Worcester PD Upholds Complaint About Officer Calling Man 'Coward'

Worcester MA

14 October, 2021

6:24 PM

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WORCESTER, MA — A Worcester police internal investigation has upheld allegations in a complaint filed in August against an officer who called a resident a "coward" during a confrontation outside a WooSox game, according to documents. Nathan Sabo, founder of the Canal District Neighborhood Association, was approached by officer Dave Rutherford after an Aug. 1 game. Rutherford accused Sabo of being a "sniper" for taking photos of police officers assigned to patrol the Canal District during games, and then called Sabo a "coward" several times, according to the complaint. In a letter dated Oct. 7, Chief Steven Sargent notified Sabo that the complaint was "sustained." According to department policy, that means an investigation found "sufficient evidence to clearly prove the allegations made in the complaint." "This department is committed to high standards of professionalism, and misconduct by its personnel will not be condoned or tolerated," Sargent's said in the letter, which Sabo provided to Patch. The letter also said "appropriate administrative action" had been taken against Rutherford. The "sustained" ruling puts Sabo's complaint in the minority. In 2019, Worcester police reported that just 6 out of more than 100 complaints against officers ended up being "sustained." In August, Sabo said he and other neighbors were having trouble with parking and traffic around the newly opened Polar Park even though the WooSox had hired detail officers. Sabo said he began taking pictures of officers who were not visibly managing traffic and parking. He reasoned that officers had noticed him photographing them, and that he was targeted by Rutherford. The Worcester police Bureau of Professional Standards is in charge of collecting citizen complaints and investigating them. Misbehavior can fall under two main categories: "corruption" for behavior like theft and bribery; and "misconduct" for verbal abuse or harassment.