515 CMR 9.00
Promotional process for rank of major
515 CMR: DEPARTMENT OF STATE POLICE
515 CMR 9.00:
PROMOTIONAL PROCESS FOR RANK OF MAJOR
Section
9.01: Purpose and Scope
9.02: Eligibility
9.03: Selection Process
9.01: Purpose and Scope
(1) Purpose. The purpose of 515 CMR 9.00 is to establish a process for promotion to the rank
of Major.
(2)
Scope. 515 CMR 9.00 applies to all Captains, as defined by M.G.L. c. 22C, § 26A and
Article 4 of the Massachusetts State Police Rules and Regulations, who seek promotion to the
rank of Major.
9:02: Eligibility
A member of the Department is eligible for consideration for promotion to the rank of Major
if the member has attained the rank of Captain and has at least 15 years of service as a uniformed
member.
A member shall not be eligible for promotion if the member is under active investigation
for violating the Department's Rules and Regulations for serious misconduct as defined by
Department General Order ADM-15 - Office of Professional Integrity and Accountability
Investigations unless the Colonel exercises their discretion and determines that the member
should be eligible for promotion notwithstanding the active investigation. If the Colonel makes
such a determination, the Colonel shall document in a written memorandum the reasons for that
determination, which shall become part of a file maintained by the Office of the Superintendent.
Otherwise, the member shall be eligible for consideration for promotion once an investigation
into allegations of serious misconduct is formallyclosed, the member is subsequentlydetermined
to be in good standing with the Massachusetts Police Officer Standards and Training (POST)
Commission, and the member has satisfied any Department disciplinary requirements. If the
investigation into allegations of serious misconduct results in a finding of "Unfounded" or
"Exonerated" and the member is subsequently promoted, the promotion and pay grade will be
retroactive to the date they should have been promoted had the underlying allegations not been
made.
9.03: Selection Process
The Colonel may establish a selection process for the rank of Major, which may include a
Promotional Selection Committee.
If assembled by the Colonel, the Promotional Selection Committee shall present for the
Colonel’s consideration a minimum of three members for each available position. When
evaluating candidates for promotion to the rank of Major, the Colonel shall consider the
recommendations from the Promotional Selection Committee, and the members’ demonstration
of leadership attributes, employment history inside and outside of the Department, disciplinary
history, professional development, and other criteria the Colonel reasonably concludes, in
consultation with the Committee, are related to the performance of the job of Major.
10/10/25
515 CMR - 29
(Mass. Register #1558, 10/10/2025)