Gov. Baker files police reform bill, proposal to ban chokeholds

BOSTON — On Beacon Hill, it’s a new piece of legislation but an old idea: creating new standards and a certification for police officers across the Commonwealth. Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration told Boston 25 News last Tuesday that he would soon be filing police reform legislation. On Wednesday, it was officially done.

Gov. Baker said he had been working with members of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus for nearly a year on the framework, and the death of George Floyd in Minnesota sped up the process. Gov. Baker added that Massachusetts is one of four states without a certification process for police.

An Act to Improve Police Officer Standards and Accountability and to Improve Training (HD 5143) seeks to establish a committee that will be charged with certifying and, due to misconduct, decertifying police officers.

Certifications would last three years after the initial phase-in, then officers would need to meet annual training requirements.

“We’re here today because the protests have been heard and now it’s time to answer the prayers,” said Rep. Carlos Gonzalez (D – MA 10th, Hampden), Chairman of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus.

Multiple conversations with the Massachusetts Police Chief’s Association and police unions were held before Gov. Baker’s reform bill was filed, according to law enforcement sources.

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The legislation calls for the creation of the Police Officer Standards and Accreditation Committee, which would be responsible for certifying all law enforcement officers in the state and decertifying some in cases of officer misconduct.

Gov. Baker said a key difference between his proposal and other officer certification programs in other states is the automatic triggers for removing certification for officers. Officers would lose certification for felonies, excessive use of force including chokeholds, and conduct constituting a hate crime.

The proposal also calls for the creation of a database with training records and conduct available to officers’ current and future law enforcement employers. The public would be able to access some of the information on officer history upon request.

“I envision a day where I get pulled over, because that will happen,” said Rep. Russell Holmes (D – MA 6th, Suffolk). “And I will sit in the car like so many folks do, and we wait around for 15 minutes for them to come give us our ticket. They’re reviewing our background, our driving records, but I will view theirs too.”

Boston 25 News spoke with Hampden Police Chief Jeff Farnsworth shortly after Gov. Baker’s news conference.

“Mass Chiefs has supported POST for many years, we’ve actually had bills to create POST for the last seven. We are looking forward to engaging the legislature in crafting a POST system that works for everybody,” he said.

Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, was the language used in previous legislation with the same goals as Gov. Baker’s recently filed proposal.

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