SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- A federal judge terminated the Springfield Police Department’s consent decree on Thursday, ending four years of federal monitoring.

The oversight began in 2018 when a federal investigation into the Springfield Police narcotics bureau uncovered a pattern of excessive force. By April 2022, a formal complaint was filed in federal court and the consent decree was born.

To exit the decree, the department had to clear two bars: full compliance with all material requirements and proof of sustained, ongoing improvement. The judge said Thursday both were met.

Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers said the decision was emotional. “It felt great. It was actually emotional because we all put a lot of hard work into this,” he explained. “And I can’t go without thanking the women and men of the Springfield Police Department who also had a big part in this.”

The compliance committee and the judge agreed. The court cited significant improvements in supervisory accountability, investigative policies, and a growing emphasis on data-driven decision-making. Use of force, particularly in severe cases, has seen a significant reduction over the last two to three years.

The city spent four years and $8 million on new body cameras. That investment went largely into new technology: the cameras now activate automatically, removing what officials call the “human error” of an officer forgetting to hit record in a high-stress moment.

“Just because this consent decree is terminated, we are not going to let our foot off the pedal,” Akers added. “We’re going to continue, full steam ahead. We’re still going to be a community-oriented department.”

The judge acknowledged no department can eliminate every mistake, but said the goal was always to improve. He said Springfield has done exactly that.

Springfield City Solicitor Steven Buoniconti presented the numbers in court: the Springfield Police Department averages 155,000 calls for service per year. Out of those, only about 300 involve any use of force, or 0.014 percent. Before the decree, Buoniconti said those numbers were more than double and critically, back then, there was no requirement to report them all.

Buoniconti added the state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training POST Commission will keep the department accountable going forward. Every single use-of-force incident must be reported. If an officer doesn’t follow the rules, they can lose their certification.

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