THE GENERAL MEMEBERSHIP GATHERS FOR SPRING MEETING
Budget, Legislation and Guidebook Recommendations Discussion
The Massachusetts Association For Professional Law Enforcement (MAPLE) conducted its spring general meeting last Tuesday, marking the 19thgeneral membership gathering since the group formed in 2016. 14 members attending achieving a quorum. The membership approved minutes from the December 16th 2025 meeting. They approved a report from Treasurer Bill Rose, who reported $ 7,007.56 in the Treasury, an increase of $409.00 since the December meeting.
President Galvin presented the 2026 budget to the membership. The budget anticipates $9,118.65 in total revenue this year. Administrative expenses were estimated at $760.00 and operating expenses at $1900.00. $500.00 was appropriated to the MAPLE Guidebook Fund which has now grown to $3890.00. Galvin reported that the reserve balance is $2,569.00. He characterized the organization’s financial condition has “solid “.
Galvin also reported on recent developments. He indicated that media contacts and involvements have dramatically increased over the past six months. All the major area news networks are regularly in contact with MAPLE. He pointed to the organization’s recent legislative initiative, which seeks to establish a 60 credit hour higher education requirement for all individuals seeking appointment as police officers. Galvin noted that most major media outlets picked upon on the press release and ran it. This led to a recent appearance on WBZ’s Dan Rea’s “Nightside” where the initiative was discussed for a solid hour.
One of the byproducts of the release was an outreach by Northern Essex Community College President, Lane Glenn, a long time supporter of police education. Glenn sent his legislative aid Phil DeCologerro to the general membership meeting, who pledged the support of the college in the effort to pass the bill.
The membership went on to review and approve three critical sets of recommendations governing Civilian-Police Interface, Strategic Planning and Integrity Protection. Debate on these matters with amendments, took up the bulk of the meeting time. Discussion was lively and informative. Member Joan Wisher closed the meeting by providing an update on an initiative that she has become involved with in Maine aimed at assisting in the recovery of missing persons, particularly children.
MAPLE TAKES DEFINITIVE POSITIONS ON CIVILIAN-POLICE RELATIONS, STRATEGIC PLANNING AND POLICE INTEGRITY
Integrity Protection Deemed Vital For Ensuring Police Legitimacy
MAPLE’s General Membership was put to workd at its’ recent spring general meeting in Littleton MA this week, deliberating and ultimately approving with minor modifications three significant police reform recommendations: guidelines defining the relationship between civilian leadership and a police agency; a call for chief’s to adopt strategic planning and significant measures intended to improve police integrity.
MAPLE affirmed civilian control of the police as a fundamental policy, yet emphasized that oversight must not be confused with day to day management of operations. Under the adopted recommendations, MAPLE went on record as supporting the strong chief law under MGL C41 Section 97A, calling for the repeal of the so-called “weak chief’s law” under MGL C41 Section 97. However, under the recommendations chiefs would no longer have life time appointments. They would serve under term contracts with removal only for cause. MAPLE emphasized that chiefs must retain full operational control over their agencies, to include discipline. Civilian control is to be asserted through the authority of the civilian authority to hire and fire the chief and to assert accountability for performance. The recommendations also called for strict language that would protect the chiefs from illicit, self-serving political interference as they manage their agencies.
The concept of “civilian review boards” as a means to check police abuse was rejected. The organization endorsed the findings of the Christopher Commission, which found that such boards actually increase divisions between the police and the community. Instead, MAPLE endorsed the “commission system” as it is operated in the City of Los Angeles. The system would be made available to cities in the commonwealth under local option. Local Boards of Selectmen in Massachusetts already serve in the capacity of police commissioners now. This same oversight capacity would be extended to cities in a more transparent form. While Mayors exert oversight now, transparency has become an issue in some communities. The Los Angeles model establishes a board of civilian police commissioners, who have authority to monitor and direct the general policy of the police department, while the Chief retains full authority over day to day operations and discipline.
Strongly endorsed was a policy that would require Police Chief’s to commit to strategic planning in guiding their agencies. They would be required to assess trends in their communities, critically examine their agency’s strengths and weaknesses and then plot road maps for upscaling and re-organizing their departments to meet the challenges they identified. A formal corrective action process, which allows officers to report areas in need of improvement coupled with a management responsibility to respond to these reports was also recommended as was the adoption of a policy to emphasize the safety of officers and the public as a top leadership responsibility .
The critical importance of integrity to a police department’s legitimacy was emphasized. MAPLE drew some bold lines in the sand on this issue. Upon entering an agency, officers must not only take an oath of allegiance to the constitution, but also to a code of conduct, in which they would pledge to be truthful, and honest in their official dealings, lawful and measured in their use of force and judicious in their public conduct. The recommendations emphasized the critical importance of background investigation for both initial appointments to an agency and for subsequent appointments to detectives, special services and also for promotions. The importance of reaffirming links of accountability between officers assigned to outside agencies and task forces was emphasized. It was strongly recommended that agencies maintain regular and robust internal inspection programs to monitor the dispositions of all seized property, agency equipment, timely and accurate reporting and the tracking of grant funds. Agencies should also address professional standards by designating a special unit to investigate suspected internal corruption.
Finally, MAPLE endorsed a zero tolerance policy for officers who are willfully untruthful in their court testimony, official reports and in their responses to investigators during internal investigation probes. Officers caught lying would be subject to termination. Receiving gratuities as a practice was also rejected. The recommendations urged that such practices be prohibited.
The Adopted Recommendations Are Attached
MAPLE 