[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6261085,"mediaKeyId","3124757-8368671f670a4e06c29a1c83b6ab5ab7","parentId",3124757,"title","Councilors press police and city to map and address quality-of-life issues; decibel meters and targeted cleanup planned","audioSeconds",1087,"startMs",1038000,"endMs",2125000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3124757-8368671f670a4e06c29a1c83b6ab5ab7&start=1038&end=2125","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3124757-8368671f670a4e06c29a1c83b6ab5ab7/thumbnail_1038000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6261085/Holyoke-City/Hampden-County/Massachusetts/Councilors-press-police-and-city-to-map-and-address-quality-of-life-issues-decibel-meters-and-targeted-cleanup-planned","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261085-ef40017dfb3e0776ab7513842fa1c828/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168385&Signature=goJzmRde1gNVXWhJxgXQ9EsXTD0w2dztyOeflR~AUwZWS7RXSHJ5fW5aRNgnJv7iZrqM2iCjKZE9ZdgHoQXRCk7o1ntP-jluEkPrP6yypcZGDWvBdrUa6dGscasfnmjtRIwmLoM2lNWFuwzG85KkPXzxgtiIR8tHcIfzITEkfr~iPdOd4pqC9iMMycjLpQUsojhYXv10hBSTeoVPCGCRVeksPNiSQawOLfI6Ljkhoy4SNUXs4uDgVn6p14YcKRcyPBMB1AZZSOQldWb4Vu6LktAfxzhsbWTwNYWwAgCHHPO1Qe~x9jKTsVSitANmL6xLVsNAk5Ghiam4iVC3hgluFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Holyoke City, MA","date","2025-04-22T00:00:00Z","article","Councilors asked city leadership and the police to produce a comprehensive plan to tackle recurring quality-of-life complaints, including overflowing dumpsters, loud music, abandoned properties, ATVs, illegal open-air drug activity and neighborhood litter.

The order, filed by Councilor Kevin Jourdain and cosponsored by several councilors, asked the chief of police, the board of health director, the mayor and the law department to meet with the council to review current strategies, identify resource needs and present a map of current and planned services to achieve short- and long-term objectives.

Councilors described trash and overflowing dumpsters as a top constituent complaint. \"If we can make an example out of certain these landlords that are repeatedly doing it, we need to make it such a pain in their rear end that it's more expensive for them to pay the tickets and keep going to court than it is for them to bring the truck an extra time and empty the dumpster,\" Councilor Jourdain said.

Chief Brian Kean described recent and planned enforcement and cleanup activity: county crews helped clean the police parking lot, the department has targeted parks for open-air drug activity enforcement and the department joined a regional ATV unit. Kean said the department will pursue decibel meters for noise complaints if current units are not operational and that he will include equipment requests in an upcoming transfer for salaries to equipment.

Councilor Juan Anderson Burgos relayed a constituent's complaint about a loudspeaker event in August 2024 that included vulgar language. \"Hi, Juan, who is in charge of issuing permits for loudspeakers,\" Burgos read from a resident's message. \"We have a neighbor that's been playing and yelling since 6PM and it is now 09:36. And the cops said they have a permit till 10PM multiple calls to the police and they can do nothing.\"

Councilor Carmen Ocasio said she heard music from a campus event in her living room, underscoring the distance at which loud events can be heard. The chief said he will seek decibel meters, purchase equipment with available funds and continue targeted enforcement. The committee voted by voice to record the order as complied with.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Holyoke City Public Safety 04/22/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Holyoke councilors asked city leadership and the police to map services and develop a comprehensive plan to address repeated quality-of-life complaints, including trash, loud music, abandoned properties, ATVs, and open-air drug activity.","taxTitle","Holyoke City, Hampden County, Massachusetts","taxId",52807,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6261090,"Holyoke committee weighs moving parking enforcement to police, speed-trailer deployment and traffic staffing",2554,91000,2645000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3124757-8368671f670a4e06c29a1c83b6ab5ab7&start=91&end=2645","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3124757-8368671f670a4e06c29a1c83b6ab5ab7/thumbnail_91000.jpg","/articles/6261090/Holyoke-City/Hampden-County/Massachusetts/Holyoke-committee-weighs-moving-parking-enforcement-to-police-speed-trailer-deployment-and-traffic-staffing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261090-4c0555abd8e2969a108fdb4787a0d59c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168385&Signature=Absykuuw1omPRjbkI9b8k~BWBiSSHe1qjLo3xx23GPmysvPpxkTIYdNcNKCh-CU6bStmfSu908sJu8uEh8pc~8VbPKPAe53W-C0T1ff8ox3IP4GaexmIod6lasuv17JptxzGv6Nfa17gVCYNN71Wa8Eh4eZ8tYGQVJW9ei-vVh6XAK7Whp~4DMTy52OJlRXj2WXUOYKiT0qDrW5Es5HnWcvQ~f4IaccFjhDuxWcvREdX7BZywR3fSF15MLDejFCGm18F02YnSaqXTQqoN7UhowIm7fHyIE1LCEbZzoYjzpHK0f6hKLKT0HV8f1iNMhhs-fZAUl1A2ch9N3yX7JP7UQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Holyoke City Councilors at a June Public Safety Committee meeting discussed multiple traffic and enforcement items, including a request to make parking enforcement a subdivision of the police traffic division, stop-sign enforcement at Brown Avenue and Laurel Street, truck traffic and speed complaints on Homestead Avenue, illegal drag racing on Biblio Drive, deployment of speed trailers, and the city ordinance requiring a traffic squad.

