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Boston University - Police Officer

7.6K views 22 replies 10 participants last post by  Kilvinsky  
#1 ·
POLICE OFFICER, BUPD University Police

Tracking Code
2343/F1015
Job Description
Actively patrol the Boston University campus environment, preserve the public peace, prevent and detect crime, arrest and prosecute violators of the law, provide emergency assistance, enforce criminal laws, ordinances, and University regulations and deliver other Police services as needed.

Required Skills
B.A./B.S., must be municipally trained and certified, possess a valid drivers license, have the qualification to possess a license to carry firearm, pass an oral board interview and background examination, psychological examination, pre-employment medical examination . Current Police Officers trained in the Municipal Police Training Academy or its equivalent, hold a Special State Police License and are sworn Suffolk County Deputy Sheriffs are preferred, though applications from internal civilian candidates without Police Academy Training will be considered.

Required Experience
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

Job Location
BOSTON, Massachusetts, United States
Position Type
Full-Time/Regular
Salary
Grade 00
 
#2 ·
I hope Some day the SSPO Academy will be considered equivalent to the FT MPTC. I have spoken with three people who have attended the SSPO and then got hired in a city and had to go to the FT MPTC. All three were in different academies and all three said the SSPO was more demanding physically and mentally. It should be like CT and Maine, one Academy for all.
 
#5 ·
"MPTC wants to get out of the business of operating Academies."
Most people do not realize this fact. Police training in Mass will be much different in 10 years. Community Colleges and private companies will be providing the training and the MPTC will oversee the curriculum just like OEMS does for EMTs. This is a BAD idea but will be reality. The MPTC's goal is to become a licensing/regulatory agency and not a training agency.
 
#6 ·
The SSPO academy is accepted as an FT academy in 38 states. The reason that it is not in MA, is that campus PD administrators do not want to lose their Officers to municipal departments, which they would be more likely to if SSPO was accepted as an FT academy.
The same argument could also be made that when municipal cops who graduated from MPTC are hired as Troopers, they need to go to the RRT, and their MPTC academy doesn't count as training for MSP.
I agree that one FT academy should apply for municipal, state, campus, Transit, etc, but I don't think it should be just one physical location. I'd support having five academies in MA, all operated jointly by MPTC and MSP- one in Northeastern MA (at the current Reading site), one in Metro Boston (either at the current Transit Academy or BPD Academy site), one in Southeastern MA (at the current Plymouth site), one in Central MA (at the current MSP Academy site), and one in Western MA (at the current Springfield Academy site). The curriculum should be the same at all the academies. The first 20 weeks should be the same training for everyone, followed by a 4-week module specific to the Officer's job (ie 4-week module for municipal, transit, environmental, campus, etc). The first 20 weeks will cover training that everyone needs (crim and con. law, defensive tactics, EVOC, first responder, firearms), then the last 4 will be job-specific. Transit police don't need to know the state's shellfish laws, and Environmental police don't need to know fare evasion or trespassing laws. If an Officer switched from one type of department to another (ie campus to municipal), they would just need to take the 4-week module specific to their new job. Also, the academies should work with the state college system to grant academic credit to Officers who completed the Academy. There's no reason why someone who passed Criminal Law at the Academy should need to take another Crim. Law class in college if they're going for their degree.
Very well said!
 
#7 ·
It's all the attrition issue. MSP operates the SPMA, which is an MPTC-authorized, municipal Academy, and it is fully accepted by MPTC. In fact, the last SPMA ran concurrently with SSPO, except that SSPO ended a few weeks earlier.
MPTC wants to get out of the business of operating Academies. SPMA, Transit, Boston, Lowell, Worcester- all are operated by the respective Departments, with authorization from MPTC. They could easily make SSPO the same as SPMA, and it would be a full time MPOC.
You forgot Springfield.
 
#8 ·
SSPO, as an outsider looking in that can read between the lines, is ONLY a device used to prevent police officers from leaving campus' and hospitals for municipalities.

It's a dirty trick, and if the admins of those facilities really wanted to do the right thing, they'd figure out what their retention issue is, and fix it. Whether it's pay, or benefits, or whatever.
 
#12 ·
SSPO, as an outsider looking in that can read between the lines, is ONLY a device used to prevent police officers from leaving campus' and hospitals for municipalities.

It's a dirty trick, and if the admins of those facilities really wanted to do the right thing, they'd figure out what their retention issue is, and fix it. Whether it's pay, or benefits, or whatever.
And that's exactly why a lot of campus PD's are revolving doors and you constantly see their job postings every 6 months, because the pay sucks. 16-17 dollars an hour entry-level is not a good professional salary in this day and age, and they are not going to attract or retain qualified people with that. Unfortunately at a lot of private colleges this is what it is. As far as state colleges, it's a little better. AFSCME sucks as a union and I despise them, but I have to admit they have negotiated a decent contract as far as salary, benefits, detail pay, overtime, etc..
 
