POST Reports Progress in Officer Training Compliance, Announces Administrative Suspensions

The Executive Director began the meeting with a training compliance overview. The Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) provides 26 hours of in-service training annually—delivered either in person or online—along with 8 hours of firearms instruction and 6 hours of CPR. Agencies must report compliance to MPTC by September 30. Officers who fail to complete the required training will face administrative suspension, with certification reinstated once training is completed.

POST outreach to 356 officers who had not met in-service requirements proved largely successful. As of this meeting, only 14 officers had unresolved training discrepancies, and POST administratively suspended six of them.

In November 2024, MPTC flagged irregularities in the completion times of certain online training courses, affecting up to 487 officers from training years 2023–2025. MPTC directed agencies to review any officers with time discrepancies. Early findings indicate that 5%–10% of these cases require follow-up, which may result in disciplinary action or administrative suspension. Although many discrepancies had reasonable explanations, MPTC will require officers with unresolved issues in TY25 to retake the course in person.

The financial team reported that POST has committed over 48% of its budget for the second quarter of FY25. The Governor will release the FY26 budget next week, and POST is preparing to deliver its budget testimony.

Meeting Materials (PDF)

Meeting Recording

Commission Reports Complaint Reporting Backlog, Streamlines Recertification, and Discusses Potential Oversight of Constables

Executive Director Enrique Zuniga opened the meeting by reviewing agency reporting compliance and overdue cases. Several agencies have exceeded the 90-day extension for open complaints, closed cases, and incident reports with pending discipline. Boston Police Department accounts for most of the overdue complaints, partly due to the Commissioner’s review of each case, which extends the timeline. Despite the backlog, more agencies are submitting reports faster, and overall open complaint report numbers are declining. The Commission will begin issuing quarterly reports tracking progress on closing open cases.

Commissioners also reviewed a proposed expedited plan for recertifying officers with last names A–H, whose certifications expire on July 1, 2025. The process will be significantly streamlined, and the LEA portal is set to open May 1. Officers will now be recertified on a three-year term plus their birth month, following a timeline structure previously approved by the Commission.

The Commission addressed concerns raised during a recent community meeting in Worcester about the legal status of constables. POST clarified that under M.G.L. c. 6E, any constable who executes arrests must be certified. Currently, no constables are certified. POST will begin collecting records from departments that employ or collaborate with constables to build a statewide database and assess future enforcement measures.

A financial update showed a potential $600,000 budget reversion for FY25. The Governor’s FY26 budget proposal includes an $8.92 million appropriation, $570,000 below POST’s original request. The Legal Division also provided updates on the recertification process.

Meeting Materials (PDF)

Meeting Recording

Commission Reviews Officer Fitness and Wellness Survey Results, Advances Use of Force Reporting Standards, Announces Streamlined Recertification Process

The Legal Division shared results from a January survey of 60 police unions, developed with MPTC input, aimed at assessing current support for officer physical fitness and behavioral health. Survey responses showed broad union support for on-site gyms and on-duty exercise time, with moderate officer participation in fitness programs. The Cooper test emerged as the most commonly used fitness standard across both unions and agencies, echoing results from a previous agency survey conducted in November 2024.

Unions identified key barriers to behavioral health support, including stigma, fear of negative job consequences, time constraints, and concerns over POST reforms. While unions and agencies agreed on physical fitness benchmarks, they were sharply divided on behavioral health standards. Nearly half of union respondents opposed any formal mental health or wellness checks, citing concerns about privacy and intrusiveness.

The Legal Division also presented updates on the draft policy for voluntary relinquishment of certification and proposed revisions to Use of Force reporting standards. Commissioners requested further clarification on the status of the draft before voting to preliminarily approve the standards.

The Commission introduced a streamlined process for the upcoming recertification of incumbent officers with last names A–H whose certifications expire July 1. Under the revised system, POST will verify in-service training completion directly with the Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC). Agencies must report any changes in employment status, disclose outstanding disciplinary issues since the officer’s last certification, and confirm the officer’s fitness to serve.

The Commission also discussed efforts to track agency constables and considered whether to further define police duties and functions in regulations.

The meeting concluded with an administrative update announcing the release of POST’s annual report.

Meeting Materials (PDF)

Meeting recording