Boston Herald and Boston Globe Reach Out To Police Reform Group
Editor Joe Dwinell of the Boston Herald and Pulitzer prize winning journalist Laura Crimaldi have both reached out to the Massachusetts Association For Professional Law Enforcement (MAPLE) for insight and recommendations with regarding to a continuing pattern of malfeasance displayed by the Commonwealth’s once premiere law enforcement agency. These inquiries came following an announcement by the US Attorney’s office that two current and two former state troopers assigned to the Registry of Motor Vehicles CDL licensing section were indicted for issuing CDL licenses as part of a bribery scheme involving several businesses. Mass State Police Sergeant Gary Cederquist 58, Trooper Joel Rogers 54 and retired Troopers Calvin Butner 63 and Perry Mendes 63 were indicted by the US Attorney in Boston and face heavy fines and prison sentences if convicted.
MAPLE President Dennis Galvin was interviewed by both journalists this week over this story and the long train of abuses, that have marred the once stellar reputation of the Massachusetts State Police. Galvin said that there were several factors that have contributed to the decline of the department these include; (1) the weakness of the Colonel’s position serving at the total discretion of the Governor, (2) the tendency to promote the Colonel in-house, (3) Legislative interference with the personnel management of the department by influencing internal assignments and obstructing discipline, (4) a systemic conflict of interest involving the department’s first line supervisors, who share membership in the same union as the troopers they supervise, (5) an arcane hiring process, which shows evidence of significant deficiencies in the selection of candidates for appointment, (6) the failure to hold middle managers accountable for serious misconduct that occurs within their units and sections. It was also noted that the assignment of troopers to outside agencies like Massport, the District Attorneys offices and the Registry weaken the department’s internal lines of accountability. These loaned troopers often fall away from departmental oversight more frequently. The Troop E scandal was offered as an example.
Fundamentally, Galvin said, the issue is one of integrity and commitment to duty and the department. State Police leadership must instill, among the rank and file, the importance of personal integrity to the maintenance of public trust. Galvin said it will take a strong ethical Colonel, one who is insulated from political retribution, who is given a free hand to impose accountability to correct this situation. If this does not happen, Galvin warned that we can expect more of this to occur.
Documents generated by MAPLE over the years with regard to the State Police were provided. Those documents are attached for the review of the readers.