Councilors opened discussion of an order filed by Councilor Israel Rivera asking the mayor, Department of Public Works and the Parking Advisory Committee to consider making parking enforcement part of the police traffic division. Chief Brian Kean said he was interested in transferring parking enforcement to the department: \"parking enforcement is certainly it falls under, in my opinion, the purview of the police department,\" Kean said. Because Councilor Rivera was absent, the committee tabled the item for a future meeting but noted the chief's interest.

The committee also reviewed an older order about installing a stop sign at Brown Avenue and Laurel Street. That item was referred to the Holyoke Police Department and the committee recorded the order as complied with.

Two items about truck traffic and illegal drag racing (Homestead Avenue and Biblio Drive) were tabled for future discussion; Councilor Bacon was not present to lead those items.

On speed trailers and data collection, Councilor Giffner asked for more frequent rotation so more neighborhoods would be covered. Sergeant Bartolome said the trailers are being moved regularly to collect data and that he would confirm ongoing deployment. The committee recorded the order for rotating speed trailers and for a public calendar of deployment as complied with.

Members discussed an ordinance (city ordinance section 5-50-42) that requires the police chief to designate six traffic officers. Chief Kean said the department lacks the bodies to meet that requirement because of recent losses and recruiting shortfalls. \"If I had 6 people, I would put them there,\" Kean said, noting recent unexpected departures and failed recruit fitness tests. He said the department is using grant money to augment traffic enforcement and has increased citations on traffic shifts.

Committee actions recorded in the meeting ranged from tabling several items to recording others as complied with. Where votes occurred they were taken by voice and recorded as \"Aye.\"","Committee discussed transferring parking enforcement to the police traffic division, implementation status of speed trailers, stop-sign installation, truck/drag-racing complaints, and a traffic-squad staffing shortfall tied to contract and hiring issues; several items were tabled or marked complied with.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6261095,"Holyoke committee: recruits now sworn in after academy; 13-week field training in place",705,345000,1050000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3124757-8368671f670a4e06c29a1c83b6ab5ab7&start=345&end=1050","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3124757-8368671f670a4e06c29a1c83b6ab5ab7/thumbnail_345000.jpg","/articles/6261095/Holyoke-City/Hampden-County/Massachusetts/Holyoke-committee-recruits-now-sworn-in-after-academy-13-week-field-training-in-place","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261095-29a6ba2d471c319d6e8f659bc7a6d0bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168385&Signature=T0-bcTwL9a0HlTzZnDRVv4sRj004~x57RMdFY-gcBpIXhNJhjX0z-vjnmUp5V6my8JnZ5zpkaoO1sAUNmfHtRKTyyyF3KGG~l4DVVIXfUXepGnFNilxbRD5eW6ZM~ec~CsqvlydHodZ04qDo4zXD056zYxjVgStK4zbcayQDI21AjwCnca24XX8TMIWQjaa7vXgppTGQw6NvOkKHO8IOKzJO~27txkQtr~L2LgZCxfHvTjQmgJOgNyssyl9aGbhEgIGkaql5N0V~U-Hfg4wtwUuOFSCvjzTcYkw2WqO9bOBvEnIe~lz0qWX0A1IINzsEiW7NSGmAPC9TVVwFKJoRHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a June meeting of the Holyoke City Council Public Safety Committee, councilors heard that the city now swears in police recruits only after they complete the police academy and that a 13-week field training program has been put in place.

Councilor Kevin Jourdain asked whether swearing recruits in before academy graduation could create pension or other long-term liabilities if recruits were injured in academy training. \"Does that, by swearing them in and they get injured at the police academy, does that now make them eligible for a disability pension?\" he asked.

Kelly, the city's human resources director, told the committee she had asked HR peers in other Western Massachusetts communities for comparisons and that most jurisdictions swear officers in after they graduate. \"But the practice has changed, and we do swear in after now,\" she said, adding the earlier practice had been used so recruits could receive a loan for academy equipment. Kelly said the city has worked with auditors and the treasurer to allow loans without formal swearing-in.

Chief Brian Kean described the field training program and other safeguards. \"There is a field training program, I believe it's 13 weeks, so no one goes directly to the street anymore,\" Kean said, referring to a program built on the San Jose model. Kean also said new recruits will sign a repayment agreement requiring them to reimburse the cost of the academy if they leave within five years.

Councilors and staff cited a January 2023 audit that criticized the city for putting officers on the street immediately after academy graduation. Kean said the department has implemented daily coaching, pairing recruits with the same field-training officer and that the first cohort completed the program successfully. He said tweaks are ongoing as the program develops.

Committee members pressed on staffing and cost exposure. Kelly confirmed that if a recruit were injured while not yet sworn in, the city would handle the claim under workers' compensation rather than a disability pension. Kean said the change reduces the city's exposure: \"If a recruit gets injured in the police academy, they're employed by this whole, we put them on workman's comp, we wouldn't put them on 1 11 F. And and that's it. But they which wouldn't trigger a disability pension or any other stuff and leave us exposed.\"

The committee voted by voice to mark the order requiring a city comparison of practices as complied with, and recorded that recruits will be sworn in after academy completion.

The committee also heard that the department is enforcing a pay-back requirement for academy costs for recruits who leave within five years; Kean said the change is intended to reduce turnover costs for the city.","The Public Safety Committee was told Holyoke has moved to swearing in police recruits after academy graduation and implemented a 13-week field training program; councilors pressed for clarity on pension and hiring impacts amid staffing shortfalls cited in a 2023 audit.","actionData","errors"]

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Councilors press police and city to map and address quality-of-life issues; decibel meters and targeted cleanup planned

Holyoke committee weighs moving parking enforcement to police, speed-trailer deployment and traffic staffing

Holyoke committee: recruits now sworn in after academy; 13-week field training in place