The new POST Commission has added four Massachusetts police officers to its suspension list.
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This week, four police officers from three different departments in Massachusetts have been added to a suspension list maintained by the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST Commission). With these additions, the list now includes a total of 19 officers.
The POST Commission is responsible for creating a mandatory certification process for police officers, and also has processes in place for decertification, suspension of certification, and retraining in case of misconduct. According to state law, the commission is required to suspend the certification of any officer who is arrested, charged, or indicted for a felony, and to revoke the certification of an officer who is convicted of a felony.
The four officers added to the suspension list this week are Kendra Conway of the Boston Police Department, Iancy Gonzalez of the Salem Police Department, Michael Murphy of the Boston Police Department, and Carlos Vieira of the Lawrence Police Department.
The POST Commission was established in 2020 as part of a criminal justice reform law, with the goal of improving public safety and increasing trust between law enforcement and the public. The commission can also administratively suspend the certification of an officer who fails to complete in-service training requirements within 90 days of being notified, unless there are reasonable exemptions for injury, physical disability, leave of absence, or other documented hardships.
An officer whose certification is suspended may request a hearing before a commissioner. The POST Commission is an important tool in ensuring that police officers in Massachusetts are held accountable for their actions and that the public can trust in the professionalism of law enforcement.
