New Worcester Police Chief Picked After Sargent's Sudden Retirement

"Saucier has been a leader in the department for years as he has rose through the ranks from patrolman to Deputy Chief in 2016. I am confident he will lead our department with honor and integrity," Batista said in a news release.

Police officer Robert Belsito, who filed the complaint that led to that investigation into Sargent's behavior, is threatening to sue the city over allegations that Sargent harassed him, the Worcester Telegram has reported.

Belsito accused Sargent of driving his cruiser toward him aggressively in an April 15 incident. Sargent is also accused of retaliating against Belsito by attempting to eliminate the court unit he works for, according to the newspaper.

In April 2021, Sargent attended a Board of Health meeting in which some members accused him of lying about racism in the police department. Member David Fort accused Sargent of "literally lying" as Sargent had previously said he has seen no racism in the department.

Fort, who is Black, said he had encountered racism with Worcester police, including an incident where he was held at gunpoint in front of his white friends.

Sargent responded in a statement at the time that he would not respond to "toxic rhetoric," though he didn't mention Fort by name.

Sargent served as deputy chief before his promotion in 2016.

City Manager Eric Batista thanked Sargent for his years of service to the city.

“Throughout his tenure, the City achieved a significant decline in the rate of crime as Chief Sargent led with an emphasis on community policing and optimized the department by restructuring and tailoring its operations to the community,” Batista said in a statement.

Sargent became chief in 2016 after leading the department's operations division — the same division Saucier most recently led.