Officer Misael Rodrigues is a 26-year veteran of the Springfield Police Department.
Officer Rodrigues was among officers who responded in November 2020 to a report of a disturbance at the Springfield home of a man who had repeatedly exhibited erratic behavior during interactions with police.
Arriving officers discovered the man yelling and acting in a volatile manner. The man began throwing things at police when they attempted to persuade him to go to the hospital for an evaluation.
An officer deployed a Taser but it had no effect on the man. The officers forced entry into the home. As Officer Rodrigues entered, the man appeared in the doorway swinging a hammer that struck Officer Rodrigues in the head.
The suspect was eventually subdued. Officer Rodrigues suffered severe but non life-threatening injuries.
Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl C. Clapprood visited Officer Rodrigues in the hospital, and later stated that his injuries show the danger in mental health clinicians responding to calls without police support.
“The behavior of the individual involved is often times violent and can cause serious harm or death in an instant,” Clapprood told the Springfield Republican.
Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno praised the bravery and restraint displayed by Officer Rodrigues and colleagues who were at the scene.
“These are the dangerous situations that our brave and dedicated police officers face day in and day out. Even with de-escalation efforts, this is how quickly an incident call can turn violent,” Sarno said.