Crime & Safety
Feds Close Worcester Police Investigation Without Further Action, City Says
A federal civil rights investigation that scrutinized the Worcester Police Department for nearly four years has ended.
WORCESTER, MA — A federal civil rights investigation that scrutinized the Worcester Police Department for nearly four years has ended without further action, city officials announced Friday.
The U.S. Department of Justice informed Worcester officials Thursday that it had closed its investigation without sustaining allegations contained in its 2024 report, according to the city. The decision means the department will not pursue a consent decree or other federal enforcement action against the city or police department.
The DOJ had opened the investigation in November 2022 to examine whether Worcester police engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force or discriminatory policing based on race or sex.
In a December 2024 report, federal investigators said Worcester police used excessive force, including unjustified uses of Tasers, police dogs and strikes to the head. Investigators also found the department had allowed some undercover officers to have sexual contact with women suspected of participating in the commercial sex trade.
The report raised additional concerns about accounts of officers sexually assaulting women under threat of arrest, other sexual misconduct and possible racially discriminatory policing. Worcester officials and police unions disputed the findings, calling the report inaccurate and criticizing its methodology.
The DOJ has not issued a public statement about the Worcester decision. Its 2024 findings report remained available on the department’s website as of Monday.
“I want to thank the DOJ for recognizing the positive steps the WPD has taken to strengthen its policies and practices and for their thorough attention to this matter,” City Manager Eric D. Batista said in a statement. “I also want to thank Chief Saucier and the entire department for working cooperatively with the DOJ and for their work every day that helps make Worcester one of the safest mid-sized cities in the country.”
“While the DOJ investigation may be closed, we remain committed to proactive evaluation and improvement,” Batista said.
Worcester has continued making policy and training changes since the report was released. The city launched public resources tracking its response in July 2025, including a timeline of police initiatives and updates on recommendations from a separate racial equity audit.
Those efforts have included seeking state accreditation, purchasing new internal affairs software and providing color-of-law training to about 400 officers, according to the city.
The closure also follows a broader change in federal policing policy. In May 2025, the DOJ announced it was retracting findings or ending investigations involving eight other law enforcement agencies, saying federal consent decrees can improperly shift control of local police departments to courts and monitors.
Worcester officials said their police improvement work began before the 2024 report and will continue despite the end of federal scrutiny.
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