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Posted by: mschumann

Hi Again, Posted this thread somewhere else but i figured it would be better posted here

There is a SPO training rule 400 coming in the near future and I am very interested. However, I am not quite sure what exactly an SPO is....

- Is experience working as a SPO helpful when being considered for any type of police position or a police position in another state?

- Are SPO's in demand? Where can I work with an SPO cert? Also can a SPO work as a boston housing authority police officer?

- Whats the money like?

- Whats everyones overall opinion on special police? I know they are considered low on the totum poll but i am mainly interested in using it as a learning experience to furthur my career.

Thanks and im looking forward to getting more info.

Posted by: Delta784

SPO's are Special Police Officers, but that description varies widely. Some work directly for a city or town, some are campus police who get their arrest powers from the state SSPO (Special State Police Officer) statutes, and others are security guards for private companies or businesses who have arrest powers solely on the property of their employer.

Rule 400 is unique to the Boston Police, and applies to SPO's who work for private companies. When I got out of the Army, I worked for a company that owned the 2 Susse Chalet Hotels & the 24-hour Boston Bowl on Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester. We were security for the company but had special police powers limited to the property of the company. We had to wear light-blue shirts, red stripes, and carry .38 revolvers (although BPD carried .38's back then also).

The BHA Police get their arrest powers as special police, but they (as did the Boston Municipal Police when they existed) fall under Rule 400A which is a lot more lenient. The BHA cops wear dark blue shirts, and carry Glock pistols. The distinguishing characteristics from BPD is a gray stripe on the pants, gray trim on round (not 8-point) hats, and different shaped patches & badges.

The term "SPO" can mean so many different things, it's impossible to answer your other questions. Where I worked in Dorchester, I made a ton of great felony arrests, the pay was decent at the time, and I got health insurance. Other jobs with SPO powers pay crappy and you do nothing but sit at a desk all night. The SPO status doesn't determine working conditions, it's who issues your paycheck.

Posted by: mschumann

thanks for the info delta... wondering how i go about getting the 400a opposed to the regular 400. I am really interested in getting certified solely to gain some experience in law enforcement opposed to just sitting behind a desk doing nothing

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschumann

thanks for the info delta... wondering how i go about getting the 400a opposed to the regular 400. I am really interested in getting certified solely to gain some experience in law enforcement opposed to just sitting behind a desk doing nothing

You can't choose which rule to fall under; 400A is for city employees and BHA Police only. Rule 400 is for everyone else with special police powers.

Check with some of the private security companies that provide security for some private apartment complexes in Boston, they fall under 400 but see a lot of crap because of where they work. Some of the companies when I worked for the BHA Police were Straughter Security and New World Security, but I believe those went under and I have no idea who's doing it now.

Posted by: Q5-TPR

Harbor Point is now Longwood Security

Posted by: mschumann

oh ok so if im not mistaken.... if you take the rule 400 class and get certified and then you apply to the BHA or another boston position, you have to take an additional test to be considered 400a?

Posted by: soxrock75

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschumann

oh ok so if im not mistaken.... if you take the rule 400 class and get certified and then you apply to the BHA or another boston position, you have to take an additional test to be considered 400a?

Boston Housing Authority will only accept the Full Time MPTC Academy NOT the SPO or Reserve Intermittent Acadmies. HousingCop where are you on this one???

Posted by: mschumann

Thanks for the clarification on that... May I ask how someone gets into the MPTC academy?

Im just really confused sorry guys! I just want to get my foot in the door somewhere somehow to start a career in law enforcement.... I dont care if its the lowest on the ladder... Its just very confusing to a newbe

also, is a SSPO and a SPO the same or different ? if they are different how so?

Quote:

Originally Posted by soxrock75

Boston Housing Authority will only accept the Full Time MPTC Academy NOT the SPO or Reserve Intermittent Acadmies. HousingCop where are you on this one???

Posted by: Killjoy

SSPO stands for State Special Police Officer...certified by the MSP Colonel with special police powers, rather than being certified by a local municipality. SSPO's generally are employed by colleges or universities, and attend a 14-week academy run by the MSP. You can't just "attend" an SSPO academy; you must already be hired by a college department.

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killjoy

SSPO stands for State Special Police Officer...certified by the MSP Colonel with special police powers, rather than being certified by a local municipality. SSPO's generally are employed by colleges or universities, and attend a 14-week academy run by the MSP. You can't just "attend" an SSPO academy; you must already be hired by a college department.

The SSPO statutes are also very specific as to who can be appointed; officers for the DOC, private colleges/universities, hospitals, railroad police, animal protection agencies (MSPCA, ARLB), and the state alphabet agencies (DMH, DMR, DPH, etc.) come to mind. Boston SPO's can be employed by nearly anyone/anything.

