SPRINGFIELD — On July 9, the City Council took the first step to provide additional funding to a seriously injured, now retired, police officer.
According to the website for the Violently Injured Police Officer Organization, Officer Misael Rodrigues, a 26-year veteran of the department, was one of the officers responding to a call in November 2020. “Officer Rodrigues was among officers who responded in November 2020 to a report of a disturbance at the Springfield home of a man who had repeatedly exhibited erratic behavior during interactions with police. Arriving officers discovered the man yelling and acting in a volatile manner. The man began throwing things at police when they attempted to persuade him to go to the hospital for an evaluation.
“An officer deployed a Taser but it had no effect on the man. The officers forced entry into the home. As Officer Rodrigues entered, the man appeared in the doorway swinging a hammer that struck Officer Rodrigues in the head.
“The suspect was eventually subdued. Officer Rodrigues suffered severe but non-life-threatening injuries.”
City Solicitor Stephen Buoniconti described the event as “tragic circumstances” and noted that many residents have asked the Sarno administration to “do something extra” based on the injuries.
The council approved allocating $500,000 out of the stabilization fund into the City Retirement Fund for Rodrigues.
Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce said this was a “very unique situation” and not an action for would be repeated for others. The action, which now has to be approved by the Legislature and the governor, would pay Rodrigues’ salary as an officer up until his retirement age. At that point he would receive 80% of his annual salary.
Buoniconti said the city’s finance team had to balance the needs of the injured officer with those of the city. He stressed that potentially any other similar situations involving first responders would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
In other actions, the council accepted a number of donations and grants that included: $1.12 million would be used to cover the wages of 911 dispatchers; $1.21 million to reimburse the city’s costs for gaming enforcement unit at MGM Springfield; and $369,000 from Department of Mental Health Jail/Arrest Diversion Program.
The last grant pays for three social workers from Behavioral Health Network to be available to accompany police officers to calls at which professional mental health professionals are needed, Springfield Police Lt. Julio Toledo explained to the councilors. Councilor Victor Davila said he didn’t think three were adequate and said he would support expanding the program in the future. He did vote for the grant’s acceptance.
The council also accepted a state grant to the city that will be administered by the Latino Economic Development Corporation of $500,000. Andrew Melendez, the executive director of the economic development group, explained that micro grants of $1,000 to $10,000 would be given to businesses that meet the program’s reequipments. Melendez explained the grants would be awarded over the next 18 months.
Councilor Tracye Whitfield suggested there should be a way to track and document the use of the micro grants.
The council also approved the plans for Eversource to do infrastructure improvements on Rencelau Street, Willard Avenue and Alton Street.
The council approved the first reading of a proposed ordinance that would extend a benefit to the city’s veterans. Any veteran with a veteran’s license plate would receive free parking at parking meters in the city.
Parking garages might not be included in the program unless the Springfield Parking Authority approves it.
The ordinance would read, “Any veteran who holds a Veteran License Plate, as defined bellow, shall be able to utilize all municipal parking meters in the city provided for in Chapter 385 without a fee to utilize said meter. A Veterans License Plate shall be defined as a license plate that is issued to a veteran, as defined by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 4, Section 7, clause 43, by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles that includes the wording ‘veteran’ on said plate. The veteran must be driving a vehicle with the Veterans License Plate on the vehicle to be able to utilize the municipal parking meters referenced above without a permit of fee. This ordinance shall not extend to any veteran that is utilizing a vehicle without a Veterans License Plate. This ordinance shall not be interpreted to include a veteran’s usage of a handicapped parking spot without the required placard.”
The next meeting of the council will be Aug. 19.