#9 ·
I like the current system and would like to see the campus security academy reduced to 3 weeks. :) Hospital security patrols would have only a 2 day academy that taught, "MIND YOUR DAMN BUSINESS" and handcuffing techniques, but Reserves and Auxiliaries could attend so long as they self sponsored.
 
#10 · (Edited)
The SSPO academy is accepted as an FT academy in 38 states. The reason that it is not in MA, is that campus PD administrators do not want to lose their Officers to municipal departments, which they would be more likely to if SSPO was accepted as an FT academy.
The same argument could also be made that when municipal cops who graduated from MPTC are hired as Troopers, they need to go to the RRT, and their MPTC academy doesn't count as training for MSP.
I agree that one FT academy should apply for municipal, state, campus, Transit, etc, but I don't think it should be just one physical location. I'd support having five academies in MA, all operated jointly by MPTC and MSP- one in Northeastern MA (at the current Reading site), one in Metro Boston (either at the current Transit Academy or BPD Academy site), one in Southeastern MA (at the current Plymouth site), one in Central MA (at the current MSP Academy site), and one in Western MA (at the current Springfield Academy site). The curriculum should be the same at all the academies. The first 20 weeks should be the same training for everyone, followed by a 4-week module specific to the Officer's job (ie 4-week module for municipal, transit, environmental, campus, etc). The first 20 weeks will cover training that everyone needs (crim and con. law, defensive tactics, EVOC, first responder, firearms), then the last 4 will be job-specific. Transit police don't need to know the state's shellfish laws, and Environmental police don't need to know fare evasion or trespassing laws. If an Officer switched from one type of department to another (ie campus to municipal), they would just need to take the 4-week module specific to their new job. Also, the academies should work with the state college system to grant academic credit to Officers who completed the Academy. There's no reason why someone who passed Criminal Law at the Academy should need to take another Crim. Law class in college if they're going for their degree.
I agree with most of what you said, I don't agree with the 4 week module. We all do the same job when it comes to crim law. Campus Police just does more ass wiping/taxi services and unlocking doors. Some campuses are busier than towns like Southampton Ma. Population 5,000. You are absolutely right about the campus PD Admin/Vice Presidents do not want it accepted as full time because of fear of losing officers. I guess time will tell and as more campus officer test the waters with the laws like (Young v. Boston University) and (Commonwealth v. Hernandez) and (Commonwealth v. Smeaton) the stigma associated with Campus Police will go away.
 
#11 ·
But if you apply your training and handcuff someone, you get reprimanded, regardless of how justified you might be. Because, despite the training, we're just security and customer service.
You are very right, but I will say it depends on what College/University you work for. I have witnessed firsthand this, I worked for a college that was very pro-active and paid crap then left and went to another college more "world known" for more money and like you said I had to adjust and become Mr. Taxi man/Customer Service. If you can find a college/university that pays well and lets you work then you have it made. I think Boston University sounds like a place that pays well and lets you work but wait you need a FT MPTC Academy to work there.
 
#15 ·
Last note, BU, Northeastern and as of late MIT DO get their fair share of real police work, the neighborhoods they're located in and how spread out they are dictates this. No doubt some of the schools in other parts of the state are in the same boat, so believe me (I've been misunderstood before), I don't consider campus jobs do nothing security jobs. If I did, I'd be a hypocritical a-hole, but if you're going to compare one to a city or town, most are like Mayberry. Crime? YES. Lots of it? NO. Potential for some excitement? YES. Hell, college campuses are simply another neighborhood populated by human beings who have faults and sometimes actually commit crimes and one of my favorite sayings is, If criminals respected property lines, they wouldn't be criminals and colleges can be tempting targets, especially in tough areas.
 
#16 ·
It's all the attrition issue. MSP operates the SPMA, which is an MPTC-authorized, municipal Academy, and it is fully accepted by MPTC. In fact, the last SPMA ran concurrently with SSPO, except that SSPO ended a few weeks earlier.
MPTC wants to get out of the business of operating Academies. SPMA, Transit, Boston, Lowell, Worcester- all are operated by the respective Departments, with authorization from MPTC. They could easily make SSPO the same as SPMA, and it would be a full time MPOC.
Yes that's true, they jointly operate the SPMA, they do not jointly operate the SSPA. The SSPA is for State Police Special's sworn in under the Colonel and their curriculum is created by the MSP. The MPTC does not have anything to do with the SSPA or licensing of Special State Police Officers, what so ever. I agree the SSPA should be extended, to meet the 800 hour requirement, to make it a "full time" academy. In my eyes, either your a cop or your not. This state needs to get on the same page as the rest of New England. The same goes for the coveted CH90. Give everyone the authority to stop, cite and enforce OUI's. It's too much red tape for no reason.