Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 6e - Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission
Section 4 - Division of Police Certification

[Text of section added by 2020, 253, Sec. 30 effective July 1, 2021. See 2020, 253, Sec. 122.]
Section 4. (a)(1) There shall be within the commission a division of police certification. The purpose of the division of police certification shall be to establish uniform policies and standards for the certification of all law enforcement officers, subject to the approval of the commission. The head of the division shall be the certification director, who shall be appointed by the commission.
[There is no paragraph (2) of subsection (a).]
[There are no subsections (b) and (c).]
(d) No person shall be eligible for admission to police schools, programs or academies approved by the municipal police training committee pursuant to section 118 of chapter 6, or the training programs prescribed by chapter 22C, or for appointment as a law enforcement officer or for employment with an agency if they are listed in the national decertification index or the database of decertified law enforcement officers maintained by the commission pursuant to clause (i) of subsection (a) of section 13.
[There is no subsection (e).]
(f)(1) The division of police certification and the municipal police training committee established in section 116 of chapter 6 shall jointly establish minimum certification standards for all officers that shall include, but not be limited to: (i) attaining the age of 21; (ii) successful completion of a high school education or equivalent, as determined by the commission; (iii) successful completion of the basic training program approved by the municipal police training committee; (iv) successful completion of a physical and psychological fitness evaluation approved by the commission; (v) successful completion of a state and national background check, including, but not limited to, fingerprinting and a full employment history; provided, that if the applicant has been previously employed in law enforcement in any state or United States territory or by the federal government, the applicant's full employment record, including complaints and discipline, shall be evaluated in the background check; (vi) passage of an examination approved by the commission; (vii) possession of current first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation certificates or equivalent, as determined by the commission; (viii) successful completion of an oral interview administered by the commission; and (ix) being of good moral character and fit for employment in law enforcement, as determined by the commission.
(2) The commission shall not issue a certificate to an applicant who: (i) does not meet the minimum standards enumerated in paragraph (1) or the regulations of the commission; (ii) has been convicted of a felony or whose name is listed in the national decertification index or the database of decertified law enforcement officers maintained by the commission pursuant to clause (i) of subsection (a) of section 13; or (iii) while previously employed in law enforcement in any state or United States territory or by the federal government, would have had their certification revoked by the commission if employed by an agency in the commonwealth.
(3) The commission may issue a certificate to a qualified applicant consistent with the provisions of this chapter. The commission shall determine the form and manner of issuance of a certification. A certification shall expire 3 years after the date of issuance.
(4) An officer shall remain in compliance with the requirements of this chapter and all rules and regulations promulgated by the commission for the duration of their employment as an officer.
(g) No agency shall appoint or employ a person as a law enforcement officer unless the person is certified by the commission.
(h) The division of police certification, in consultation with the division of police standards, shall create and maintain a database containing records for each certified law enforcement officer, including, but not limited to:
(1) the date of initial certification;
(2) the date of any recertification;
(3) the records of completion of all training and all in-service trainings, including the dates and locations of said trainings, as provided by the municipal police training committee established in section 116 of chapter 6, and the department of state police;
(4) the date of any written reprimand and the reason for said reprimand;
(5) the date of any suspension and the reason for said suspension;
(6) the date of any arrest and the charge or charges leading to said arrest;
(7) the date of, and reason for, any internal affairs complaint;
(8) the outcome of an internal affairs investigation based on an internal affairs complaint;
(9) the date of any criminal conviction and crime for said conviction;
(10) the date of any separation from employment with an agency and the nature of the separation, including, but not limited to, suspension, resignation, retirement or termination;
(11) the reason for any separation from employment, including, but not limited to, whether the separation was based on misconduct or whether the separation occurred while the appointing agency was conducting an investigation of the certified individual for a violation of an appointing agency's rules, policies, procedures or for other misconduct or improper action;
(12) the date of decertification, if any, and the reason for said decertification; and
(13) any other information as may be required by the commission.
(i) Each certified law enforcement officer shall apply for renewal of certification prior to its date of expiration as prescribed by the commission. The commission shall not recertify any person as a law enforcement officer unless the commission certifies that the applicant for recertification continues to satisfy the requirements of subsection (f).
(j) The commission shall promulgate regulations for the division of police certification to maintain a publicly available and searchable database containing records for law enforcement officers. In promulgating the regulations, the commission shall consider the health and safety of the officers.