We had the opportunity to speak with new Fall River Police Chief Jeffrey Cardoza on Wednesday, one day after his appointment received unanimous confirmation from the City Council.
Chief Cardoza was appointed by Mayor Paul Coogan to serve as the city’s next leader of the police department in early May. A 30-year veteran of the force, he takes over during a time when the country is facing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and racial tensions around the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.
The chief believes Floyd’s death should be considered murder and he is concerned that continued mistreatment of minorities by police is overshadowing the good work done by officers every day. During demonstrations held in the city last week, Chief Cardoza made a point to speak with participants to hear their concerns. He said he is actively working to change how Fall River officers handle arrests.
A rallying cry at protests has been a call to defund police, a method of using the threat of budget cuts to effect change. Chief Cardoza feels there are better options available to bring about reform than cutting local police funding.
With police officers usually the lead respondents on public safety calls, they often find themselves in a situation for which they are not adequately trained. The chief believes there are ways to collaborate with other social service professionals who can aid in handling these calls.
Chief Cardoza enters the job bringing with him years of experience in community policing. He was part of the initial corps of officers who initiated the program in Fall River in the 1990s. The chief hopes to expand community policing, starting with actively communicating with the city’s neighborhood associations.
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