POST’S AGENCY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IS PRESENTED
The Executive Director and Certification Coordinator Lay Out Their Plan
The Executive Director of the Mass POST Commission and the chief staff coordinator for police agency certification gave MAPLE members a first-hand look at the future of policing in the Commonwealth. The days of independent certification agencies endorsing police agency procedures and practices for payment will soon be eclipsed by a new, “one size fits all” state certification program, developed and instituted by the Mass POST Commission. However. the chief staffer in charge of that project admitted this will take time.
Both Enrique Zuniga, POST’s Executive Director and Annie Lee, the chief certification coordinator offered explanations and took questions about the ambitious state-based certification program that will require compliance from all police agencies in the Commonwealth. Lee identified eight areas of priority for this program. They are (1) Use of Force, (2) Code of Conduct, (3) Response, (4) Criminal Investigation, (5) Juvenile Issues (6) Internal Affairs (7) Detainee transportation and (8) Evidence collection.
Lee described a three-phase process for achieving full certification.
Phase I will involve establishing the standards and the compliance mechanisms (this process is currently underway). Phase II will involve assessing the standards and identifying issues for waivers. Phase III will identify and implement sanctions for compliance failure. Lee said that input from all interested parties is sought. She noted that MAPLE has been very active in sharing thoughts and ideas with her.
POST CLARIFIES ITS JURISIDICTION OVER SUSPENSIONS AND DECERTIFICATIONS
Director Zuniga Engages In Q/A Over Complaint Processing
POST Executive Director Enrique Zuniga engaged in an extended question and answer session with MAPLE members responding to questions about POST’s jurisdiction particularly with regard to complaint investigations. He informed the members that under the POST reform law, police agencies in Massachusetts are required to report “credible complaints” to the commission within two business days after receiving them. The responsibility for investigating them rests largely with the local agencies, who are given a 90 day time period to complete the investigations.
The law mandates that the following incidents must be reported: acts of violence involving police officers, improper use of force, incidents in which bodily injury results either to a person or a police officer, and all incidents involving “unprofessional conduct” which typically involves allegations of criminal behavior. Zuniga said that issues of discourtesy, grooming issues and compliance with local policies and procedures are not required to be reported to POST. However, an investigation of these or other issues can be conducted upon the request of the Chief of an agency. He added that officers have the right to a hearing under MGL C30A in all cases. POST has adopted the four-category classification method for disposing of police complaints. All are classified as either sustained, not sustained, unfounded, or exonerated.
POST’s decertification and suspension authority was also discussed. Director Zuniga drew a clear distinction between an officer who is “not certified” and one who has been “decertified”. The former results, when a police officer fails to comply with a required administrative standard; such as, missing in-service training. The latter is a “career ending” ruling from the commission, which strips an officer of his eligibility to serve as a police officer in the state. An officer who has not been certified can have his certification restored simply by complying with the administrative standard. That is not the case with decertification. Officers who have been decertified can appeal the ruling to superior court.
CUTTING A BIG JOB DOWN TO SIZE
Former NYPD Analyst Shares The “Ins” and “Outs” of Compstat
Former NYPD and Mass State Police data analyst Deborah Piehl gave the general membership a graphic view of the NYPD Compstat process, which has been in continuous use by NYPD for the past 33 years. Piehl gave credit for initiating the program to former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, for whom she worked for many years. She dispelled notions that the program was an intimidating process intended to cower reluctant Captains and District Commanders into responding to crime. Rather, she described it as a process “to identify and quickly move to interdict” criminal activity to make the streets safer.
The Compstat Program is based on four fundamental principles, Piehl said. These were (1) timely and accurate intelligence reporting (2) rapid response to the information received (3) the application of effective tactics to address the problems (4) relentless follow-up. She said that under Bratton, the NYPD adopted the “two incident rule”. Whenever two similar incidents were identified, the NYPD would immediately initiative a “ threshold analysis” to identify the specific features of the incidents and then bring resources to bear on the problem. One of the more notable features of Compstat, is “mapping” and Deb shared several examples of crime and incident mapping with the members. She said that visual depictions of problems can greatly facilitate the response to address them. It helps “cut them down to size.”
PENDING LEGISLATION FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE
Fraternal Order of Police State Representative Lays Out Legislative Agenda
Retired Yarmouth Chief of Police and MAPLE member Frank Frederickson, now the state’s representative of the Fraternal Order of Police shared both national and state legislation sponsored by his organization and likely to impact the police service this year. An elimination of the social security “windfall prohibition” is now pending in the US Congress having just passed the House of Representatives. This long- standing prohibition prevents persons, who received government pensions from receiving social security payments due them through any private employment prior to or following their government service. The Senate will now take up the matter.
The Fraternal Order has a very active legislative agenda in Massachusetts for 2025. This includes bills filed to extend confidentiality privileges to those who conduct critical incident debriefs related to officer wellness, the institution of cardiac-calcium testing for new recruits and in-service personnel. There is a proposal to reinstitute the 55/32 retirement rule, which would allow officers to retire at age 55 with 32 years of service. The standard now is 57/34 which is seen as prohibitive to recruitment. There is also legislation to increase the size of the POST commission to 11 members. Two additional working police officers would be added. There is also a bill to establish a 25’ buffer zone around officers to prevent interference when they make arrests or take other action.
MAPLE MEMBERS ARE RECOGNIZED FOR ACHIEVEMENTS
Joan Wisher Recognized: First To Cross Gender Line, Mass State Police
Three members were recognized during the meeting for attaining both historical and career milestones. Joan Wisher was recognized on the 50th anniversary of her being the first woman to cross the Massachusetts State Police Uniformed Branch gender line as a member of the 59th RTT. She entered state police service in November 1974. Joan was awarded a plaque to commemorate her accomplishment. Chief Sam Santiago of the Shirley Police was recognized for his recent election as Chairman of the Central Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. Jim Martin was recognized for graduation from the State Police Academy 65 years ago on the same date as the MAPLE general membership meeting. The members shared a huge chocolate cake to celebrate his anniversary.
GENERAL BUSINESS CONDUCTED
Twenty two members and five guests assembled at the Martin Institute at Stonehill college in Easton MA for the 18th general membership meeting of the organization. Minutes for the June 5th meeting were approved and Treasurer Bill Rose gave his report showing $6,054.61 in the treasury. His report was also approved. President Galvin reported that press inquiries in the last period have exceeded all previous experience driven largely by the appointment of a new State Police Colonel, the Karen Reed trial, the death of a trainee at the State Police Academy and the recent Department of Justice report involving issues with Worcester Police. He said the focus in 2025 will be the completion of the MAPLE Reform guidelines, opening a Youtube presence and maintaining engagement with POST.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
AND HIGH HOPES FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR !
MAPLE 