Posted by: Q5-TPR

The different Academies and why in Mass. State Police Academy (Full-time, MSP Only). Municipal Police Training Council (MPTC) (Full-time, Municipal, Transit, Some Colleges/Universities, and some other Dept's like BHA or must be sponsored by same). Special State Police (SSPO) Academy (Full-time, most Campus/other State agencies). MPTC Reserve/Intermitant (R/I) Academy (Part-time, Municaipal Part-time/Special/Auxillary Police Officers or sponsored by an approved agency). Now with training out of the way, lets look at the jobs (all that I can think of anyway.) State Police Trooper (must graduate State Police Academy). Police Officer (Municipal/Transit/Some Colleges/Other Dept's like BHA- Must graduate from Full-Time MPTC Academy). Campus Police Officer (Most State and private Colleges/3 letter State Agencies, must graduate from SSPO Academy). Part-Time/Special/Aux Police Officer (Must Grad MPTC R/I Academy). Now, with that said, private security companies and the like in some places like Boston will "swear in" security employees as "Special Officers" to empower them to make arrests on the property which they work. The department will mandate the level of training they need to be sworn. Please pardon me if I have missed anything or spelling errors, i am tired LOL. I hope this sheds some light for you.

Posted by: mschumann

Thanks guys for all of the great information......

I haved done a few searches on here and know that you cannot self sponsor into a full time academy but i was curious to know if you could self sponsor into a R/T muni academy and if so how would you go about it?

Also... as a way around everything, would it be possible to self sponsor yourself at an out of state academy like NH, VT, ME and then get a municipal waiver?? and if so is that wayy to much of a pain to do?

Also starting the process of obtaining my firearms permit but I am unsure which permit I should be looking to accquire for SPO?

thanks again everyone

Posted by: BSP4141

If You Land A Job As A 400 Spo In Boston You Can Take That Over To The Boston School Police. They Are 400a But You Don't Need A Full Time Academy. Not The Sexest Job In The World But Its A City Job With Great Bennies And Tons Of Action If Thats What You Want. Oh But Bsp Is Unarmed. Some Would Say Its A Step Up From A 400 Spo And Others Would Differ. Its All About What You Want. I Spent 4 Years There And Learned A Ton About The Job, And The Relationship With Bpd Is Pretty Good. Good Luck

Posted by: csauce777

Call Longwood security. I hear they hire folks, and put them through their own Rule 400 SPO course. They Have several hospital SPO locations, as well as Harbor Point housing, and others. I think they pay around $15.00/hr, and give bennies. Try checking their website for more info.

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschumann

I haved done a few searches on here and know that you cannot self sponsor into a full time academy but i was curious to know if you could self sponsor into a R/T muni academy and if so how would you go about it?

These are the people to ask;

http://www.mass.gov/mptc

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschumann

Also... as a way around everything, would it be possible to self sponsor yourself at an out of state academy like NH, VT, ME and then get a municipal waiver?? and if so is that wayy to much of a pain to do?

Experienced officers from out of state have a hard enough time with exemptions, I wouldn't bother with that strategy unless you want to work out of state.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschumann

Also starting the process of obtaining my firearms permit but I am unsure which permit I should be looking to accquire for SPO?

You always want the Class A, but a Class B will do for a SPO position.

Quote:

Originally Posted by csauce777

Call Longwood security. I hear they hire folks, and put them through their own Rule 400 SPO course. They Have several hospital SPO locations, as well as Harbor Point housing, and others. I think they pay around $15.00/hr, and give bennies. Try checking their website for more info.

http://www.longwoodsecurity.com/

Posted by: mschumann

Again, thanks guys.... At first when i started asking questions on here i started doubting myself alot.. but now im getting hope with all of this. I contacted the Malden PD today and was fortunate to have talked to a very helpful police officer over there.... He explained everything about the firearms permit etc and pointed me in the right direction of obtaining it.

I think by summer time I will have a few great things to add to my resume... I'll have SPO 400, EMT-B, Cpr/AED for professional Rescuer, firearms safety cert, class A fID, and i think i'll get the first responder cert through the SPO academy..... I know this is the harder road to get to law enforcement but im going to try my best.... after the summer i plan on getting my law enforcement cert from NSCC and after that put my credits toward a Associates in CJ..... Hope im on the right road.

Agin thanks to all of you guys, you really hav put things in better perspective and really motivated me.

Also i am very interested in the BSP position, i understand its not the sexiest but its a start!

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschumann

Also i am very interested in the BSP position, i understand its not the sexiest but its a start!

You're in luck, because they're hiring;

http://boston.k12.ma.us/jobs/noninstruct.asp#police

Just keep in mind you need to relocate to Boston if you don't already live there.

Posted by: mschumann

THat sounds good and all but how can someone afford to move to Boston on that salary haha....

I wonder if there is anyway around that

Posted by: BSP4141

If You Know Someone With A Boston Adress You Can Start With That. But At Some Point Its Better To Live In The City.

Posted by: 94c

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSP4141

If You Know Someone With A Boston Adress You Can Start With That. But At Some Point Its Better To Live In The City.

Now there's a good way to break into law enforcement.

Lie on an application.

Posted by: frmrbpddisp

You guys are very knowledgeable. I have been trying to get answers to most of these questions and now I have them. Thank you.. The question that I have is what is too old to get started in LE? As you can probably figure out from my member name, I have dispatching experience as a civilian not a sworn officer.

Posted by: frmrbpddisp

Thanks for all of the information. What is too old to get started in LE? You can assume that I've had dispatching experience, but only as a civilian. I have always wanted more and am now ready to get it. So, my question is how old is too old to start??

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