Senate’s sweeping police reform bill would end qualified immunity

Regarding reserve-intermittent: In one place the amended House Bill seems to ordain up to five distinct training standards (state police, municipal officers, etc.) that the new training organization would have to design, including reserve-intermittent. In another place the bill states that current reserve-intermittent level trained officers will be initially certified, but during that initial period "shall complete additional training as required" by the new training organization. The extent and purpose of this additional training is not explained further.

The Senate Bill did not carefully distinguish different levels of training. It said the same thing about initial certification being issued for reserve-intermittent with follow up training required.

The hours of reserve-intermittent recruit training already is closing in on the full-time academy training hours. There is a possibility that a lower training standard for part-timers will not survive. This may be proper, as reserve-intermittent officers don't get any Mulligans in criminal or civil courts because of there lower training status. Requiring full-time training for regular deputy sheriffs who want to work details would really be a bear, of course, since they already have some training relevant to police tasks outside of the walls, but these bills are not about careful fine-tuning.

Continue to write your reps and senators regarding things you would like to see addressed, and Rep. Whelan, mentioned above, who is on the conference committee.

 

It was a split-second of hesitation that Det. Mario Oliveira and Officer Bob DeNapoli said cost them both of them their careers and nearly their lives — a kind of hesitation they say is bound to become more common should the Legislature’s police reform bills turn into law.

“I didn’t see a gun and I hesitated. Looked away for a split second and I got shot six times,” Oliveira says of a Nov. 2, 2010, encounter in Somerville with a 21-year-old man suspected of selling untraceable firearms to Boston gangs. One of the bullets missed.

DeNapoli was responding to a robbery on Sept. 6, 2011, in Woburn when two men — who didn’t fit the description of the suspects — loitering near a car suddenly surrounded him as he exited his cruiser and one opened fire.

“We have to make split-second decisions,” DeNapoli said, noting he barely got his gun out his holster by the time before a gunfight ensued. “My backup was only 13 seconds behind me. I was shot six times and I shot him twice in 10 seconds.”
Oliveira died twice on the operating table and years later suffered a massive heart attack and later a stroke — both, doctors said, were directly related to the shooting. DeNapoli suffers from PTSD and is permanently blind in his left eye. Shrapnel and bits of bullets remain buried in his arms and legs.

Now the two men head the Violently Injured Police Officers Organization, which provides peer support to injured officers. They said they worry injuries will increase as officers are forced to “second guess” themselves or refrain from using forceful tactics like chokeholds when confronted with an assailant who aims to kill them.

But the Rev. Darryl Malden, an attorney and pastor at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Fall River, said the bill is about police “being accountable to the community.”

Dueling police reform bills passed in the state House and Senate are being reconciled in conference committee by lawmakers. Both bills seek to create the state’s first-ever licensing system for police and increase training around racial issues. The bills would also ban chokeholds and place limits on lethal force tactics. The Senate’s would cut qualified immunity, which can protect officers from liability for misconduct.

“Without a doubt this bill and with these changes to qualified immunity, cops will be hesitant to go about their jobs,” Oliveira said.
Last year, 89 officers were killed in the line of duty across the United States, according to FBI statistics. Roughly 18,000 officers were injured in assaults in 2018 — the most recent year for which data is available.

But many more people die at the hands of police. In 2019 the Washington Post reported 999 people were shot and killed in 2019 alone — 25% of those were black, a fraction that far outstrips the U.S. population. No centralized government database of police killings exists.

 

I appreciate the response. I was under the impression that my upcoming R/I course (clocked at 550 hours) that I paid 3 grand for would be axed entirely.

 

You could have gone to full time academy for that price


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As I've said before, they should just do what they do in PA: Give the option to complete the academy on a full time basis in 6 months or a part time basis in a year, either way getting the same number of hours.

 

I think the problem on part time basis is the no physical fitness part which is huge


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I’m mostly doing it to put my foot in the door to prove to a chief to sponsor me to a FT one or to get hired as a candidate (for a non-lateral transfer opening) and being sent to a FT one. I kind of signed up for it to get my foot in the door so to say beyond just having a degree. I don’t plan on taking the CS exam as I don’t have any CS municipalities under my radar to apply for. I’m also like 90% sure there are DI’s from the Worcester Police Academy involved, and I’ve kept myself in shape and following through with the Coopers test percentiles so it’s not like I’m only preparing myself for book smarts.

