The police department in Worcester, Massachusetts, allowed officers to engage in sexual contact with women suspected of being involved in the commercial sex trade, according to a report the U.
Justice Department released Monday following a two year investigation. The page report also found that the police department used excessive force, including the unjustified uses of tasers and police dogs and strikes to the head.
The findings raised concerns that the department engages in racially discriminatory policing, according to Justice Department officials. Worcester, the state's second-largest city with a population of about ,, is located 50 miles west of Boston. Attorney Joshua Levy for the District of Massachusetts said in a written statement. Brian T. Kelly, a lawyer representing the police department, said police and city officials have cooperated with the federal investigation.
A representative of Worcester City Manager Eric Batista said he expects to release a statement in coming days. The report makes a series of recommendations from improving training on the use of force, requiring officers to report misconduct, mandate the use of body-worn cameras and require supervisors to review footage to monitor officer performance.
The report also calls on the police department to provide training about permissible investigative techniques to enforce laws about buying and selling sex, including a complete prohibition on engaging in sexual contact for law enforcement purposes.
