CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Police officers in Massachusetts would have to be certified by the state under a bill filed Wednesday by Gov. Charlie Baker.…
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Police officers in Massachusetts would have to be certified by the state under a bill filed Wednesday by Gov. Charlie Baker.
The bill would also allow for the decertification of officers who engage in excessive force and encourage additional training including for advanced deescalation techniques.
Massachusetts is one of only a few states without a statewide certification program for law enforcement. The Republican said the administration worked with members of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and public safety officials to draft the bill.
“The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police officers made clear that now is the time to get this done,” Baker said during a Statehouse press conference. “Improving law enforcement is only one piece of this process.”
The bill has several parts, Baker said.
It would create a certification program for law enforcement officers that must be renewed every three years. Baker said that’s in line with how the state regulates other professionals like doctors and teachers.
The bill would also create a database of certified officers, ensuring those officers’ training and conduct records are available to their employers. The public would have access to some of that information, including an officer’s certification status.
Baker said the legislation would also create a process to decertify police.