 

Did you get a job yet. Academy only good for 2 years


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All of the non-CS places I’ve looked at either are lateral transfer openings, or part time gigs that require FT or R/I from the getgo and then full time patrolman openings with FT only (regardless of lateral transfer or not). I also just turned 21 this year so idk if its young and dumb to go with the self sponsor path

 

Like I said if you have the part time academy it’s only good for 2 years


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Anybody hear what the hell is going on?!?!

 

Massachusetts Betrays the Police | WRKO-AM 680

Accurate IMO

 

I hope EVERY politician across the land that votes for these bills, and their families, become victims of crime. I hope the thugs take over and rob and rape them with impunity. I hope that Americans arm themselves and protect their own.

Time to invoke the Rooftop Korean model.

 

Not sure if everyone saw this but go to the link and fill out your info and write something informative or positive to defend us against the masses. MASScops made it real easy to fill out and send to the committee

https://www.masscopaction.com/committee

 

Maybe, just maybe, If the "Nutty Ninth" Circuit Court in Commufornia gets it.........................
Ninth Circuit approves use of deadly force upon extremely reckless driver

Our own legislature will understand what SCOTUS determined long ago.

 

Thanks for posting that article.

 

Well it's a done deal! What a great day for the Commonwealth!!!!!!

 

So....black lives take precedence..?

 

Just a quick read and my first takeaways, without editorial comment (which I am fairly sure will not be in short supply) -

Well, certification is here. Along with decertification. Lots of things you can be de-certified for.

One certification for all, though the commission MAY have separate training tracks for MSP, local, reserve, etc. but is not required to.

Takes a LOT of power away from Chiefs. They no longer have final authority on IA and discipline, since all complaints have to be forwarded to the commission, which can do its own investigation and has its own law enforcement authority.

Commission can also order retraining for lots of violations.

There appears to be some restrictions on how the commissions decisions can be appealed. Looks like they may be hard to overturn.

MSP Colonel can be an outsider, there are MSP Cadets, and there is a new MSP disciplinary process. And a promotional process. Set in statute, not regulations.

Lots of stuff on SRO's.

No-knock warrants require PC that lives will be in danger AND no persons over 65 or minor children will be present.

LOTS of other stuff - several other commissions and studies, including one on closing all regional academies and opening one large-state-wide academy with full-time staff.

And I'm sure there's much in there I've missed, as I said just a quick skim.

 

Very interesting... Looking around at most states nearby who have a POST, same statewide academy, and licensing it works for them.

They'd have to run the academy in 2-3 classes per year just to barely fit candidates in. Will be interesting to see what happens


Look guys/gals, so long as you're operating within your parameters of the job and not doing anything wrong, this shouldn't be a major concern. End of the day, someone gets injured during an altercation with us they are evaluated and at the end of the day it's documented somewhere (report mostly) that someone with bars reads or reviews.

I don't think it's completely fair to see this and wave the flag to give up. As we all know, this state when compared to others, has handcuffed us in more ways than not- Especially when it comes to enforcement of the laws and operative measures. End of the day, although it's another step back for some (loss of power by Chiefs, possibly no special academies for the smokies, and the licensing board w/civilians) on the whole, it might be beneficial and continue the high level/tier training our State already expects from us. Let's keep in mind, we are some of the best trained & educated in the nation. Very seldom do we see nationwide brutality cases from NE let alone this state.

Keep up with your training, keep up with your fitness, keep up with your laws and you will be absolutely fine.

Just my $0.02

 

When you give untrained civilians the power and authority to investigate cops...well...what did you THINK would happen?

 

I also think it’s funny that from my brief skim, you’re banned from being on the commission for police certification if you’ve ever been a cop, but if you’re a convicted criminal, that’s a-okay. So if you have two people apply, one who has 15 convictions for assaulting cops, and one who has been a cop, only one is getting disqualified, and it’s not the one that it should be.

 

How long until we can Petition for a Law Enforcement Officers Bill Of Rights ?

 

I couldn't disagree more.

Even before this goes into effect, you can do everything right, and still end up in the jackpot. It will be worse X100 now.