Two of 3 Hinsdale Officers Involved in Kauvil Shooting Won't Return
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| Board members Raymond Huntoon and Margaret Gregory declined to share Police Chief Shawn Boyne's retirement letter. He has been on medical leave since January and his retirement date will be set by the Berkshire County Retirement Board. At right is Town Administrator Robert Graves. |
HINSDALE, Mass. — Seven months after being placed on leave only one officer involved in the fatal police shooting of 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil in January has returned to duty.
The Select Board accepted Police Chief Shawn Boyne's letter of intention to retire during Wednesday's board meeting.
"We've got a lot to do. We've got to build a department again, but we'll survive," board member Raymond Huntoon said in a follow-up.
Two of the three Select Board members were present, with Huntoon serving as chair because the chairman was absent.
Huntoon and Margaret Gregory both voted to accept Boyne's letter of intention to retire. The retirement will not be official until the Berkshire County Retirement Board sets an effective date, Huntoon said later.
The board did not read Boyne's retirement letter aloud during Wednesday's meeting and did not discuss the matter further. iBerkshires' request for the letter under public records was rejected with board members saying it contained medical information.
Despite the attention the situation has received online, the meeting was lightly attended, with about a dozen people in attendance.
Peru Police Chief Bruce Cullett has been serving as Hinsdale's chief during Boyne's absence and will continue in that role. The town currently has a one-year contract with Peru, with the agreement running through November 2027.
It was announced on the town's website that Sgt. Dominick Crupi returned to duty on Monday, Aug. 10, following his medical leave. Crupi was injured by two gunshots during January incident — when the gun in Kauvil's possession discharged and by another officer.
According to the announcement, Crupi has completed his return-to-duty psychological fitness evaluation, physical and medical clearance, use-of-force refresher training, Municipal Police Training Committee in-service training, firearms qualification and taser recertification.
The other officer involved in the shooting, Officer Jeffrey Spratt, chose not to return to the position and is in the process of applying for disability.
Spratt was identified as the officer who accidently shot Crupi during the struggle and killed Kauvil. Boyne was hit when Kauvil's gun discharged and the bullet lodged in his bullet proof vest.
Police had been trying to restrain Kauvil, who was having a mental health incident. They were aware he had a firearm's license but not that he was armed at the time.
The District Attorney's Office determined the officers had acted lawfully but strongly recommended a review of the department's policies and training. Two Dalton officers had also responded to the incident and Dalton Police suspended its mutual aid agreement with Hinsdale.
Within months of the incident, Spratt decided he was not coming back, realizing that this is not the type of work he wants to do, Huntoon said, and the town has been financially unable to hire a replacement while officers were still on paid medical leave.
The Select Board was unwilling to release Boyne's letter of intent to retire, citing concerns that it contains medical information.
When asked directly whether the letter cited Kauvil's death as a reason for his retirement, Huntoon said, "No, he didn't mention that."
Instead, Boyne's decision stems from health concerns, his age and the strain of a job that was more demanding than he expected when he was hired to lead a small-town police department, Huntoon said.
During the meeting, Gregory expressed concerns surrounding the department's response times outlining an experience she had on Sunday, where she called the police around 9:51 p.m. but did not see a state trooper arrive until 10:45 p.m.
"We're here to protect the town and make sure we're getting the aid that we need. That did not happen," she said in a follow-up with the media.
Call priority depends on the details relayed, Cullett was not apprised of the specific incident so did not know how the State Police prioritized that specific shots-fired report.
He also mentioned that departments get numerous shots fired calls in rural communities because of hunting.
Boyne's decision comes amid ongoing scrutiny the town has faced following the fatal police shooting of Kauvil during a mental health crisis in January.
During a special town meeting in March, Hinsdale voters approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the Police Department.
The town hired Daigle Law Group to conduct an independent review of the department's policies, procedures, operations, and organizational practices but not without criticism.
Some community members disagreed with the choice of consultant believing it to be a conflict of interest because Boyne and principal attorney Eric Daigle both previously worked for the Connecticut State Police.
Throughout the review's public session in June, attendees repeatedly sought actionable answers to their concerns but were often told, essentially, that the analysis was still in its early stages, so recommendations could not yet be made.
Items that attendees wanted the report to address included:
Recommendations on rebuilding the rift and trust between the town, residents, and bordering departments.
The need for body cameras was also emphasized, with one attendee highlighting that the only reason people know what happened during the mental health call in January was that Dalton Police responded.
More information on the public information session here.
Tags: police chief, retirement,
