Gregg Bigda
Service Record
Springfield Massachusetts Police Department
| Rank | Officer |
| Dates of Service | Hired in 1984.[1] |
| Salary | $68,120[2] |
| Last Known Status | Suspended[3] |
Incident Reports
A reporter wrote that Bigda has been the subject of over two dozen civilian complaints and was disciplined for threatening a former girlfriend.[4]
2004 Arrest of Mr. Douglas
Douglas claimed that Bigda punched him in the jaw and beat him as he fell to the ground.[5]
Response Timeline
2016 Arrest of Teenagers
On February 26, 2016, Officer Steven Vigneault left his unmarked police cruiser running while he went inside a restaurant to pickup a pizza. Four teens stole the cruiser, which was spotted about two hours later by a Wilbraham Massachusetts Police Department officer. Palmer Massachusetts Police Department officers deployed "stop sticks" to flatten the vehicle's tires. One boy surrendered, and two were tracked by police dogs, while one escaped.[5][6]
Bigda kicked two of the teens in the face while they were on the ground in handcuffs.[7] Bigda spat on a teen, and said, "Welcome to the white man's world."[8]
After the arrest, Bigda interrogated the juveniles separately, without their parents' presence, and without advising them of their Constitutional rights. Bigda threatened each of them several times, including the threat of physical violence and to frame one of them for crimes that he had not committed.[8] The interviews were captured on video.[9] Bigda told one teen that his department did not have surveillance cameras in the interrogation rooms and threatened to beat the teen for lying. Bigda called one teen "a fucking degenerate" and "retarded". Bigda told another teen that he was "not hampered by the truth".[5]
Response Timeline
In 2016, Vigneault resigned.[7]
On September 23, 2016, Bigda was suspended for 60 days without pay for his actions during the interrogation. The suspension came after the 90-day window for firing an officer had passed.[1]
On December 7, 2016, the suspension ended and Bigda returned to the department, where he was reassigned to the Records Division.[1]
In 2017, the charges against one of the teens - identified as "F.E." - were dismissed due to the actions of the police.[7]
In 2018, Bigda was indefinitely suspended without pay.[3]
On August 28, 2018, "F.E." filed a lawsuit against Bigda, Vigneault, Captain Rupert Daniel, Massachusetts State Trouper Matthew Baird, and the city. The boy claimed that he was beaten by Bigda and bitten by a police dog while in custody.[7]
On October 25, 2018, Bigda was federally charged with use of excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment, abusive interrogation in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, and filing a false report.[3][10] Bigda faced up to 15 years behind bars if convicted.[11]
On October 25, 2018, Bigda was suspended without pay.[5]
On December 13, 2021, a jury found Bigda not guilty.[3][10][5]
On December 17, 2021, Bigda was placed on administrative leave with pay.[5]
On June 10, 2020, one of the teens - identified as "D.R." - filed a lawsuit against Bigda, Luke Cournoyer, Rupert Daniel, the police commissioner, and the city.[12]
On February 3, 2022, the city settled D.R.'s civil lawsuit for $262,000.[5][13]
In April 2022, the city settled F.E.'s civil lawsuit.[5]
2016 Home Intrusions
On March 12, 2016, Bigda entered the home of an ex-girlfriend without permission on two occasions. In the first intrusion, Bigda confronted his ex-girlfriend and her married boyfriend - both also Springfield police officers - and threatened "to destroy you two". Bigda returned later, fell drunkenly, and left. Bigda was armed on the second intrusion.[5]
The ex-girlfriend reported the incident to the East Longmeadow Police Department.[5]
Response Timeline
The Springfield Police Department opened an investigation.[5]
On March 14, 2016, the ex-girlfriend obtained a restraining order against Bigda.[5]
The East Longmeadow Police Department asked the local court to charge Bigda with two counts of breaking and entering, and trespass.[5]
The court did not bring criminal charges.[5]
On April 3, 2016, while still under a restraining order, Bigda drove to his ex-girlfriend's house, where he hocked his horn and screeched his tires.[5]
The East Longmeadow Police Department asked the local court to charge Bigda for violating the restraining order.
The court did not bring criminal charges.[5]
On July 29, 2016, Bigda was suspended for 10 days, with pay.[5]
2022-2024 Recertification Process
In July 2022, Bigda's one-year state certification expired and he applied for recertification.[5]
On July 30, 2022, the department informed the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission that Bigda "does not possess the required good moral character and/or is not fit for employment as a law enforcement officer".[5] (See below).
On October 20, 2022, the POST Commission denied Bigda's application for recertification.[5]
In March 2023, Bigda appealed the decision to the POST Commission's Executive Director.[5]
On May 31, 2023, the Executive director denied Bigda's application for recertification.[5]
Bigda appealed the decision.[5]
On January 8, 2024, a Hearing Officer recommended that Bigda's application for recertification be denied.[5]
The department moved Bigda to unpaid status.[14]
On April 22, 2024, the POST Commission unanimously rejected Bigda's application for recertification.[15]
2023 OWI
On October 1, 2023, officers stopped a vehicle that was unable to maintain the lane of travel. Bigda admitted to drinking and officers observed that Bigda was "speaking with an extremely thick tongue, slurring his words, and his eyes were glassy". Bigda showed "significant balance issues" during a field sobriety test.[16]
Response Timeline
Bigda was arrested for operating under the influence of alcohol.[16]
Bigda was suspended for five days without pay.[16]
The incident will be reviewed by the Springfield Board of Police Commissioners.[16]
LEO Ratings
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Patrick Johnson, From a stolen cruiser to excessive force indictments: A timeline of Springfield police officers Gregg Bigda and Steven Vigneault, MassLive, 2018-10-31
- ↑ Gregg Bigda A Police Officer City Of Springfield, govSalaries
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Taylor Knight, Should Springfield Officer Bigda get his job back?, WWLP, 2021-12-14
- ↑ Stephanie Barry, Footage shows Springfield Detective Gregg Bigda's threats to teen suspects; legal experts say some tactics cross line, MassLive, 2016-11-06
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 Initial Decision of the Presiding Officer, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, 2024-01-08
- ↑ Stephanie Barry, Springfield police pizza run led to stolen undercover car, chase and allegations of excessive force, reports show, MassLive, 2016-07-13
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Stephanie Barry, 'Welcome to white town,' Springfield detective Gregg Bigda allegedly told Hispanic suspect, federal lawsuit says, MassLive, 2018-09-29
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 U.S. v Bigda and Vigeault Indictment, U.S. District Court, 2018-10-25
- ↑ Springfield detective Gregg Bigda interrogates teens in jail cell, MassLive, 2016-11-05
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 U.S. v Bigda Jury Verdict, U.S. District Court, 2021-12-13
- ↑ Stephanie Barry, Springfield police detective Gregg Bigda found not guilty of brutality, abusive interrogation, MassLive, 2021-12-13
- ↑ D.R. v Bigda et al, U.S. District Court, 2020-06-10
- ↑ Stephanie Barry, Springfield to pay out $262K over arrest involving juvenile, suspended Police Officer Gregg Bigda, Mass Live, 2022-02-09
- ↑ Stephanie Barry, Springfield Police Officer Gregg Bigda off payroll after POST upholds decertification, Mass Live, 2024-01-09
- ↑ Final Decision, Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, 2024-04-22
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Kristin Burnell,Springfield police officer placed on leave following OUI arrest, Western Massachusetts News, 2023-10-03
Recent articles: Joshua Nahulu, Shevoy Brown, Thomas Mascia, Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas (2019), Gerald Goines
To check for incidents in your area, please use the search page or try a random incident.
