More than half a dozen residents and community leaders used the Sept. 30 Committee of the Whole public‑comment period to criticize the Springfield Police Department’s leadership and to demand broader, public meetings and accountability.

Dr. Lisa Johnson accused former and current police management of mishandling incidents and said the department has resisted broad community dialogue. “This chief bail has openly stated that he also would not meet with the community at large,” she told the committee, adding that community members had raised concerns about disparate stops and use of force. Johnson’s remarks included allegations about past conduct by a former chief and continued mistrust of department practices; the committee transcript records her comments as public testimony rather than a formal complaint process.

James Johnson and other speakers urged the city to prepare for and respond to larger civic disruptions, argued for more inclusive public forums and criticized what they described as absent leadership from the mayor and police chief during recent community town halls.

Tiara Sandidge, a community organizer who has been active in protests after the 2023 death of Sonya Massey, told the committee she will not meet privately with the police chief and said the community wants public accountability. “I don’t wanna meet with the chief anymore. I don’t wanna meet with the chief with the alderman,” Sandidge said, adding that a town hall hosted by community groups drew more than 100 residents and that the mayor and chief chose not to attend.

Other speakers asked whether federal agencies such as ICE coordinate with local police; a police representative told the committee that Springfield’s officers do not perform immigration enforcement for ICE and that the department generally has no formal correspondence with immigration enforcement. Resident presenters also urged the committee to pursue Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognition and raised complaints about workplace racial slurs, rock‑throwing from underpasses, and barriers to small business participation in local contracts.

Committee members thanked attendees and several aldermen pledged follow‑up: one asked departmental staff to provide enforcement reports and minority participation data to track contracting goals; another offered to coordinate with community leaders on joint meetings that include multiple stakeholders. Several speakers said they will continue to press for public forums with the mayor and police leadership.