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SPRINGFIELD (WBZ NewsRadio) — Six Springfield City Councilors call the continued employment of Detective Gregg Bigda a "stain on the city" in a new letter to the Police Commissioner, calling for the Detective acquitted of brutality-related charges to be fired.
Bigda was charged with civil rights violations and the use of excessive force related to a 2016 incident, where Bigda allegedly punched and kicked teenage auto theft suspects, threatened their lives, and falsified a police report, along with other alleged police misconduct. In December, Bigda was acquitted of the charges by a federal jury. The detective has been put back on the city payroll, but has not been reassigned to a shift yet.
The letter by councilors to Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood says the city should sever its relationship with Bigda, reading in part: "With time and effort, we strongly believe that it's possible for our community to heal. However, this is only possible by swiftly removing officers like Bigda, whose mere presence is damaging to our police department and their reputation."
The city law department is reviewing future actions.
Mayor Dom Sarno called for Bigda's firing following his aquittal, putting out a statement reading: “I am not the appointing authority, that rests with Commissioner Clapprood. However, this has been a stain and dark cloud hanging over our department for well over six years. I have seen the video tape. My feeling is there is no place for him on the force.”
WBZ's John Baiback (@JohnBaiback)reports from the WBZ NewsRadio Springfield Bureau:
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