Voluntary Relinquishment of Certification
An officer may choose to voluntarily relinquish their certification under certain conditions and according to the steps summarized below.
An officer must begin by reviewing the Policy on Voluntary Relinquishment, which describes the application steps, review and approval process, and the legal and professional consequences—such as the loss of authority to serve or act as a law enforcement officer in the Commonwealth. The policy also clarifies that relinquishment is not the same as decertification and allows for future disciplinary actions if warranted.
An officer must download a Voluntary Relinquishment of Certification application and submit to the POST Commission Executive Director at the e-mail address below.
The relinquishment form must include the applicant’s arrest history, any criminal prosecution, any restraining order or other court order that restricted or imposed consequences based on the applicant’s conduct, any civil action or administrative agency action that involved the applicant’s service in law enforcement, or allegations that the applicant engaged in conduct that consisted of or led to:
- Unlawful bias;
- A violation of civil rights;
- Violence, abuse, or excessive force;
- Prejudice to the administration of justice;
- Injury or death
The information above must be included in the form, even if the department has already submitted that information to POST, as required by 555 CMR 1.00 and 6.00.
Once the application is complete, email to: [email protected]. The POST Commission’s Certification, Standards, and Legal Divisions will review it to confirm that it meets the policy requirements. The application will be posted online for public comment and feedback from prior employing agencies. Following the comment period, the full Commission will vote to approve or deny the request.