion continues.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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