Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 6e - Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission
Section 9 - Suspension of Officer Certification

[Text of section added by 2020, 253, Sec. 30 effective July 1, 2021. See 2020, 253, Sec. 122.]
Section 9. (a)(1) The commission shall immediately suspend the certification of any officer who is arrested, charged or indicted for a felony.
(2) If, after a preliminary inquiry pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of section 8, the commission concludes by a preponderance of the evidence that a law enforcement officer has engaged in conduct that could constitute a felony and upon a vote to initiate an adjudicatory proceeding of said conduct, the commission shall immediately suspend an officer's certification.
(3) The commission may, after a preliminary inquiry pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of section 8, suspend the certification of any officer who is arrested, charged or indicted for a misdemeanor, if the commission determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the crime affects the fitness of the officer to serve as a law enforcement officer.
(4) The commission may, pending preliminary inquiry pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of section 8, suspend the certification of any officer if the commission determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the suspension is in the best interest of the health, safety or welfare of the public.
(5) A suspension order of the commission issued pursuant to this subsection shall continue in effect until issuance of the final decision of the commission or until revoked by the commission.
(b) The commission shall administratively suspend the certification of an officer who fails to complete in-service training requirements of the commission within 90 days of the deadline imposed by the commission; provided, however, that the commission may promulgate reasonable exemptions to this subsection, including, but not limited to, exemptions for: (1) injury or physical disability; (2) a leave of absence; or (3) other documented hardship. The commission shall reinstate the certification of an officer suspended pursuant to this subsection upon completion of the in-service training requirements of the commission.
(c) The commission shall administratively suspend the certification of an officer with a duty to report information to the commission pursuant to section 8 who fails to report such information. The commission shall reinstate the certificate of an officer suspended pursuant to this subsection upon completion of said report.
(d) A law enforcement officer whose certification is suspended by the commission pursuant to subsection (a), (b) or (c) shall be entitled to a hearing before a commissioner within 15 days. The terms of employment of a law enforcement officer whose certification is suspended by the commission pursuant to said subsection (a) (b) or (c) shall continue to be subject to chapter 31 and any applicable collective bargaining agreement to which the law enforcement officer is a beneficiary.

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