Council Votes Down Immigration Policing Review

Select Board · Meeting of October 6, 2026

CHICOPEE — The Chicopee City Council voted 9-4 to reject sending local immigration policing practices to its Public Safety Committee. Councilor Jessica Avery and Councilor Arriaga sponsored the referral, with Avery saying residents want to know "where's the money's coming from." Councilor Roy said Police Chief Watson's recently updated Department Policy 413 already complies with the state's Safe Communities Act, so "there's nothing else he can do." The council separately approved, 13-0, a zone change allowing builder Dave Labrie to construct six condominium units on James Street, and accepted a $369,043 federal grant, with a $41,005 city match, to assess infrastructure vulnerabilities on and off Westover Air Force Reserve Base. Residents including School Committee member Robert Canton urged the council to keep the Berry Elementary School project moving, warning a missed funding window means "a minimum of five years" before reapplying.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of October 6, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.