More than two dozen Massachusetts law enforcement officers did not secure renewed certification under the state's new police reform law for reasons including possible ongoing disciplinary matters, while more than 200 others were not recertified for other causes, the executive director of a police oversight panel said Tuesday.
Through Nov. 16, the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission had processed recertification of 8,846 officers in Massachusetts whose last names begin with the letters A through H, according to data presented by POST Commission Executive Director Enrique Zuniga.
A total of 243 officers were not recertified, 26 of whom did not earn recertification for what Zuniga dubbed a "pending matter including a disciplinary matter." That category includes instances in which a police chief did not file an attestation of an officer's good moral character and the Division of Certification is now affirming "that determination of not a good moral character," Zuniga said.
Some of those officers denied recertification may opt to appeal the decision by seeking review of their case from Zuniga or from the larger POST Commission.
The most common reason for denied recertification in Tuesday's update was that the officer was out on leave for administrative, medical or military reasons, affecting 133 applicants. Officers on leave will get 90 days to comply with recertification requirements once they return to active duty.
Another 21 officers retired or resigned since the process began, and 63 officers who were not recertified failed Bridge Academy training.
Under the law that created the POST Commission, all police officers in Massachusetts must be certified and then recertified on a three-year cycle based on their last names. Officers with last names starting with the letters A through H needed to apply for recertification by July 1.
