Former New Jersey state police lieutenant colonel to lead Massachusetts State Police, Healey says

BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey has hired a new colonel to lead the Massachusetts State Police.

Geoffrey Noble, a former state police lieutenant colonel in New Jersey, will take on the top job with the Massachusetts State Police, Healey said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Noble is expected to begin in his new role in October. He will oversee more than 3,000 sworn and civilian employees of the Massachusetts State Police, which is the largest law enforcement agency in New England.

In a statement, he said he has “long admired the Massachusetts State Police.”

“It is a true honor that Governor Healey has placed her trust in me to lead this distinguished team of law enforcement professionals,” Noble said. “The hardworking men and women of the State Police show up every day to keep the people of Massachusetts safe, and they deserve a leader who is accessible, transparent and committed to the highest standards of integrity and excellence. That is the focus I will bring as Colonel.”

Noble was chosen after a national search led by a Search Committee and executive search firm, Healey said.

“Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Noble has dedicated his career to public service, rising to the highest levels of the New Jersey State Police and delivering results on some of the most pressing issues facing law enforcement,” Healey said. “He is a principled, respected leader who is widely praised for his integrity, compassion and ability to bring people together.”

“I’m confident that he is the leader that our hardworking State Police team and the people of Massachusetts deserve,” said Healey, who also lauded interim Massachusetts State Police Colonel John Mawn, who has been leading the department since February 2023.

Mawn “has earned the respect of his colleagues, and all who work with him, as well as the public, for his professionalism, his work ethic and his integrity,” Healey said. “He is a model for all of the men and women of the Massachusetts State Police and for the generations of troopers to follow.”

Noble’s hire comes as the department has been embroiled in multiple public scandals, including a widespread overtime abuse scandal and investigations into some troopers for their connection to the Karen Read murder case.

In a statement Wednesday, Mawn welcomed Noble to the department.

“Today, I welcome Geoff Noble to the Massachusetts State Police and congratulate him on his appointment,” Mawn said. “It has been the honor of my career to serve in this leadership role, and I would like to express my gratitude to the men and women of the Department for their extraordinary work during my tenure.”

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“Despite the challenges facing our profession, they consistently conducted themselves with professionalism and compassion,” Mawn said.

The State Police Association of Massachusetts thanked Mawn for his service and professionalism and congratulated Noble on the selection.

“We look forward to working together and welcome the opportunity to build a strong relationship with him and his leadership team,” Association President Brian Williams said.

Noble’s career in law enforcement spans 30 years, with 13 years of command-level experience, including serving as Deputy Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police from 2018-2022, according to biographical information provided by Healey’s office.

In that role, he was the second-in-command of New Jersey’s largest police agency, with a staff of nearly 4,000 personnel.

Noble served as the agency’s Chief of Staff and assisted the Superintendent with the oversight of all Division operations, including Administration, Operations, Homeland Security, Emergency Management, Training, Professional Standards and Investigations.

During his tenure as Deputy Superintendent, he implemented a new Office of Employee Relations and Community Outreach, which focused on strengthening relationships with employees and communities. He also regularly provided briefings to all levels of executive government, including the governor and attorney General.

During his tenure with the New Jersey State Police from 1995-2022, Noble held numerous assignments including uniformed patrol, field training officer and detective. His investigative assignments included narcotics, official corruption, organized crime and homicide.

Noble was the Commander of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team, which was responsible for investigating the use of deadly force by police. He also provided instruction at numerous local police academies and special courses, including coordinating the New Jersey Advanced Homicide Investigators Conference, a premier advanced training course for homicide detectives from across the country.

Noble also spent two years holding the rank of Major as the Commander of the Forensic and Technical Services Section. He was entrusted to manage the operations of five regional state crime laboratories in the wake of a systemic failure that had resulted in the dismissal of thousands of cases.

Noble implemented a comprehensive mitigation plan that increased quality control standards, improved accountability and maintained the integrity and confidence of the statewide forensic laboratory system.

He also designed and implemented new systems to improve efficiency, resulting in the elimination of a 17,000-case backlog. Noble also designed and implemented the New Jersey Crime Gun Protocol, a nationally recognized best-practice which helped provide the foundation for the state’s violent crime reduction strategy that saw a 30 percent reduction in shootings.

Before joining the New Jersey State Police, Noble served for two years as a summer police officer in Nantucket.

Since retiring from law enforcement in 2022, Noble has worked as regional president for Inter-Con Security Systems, Inc., one of the top 10 private security firms in the world.

In this role, he manages operations in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic area of over 1,500 security professionals servicing multiple agencies and corporations. His portfolio includes the management of private security programs at multiple high-risk critical infrastructure sites, including JFK International Airport, LaGuardia International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and the World Trade Center.

Noble was born and raised in Rhode Island, spent much of his childhood on Cape Cod, and currently lives in New Jersey with his wife and three children. He will be relocating to Massachusetts, officials said.

Noble has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in education from Seton Hall University and a Certificate of Achievement in Criminal Justice from the University of Virginia. He also graduated from the FBI National Academy.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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