Westborough Selectmen Approve Calls For Anti-Racism Training

WESTBOROUGH, MA — The Westborough Board of Selectmen issued a statement on Friday affirming its support for people of color in town and against systemic racism. The town joins hundreds of other towns in the Commonwealth taking action to address racism and continue the conversation about race in the nation.

The conversations were spurred by the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody when an officer knelt on his neck. Floyd's death reignited the Black Lives Matter movement and inspired protests across the country against systemic racism and calls to defund the police.

In the board's statement, the selectmen "condemn racist acts of oppression in all forms," and welcomed input from the public on the towns efforts to create an inclusive environment for all residents.

"The Board welcomes all community input, and in doing so we recognize that voices of color need to be prioritized as we work together to address racism," the statement reads.

The board outlined the initiatives that are in place to combat systemic racism including:

• De-escalation and anti-bias education in the Westborough Police Department. The training is ongoing and the department has access to mental health professionals as well.
• A police staffing model that provides a patrol supervisor on each shift.
• The addition of a traffic officer position, which the board said has significantly increased the number of public-police interactions
• 911 calls that are a mental health issue automatically have the fire department ambulance dispatched and are treated as a medical issue instead of a criminal issue.
• Public safety teams have access to interpretation services 24/7 as needed.
• Westborough Youth & Family Services funding increased more than 12 percent over the past four years

The board also outlined the initiatives and services they are calling to implement in the future:

• Funding of anti-racism/implicit and explicit bias training for all Town staff.
• A presentation by the Chief of Police to the Selectmen on WPD policies and procedures, including a statement regarding the department’s position on all elements of “8 Can’t Wait”, and status report of the WPD’s work to become accredited by the Commonwealth.
• Filling the three (3) open seats on the Diversity & Inclusion Committee with residents.
• Requesting the Economic Development Committee to explore ways to encourage minority-owned businesses to establish a business in Westborough / expand its business in Westborough.
• Promoting participation on Boards and Committees such that they reflect our diverse community.
• Continuing to partner with community organizations who promote anti-racism education and training.
• Encouraging the community to safely engage each other through conversation, with a foundation of kindness and courtesy, contacting law enforcement when public safety is genuinely threatened.

"As your elected Board we value our community’s diversity and recognize that equality and justice are not finite. By expanding both, no one is harmed, rather the community is strengthened for all and for generations to come," the statement reads.