17 Pittsfield Officers on POST Misconduct DatabaseBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:18AM / Monday, August 28, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Seventeen Pittsfield Police officers can be found in the state's Peace Officer Training Standards Commission's misconduct database with allegations ranging from neglect of duty to racial bias and associating with known criminals.
Some of the incidents date back more than a decade.
"The POST Commission Report is one step towards increasing transparency between policing and communities. Pittsfield has, and will continue, to provide information to the POST Commission," Mayor Linda Tyer said in response to a request for comment.
"There are thousands of interactions between the police and the community in the course of any given year. Most of them occur without incident. Sometimes, however, police officers must be subjected to a review and disciplinary action. The purpose of the report is to provide communities with insight into those situations."
Last week, the POST Commission released a database of law enforcement agency disciplinary records containing more than 3,400 records from 273 law enforcement agencies that are updated through Jan. 31 of this year.
According to the POST Commission, the data reflects complaints and allegations that have been sustained by a "preponderance of evidence." Allegations that could not be sustained, were unfounded or exonerated are not included.
The reports include bias on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, etc.; complaints of excessive, prohibited, or deadly force; misrepresenting or falsifying reports or evidence; and criminal misconduct. It also lists any disciplinary measures.
Pittsfield is among the Berkshire County communities that contributed a misconduct report. It includes 17 officers with incidents ranging from 2006 to 2022.
Officer Darren Derby, who is known for his popular social media content on community engagement, was given a written reprimand in January 2022 for "Unlawful entry, seizure, search, or stop, Other Misconduct Other — conduct unbecoming, Other Misconduct — Unlawful entry, seizure, search, or stop, Criminal Conduct/ Other criminal conduct."
According to the report, this included improper seizure of cell phone, improper dissemination of official
information, improper search of cell phone, and illegal seizure of person and cell phone.
Also in 2022, Officer Steven Haecker was given a 30-plus day suspension for "Criminal Conduct / Other criminal conduct, Truthfulness or Professional Integrity / Other form of untruthfulness, Other Misconduct / Other / conduct unbecoming, Other Misconduct — Improper firearm usage or storage."
Allegation details are redacted but read "(Charged:Misdemeanor), Truthfulness or Professional Integrity (:), Other Misconduct (:), Other Misconduct (:)"
In 2012, Robert Horne was given disciplinary action for not being truthful and conduct unbecoming. The report alleges that he was giving inconsistent answers to internal affairs interview, gambling, associating with known criminals, and visiting prohibited establishments.
This case is the only one with the possibility of termination documented for Pittsfield officers.
Officer Matthew Kirchner received a written reprimand for harassment in 2022; Officer Brennon Stockton had complaints in 2018 for failing to "remove unwanted subject" and in 2020 for throwing a water bottle at a cruiser in frustration, receiving a written warning; and Officer Michael Schilling was disciplined in 2020 through retraining for a failure to follow procedures, an incomplete investigation and attempts to release a prisoner prior to arraignment and discard evidence.
Williamstown Police listed three officers whose misconduct dealt with misuse of the Criminal Justice Information Services. Officers Craig Eichhammer, Kevin Garner and Scott Skorpuski were all cited for accessing the system on the same date in 2021.
At the time, the force was in turmoil with the departure of the police chief and allegations of sexual harassment and racist behavior.
All three officers were suspended for one to five days and Eichhammer, who also had lewdness and assault complaints, was given a "last chance agreement."
Lanesborough Officer Brad Lepicier was suspended for insubordination in 2020; North Adams Officer Erik Thomas was suspended for excessive force in 2022 and "neglect of duty" in 2021; Sheffield Officer Matthew O'Sullivan has a number of misconduct complaints over the last several years, including violating policy, withholding details from reports, insubordination and racist language with disciplinary measures from retrainings to suspensions to termination.
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