Former Worcester Chief Gets Vacation, Health Benefits With Pension Approval Pending

WORCESTER, MA — Former Worcester police chief Steven Sargent will receive some compensation tied to his old job with his retirement request still pending, according to a city spokesperson.

Former chief Steven Sargent retired abruptly on Aug. 31 following publicity around a 2021 internal investigation into Sargent's treatment of another officer in the department.

Sargent's retirement won't be official until the Worcester Retirement Board approves his pension request. The board is set to meet Thursday to consider Sargent's pension along with 11 other retiring city employees.

While Sargent awaits his pension approval, he will receive pay through accrued vacation and sick time. He is also receiving healthcare benefits for 30 days starting Aug. 31, a spokesperson for City Manager Eric Batista confirmed. Sargent is not otherwise receiving any kind of severance pay, Batista's office said.

According to the Worcester Retirement Board, Sargent is asking for a pension option that provides him a full benefit, plus two-thirds of that amount for any surviving beneficiary if he dies. Sargent, a 37-year department employee, earned about $267,000 as chief in 2022, according to city records.

Although Sargent's retirement was announced before it was formally approved by the retirement board, that kind of move is not unusual. The retirement board meets about once per month, and regularly approves retirement requests that were made before a given meeting. The Sept. 14 meeting, for example, includes requests from two employees that were made in August. The board last met to consider retirement requests on Aug. 17 — and that meeting's agenda included employees who requested pension approvals as far back as June.

Former deputy chief Paul Saucier was appointed on Aug. 31 to take over as interim chief as the city searches for a permanent candidate. Saucier, 57, joined Worcester police in 1994, and has recently led the department's recent efforts to acquire new technology, including the resource management software ShotSpotter Connect and the department's first drone.