Pittsfield police chief, Boston chaplain among new members of Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission
Updated Apr 01, 2021;
A Pittsfield police chief, a Boston chaplain and a retired judge are some of the nine inaugural members of the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.
Gov. Charlie Baker and Attorney General Maura Healey announced the new members Thursday afternoon, the deadline for making these appointments. The POST Commission was created out of the police reform law Baker signed into law in December after months of negotiations.
“By establishing a Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, the Commonwealth is taking an important step to improve public safety and increase trust between members of law enforcement and the communities they serve,” said Baker, a Republican.
Nine members named to Massachusetts new policing reform commission
By Chris Van Buskirk
A former Massachusetts Superior Court judge selected by Gov. Charlie Baker will head up the state s brand new commission tasked with certifying and holding police officers accountable.
The state s top executive and law enforcement official made public on Thursday their picks to the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission. The state s new policing reform law required Baker and Attorney General Maura Healey to appoint members to the POST Commission by April 1.
The nine-member commission is one of the central parts of the reform law Baker signed at the end of December. Lawmakers have previously said it is the only civilian-led entity with the power to craft policing standards, certify law enforcement officers, and revoke officers certifications if they violate those standards.
Continuing the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office commitment of public service and civic leadership, two staff members were recently accepted to competitive and prestigious leadership programs that will allow them to further the important work they do on behalf of the people of Suffolk County every day.
Chief of SCDAO’s Victim Witness Assistance Program Charlene Luma is a member of the current LeadBoston cohort, while Assistant District Attorney Erin Knight of the office’s Appeals Unit has been accepted to the Boston Bar Association’s Public Interest Leadership Program.
“I’m incredibly proud of Charlene Luma and Erin Knight. Both have displayed a deep dedication to serving the individuals and communities who rely on our office. They are each highly skilled and committed to using their roles to create meaningful change,” District Attorney Rachael Rollins said. “Leadership is integral to the work every member of a prosecutor’s office performs, both in c