Editing Agawam, Massachusetts (section)

==Government==
[[Image:Agawam Town Hall.jpg|thumb|150px|Agawam town hall]]
Agawam is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "The town of" in their official names.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cisctlist/ctlistalph.htm | title=CIS: Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates }}</ref> Agawam adopted a city form of government effective January 1, 1973, comprising a 15-member city council and a town manager. Since May 1989 a mayor is the elected leader of the city. The current city council consists of eleven members elected at large by the voters and is the legislative branch of the town government.

The current mayor of Agawam is Christopher Johnson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.agawam.ma.us/204/Office-of-the-Mayor |title=Office of the Mayor |publisher=The Town of Agawam |access-date=January 2, 2024 }}</ref>

On the state level, Agawam is represented in the [[Massachusetts Senate]] by [[John Velis]], and in the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] by [[Nicholas Boldyga]]. Agawam is located in the Eighth [[Massachusetts Governor's Council]] district and is represented by Tara Jacobs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Councillors|url=https://www.mass.gov/info-details/councillors|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref> On the federal level, Agawam is part of [[Massachusetts's 1st congressional district]], represented by [[Richard Neal]]; it is represented in the [[United States Senate]] by [[Ed Markey]] and [[Elizabeth Warren]].

{| class=wikitable
! colspan = 6 | Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 15, 2008<ref>{{cite web|title = Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 15, 2008 | publisher = Massachusetts Elections Division | access-date = May 8, 2010 | url = http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/st_county_town_enroll_breakdown_08.pdf}}</ref>
|-
! colspan = 2 | Party
! Number of Voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| align = center | 6,259
| align = center | 30.88%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| align = center | 3,161
| align = center | 15.60%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| Unaffiliated
| align = center | 10,697
| align = center | 52.78%
|-
| {{party color cell|Libertarian Party (United States)}}
| [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]]
| align = center | 152
| align = center | 0.75%
|-
! colspan = 2 | Total
! align = center | 20,269
! align = center | 100%
|}

===Law enforcement===

The Agawam Police Department has about fifty full-time sworn law enforcement officers and about eight support personnel. The department is responsible for law enforcement at the [[Six Flags New England]] amusement park and the [[Feeding Hills, Agawam, Massachusetts|Feeding Hills]] district.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Police Department {{!}} Agawam, MA|url=https://www.agawam.ma.us/355/Police-Department|access-date=December 12, 2021|website=www.agawam.ma.us}}</ref>

On May 5, 2012, an Agawam officer shot a woman in the face when she answered her door. The city settled with her for $20,000.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Newberry|first1=Laura|title=Woman shot in face by Agawam police gets $20K in town settlement|url=https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/10/woman_shot_in_face_by_agawam_p.html|accessdate=January 16, 2017|publisher=Mass Live|date=October 16, 2015}}</ref>

In early January 2017, the head of the Agawam Police Patrolman's Association was indicted on charges relating to stealing from the group.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Berry|first1=Conor|title=Agawam Police Chief Eric Gillis says indictment of Officer Gary Nardi reflects badly on department|url=https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/01/agawam_police_chief_eric_gilli.html#incart_river_index_topics|accessdate=January 16, 2017|publisher=Mass Live|date=January 2, 2017}}</ref>

In mid-January 2017, three police officers were fired for using excessive force on a prisoner. The attack was caught on video which was released to the public. The officers are appealing their termination. Two of the officers returned to work following two years on paid administrative leave.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Barry|first1=Stephanie|title=Report on controversial Agawam arrest finds excessive force, untruthfulness and 'incompetence'|url=https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/01/report_on_controversial_agawam.html#incart_river_index_topics|accessdate=January 16, 2017|publisher=Mass Live|date=January 12, 2017}}</ref>

FBI crime statistics show the city enjoys a lower-than-average crime rate.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Berry|first1=Conor|title=FBI data: Violent crime rises in Agawam, but still below national average|url=https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/10/fbi_data_agawam.html#incart_river_index_topics|accessdate=January 16, 2017|publisher=Mass Live|date=October 4, 2016}}</ref>