MA: Mayor is ‘pissed off’: Union Station disturbances spur call for end of free busing

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno is calling for an end to free busing and zero tolerance for unruly gangs of teens after witnessing an out-of-control gathering of 50 to 70 youths at Union Station that drew dozens of police Monday night.

The incident wasn’t just a one-off that Sarno happened to witness after mailing a letter at the post office across the street. He said it’s been a regular problem, causing a danger for regular bus and train riders, and taking police from their neighborhood patrols.

“I’m pissed off. Pissed off. We worked so hard to bring back Union Station, and I want people to feel safe,” Sarno said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

One of the reasons Union Station has become a gathering space for groups of teens is the fare-free Pioneer Valley Transit Authority busing program that started in the fall 2023 and is due to expire at the end of June, Sarno said.

The youths take “joy rides” and congregate at the transportation hub on Frank B. Murray Street at all hours, he said.

While the state subsidies creating the free busing have been lauded by some as a lifeline when costs of gas and groceries are skyrocketing, Sarno said vouchers for struggling families could do the same thing to help people heading to work, school and to necessary appointments.

Officials for the PVTA did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon.

The incident he witnessed Monday took place at about 8:15 p.m., when 50 to 70 teens congregated between bus bays one and seven. The gathering escalated into a disturbance, prompting officers from across the city to respond, Sarno and Police Superintendent Lawrence E. Akers said.

By 9 p.m., a 16-year-old from Springfield was handcuffed, charged with resisting arrest, and assault and battery on a police officer, after he kicked, pulled officers’ hair and slugged several responders. A 14-year-old girl from Holyoke was charged with causing a disturbance. Both were also issued trespass notices, banning them from Union Station, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman.

“That young lady said, ‘If I had a gun, I’d shoot all you cops,’” Sarno said.

Those types of disturbances are “frequent” at Union Station. Since Sunday, law enforcement has made eight arrests, including one person who has been arrested three other times. This week, a Springfield officer injured, and likely broke, his wrist, and in May an Amtrak officer, who also provides security at Union Station, broke his finger, both while making arrests, said Lt. Brian Elliott, metro unit supervisor.

Police statistics show there were 225 calls for service at Union Station in May. Of those, 74 reports were about incidents where police had some type of involvement, such as telling people to move on or handling an overdose. A total of 20 arrest reports were written, with nine for trespassing, nine on warrants and two disturbances. Some of the arrest reports included more than one person, Walsh said.

The one fortunate thing is there have been few weapons arrests in the recent past at Union Station, Walsh said.

“None of you want to endure the swearing, the anti-social behavior, all that goes along with group thinking,” Elliott said. “These kids are creating a microenvironment of danger and crime.”

Officers aren’t against kids, but this kind of behavior is happening across the country, not just in Springfield, he said.

“I’m here to tell you it is over here at Union Station,” Elliott said. “I guarantee you that we will be here. ... I guarantee we will arrest when necessary.”

A year ago, the city launched the Safe Travelers program that provided a public safety and hospitality program aimed at improving security and making the atmosphere more welcoming at Union Station. That included regular patrols of police and sheriff’s deputies, Akers said.

“This is our city’s major transportation hub, and we need people to feel safe,” Akers said. “Recently, right here in Union Station, we have experienced some incidents that have raised some safety concerns. Our officers are working diligently inside and outside the station to make sure that everyone’s safety and well-being is taken care of.”

The problem now is an “overwhelming number” of teens are using Union Station as a meeting spot after school and during the day while they should be in class, causing concern and even fear for people who rely on public transportation, he said.

There are huge numbers of teens who are doing great things in the city, and Akers said he doesn’t want his officers to have to clash with students. He urged parents to help.

“We are not going to allow anyone to continue to endanger the people who need the services here,” he said. “For those who are causing all the problems, please take it somewhere else.”

The concern is not just for bus and train riders. When Union Station was renovated in a multimillion dollar project, it created spaces for businesses. Now employees and clients of the Congressman Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, the architecture firm Dietz & Co. and several retail businesses have to deal with the throngs of teens, said Timothy Sheehan, chief economic development officer for the city.

Over the past year, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, which owns the station, has been enhancing security at Union Station with the Police Department and private agencies, he said.

“The security tab for this building alone is over $1 million a year, and it is an important investment because this station actually represents a major redevelopment effort in downtown,” Sheehan said.

A crackdown will mean zero tolerance for disturbances. People will be asked to leave once, and then face arrest and trespass orders, he said.

Akers and Sarno threatened frequent arrests if needed. Sarno added he is hoping Juvenile Court will back him up and dole out serious punishments for those who break the law.

Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi issued a statement, saying some of the problems at Union Station have been caused when deputies stopped patrolling there on April 12 because of a restructuring of the budget that cut funds to the agency.

But Sarno and Akers disputed that, saying the sheriff’s deputies have been replaced with police officers who provide a presence at Union Station at nearly all hours of operation.

“I have as many people in place now as I did before,” Akers said.

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