Definitions

Academy Director. A person tasked with overseeing and directing a police academy. Action Notice. A written notice provided to a student officer by an academy director or staff member setting forth a disciplinary offense or performance issue and any action taken to address said offense or issue. Appointed Candidate. Someone a law enforcement agency has hired to become a law enforcement officer and who needs to be enrolled in a police academy. Appointed Student Officer. An appointed candidate who is enrolled in a police academy. Appointing Administrator. The head of the law enforcement agency employing the appointed candidate/student officer. Appointing Agency. The law enforcement agency enrolling an appointed candidate/student officer into a police academy. Authorized Academy. A police academy whose operation is approved by the MPTC but which is not financed or staffed by the MPTC. Bridge Academy Training. The training program established pursuant to St. 2020, c. 253,§ 102(b) for law enforcement officers who were working in Massachusetts and certified by the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) as of December 1, 2021, who had not previously completed an MPTC police academy or its equivalent. Chief of Training. An MPTC staff member tasked with overseeing and directing the MPTC's training programs. Executive Director. The head of the Municipal Police Training Committee. (Mass. Register #1560, 11/7/2025) In-Service Training. Mandatory training that must be completed annually by all veteran law enforcement officers. Law Enforcement Agency (Agency). (a) A state, county, municipal or district law enforcement agency, including, but not limited to: a city, town or district police department, the office of environmental law enforcement, the University of Massachusetts police department, the department of the state police, the Massachusetts Port Authority police department, also known as the Port of Boston Authority police department, and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority police department; (b) a sheriff's department in its performance of police duties and functions; (c) a public or private college, university or other educational institution or hospital police department; (d) a humane society police department in section 59 of chapter 22C; or (e) any other law enforcement agency subject to POST certification requirements. Law Enforcement Officer (Officer). A person who receives an appointment to a position in which they will perform police duties and functions as a municipal police officer, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority police officer, Massachusetts environmental law enforcement officer, University of Massachusetts police officer, campus police officer, deputy sheriff appointed pursuant to M.G.L. c. 37, § 3 performing police duties and functions; (b) any other law enforcement officer subject to POST certification requirements or; (c) an individual performing police duties and functions that the Committee, within its discretion, agrees to train. Massachusetts Police Officer Core Competency Assessment. A written exam designed to test an individual's knowledge of Massachusetts criminal laws and procedure. Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC). The agency, within the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, that is responsible for the delivery of training to law enforcement officers in accordance with M.G.L. c. 6, § 116. MPTC Committee. The 15-member Committee responsible for setting policies and standards for the training of law enforcement officers in accordance with M.G.L. c. 6, § 116. Operated Academy. A police academy whose operation is financed and staffed by the MPTC. Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST). The agency established in M.G.L. c. 6E to certify law enforcement agencies and law enforcement officers. Police Academy. Used interchangeably with recruit officer course (ROC), it describes an entry-level basic training program operated or authorized by the MPTC which has the prescribed course of study that a student officer must satisfactorily complete to be certified by POST and sworn-in as a law enforcement officer authorized to perform police duties and functions in Massachusetts. Police Duties and Functions. Activities that include: suppressing and preventing disturbances and disorder; dispersing people; entering private premises to suppress breaches of the peace; stopping, arresting, processing, and confining suspects; searching individuals, and seizing evidence and contraband; questioning individuals and otherwise investigating; carrying a weapon, and supervising or overseeing another's engagement in the performance of those duties and functions. Recruit Officer Course (ROC). Used interchangeably with police academy, it describes an entry-level basic training program operated or authorized by the MPTC which has the prescribed course of study that a student officer must satisfactorily complete to be certified by POST and sworn-in as a law enforcement officer authorized to perform police duties and functions in Massachusetts. Reserve/Intermittent Police Officer. A person who received an appointment to a part-time reserve/intermittent position in Massachusetts in which they perform police duties and functions for a law enforcement agency. Reserve/Intermittent Training Program. An entry-level training program authorized by the Municipal Police Training Committee that was the prescribed course of study that a reserve/intermittent police officer had to satisfactorily complete prior to exercising police powers in Massachusetts prior to the passage of St. 2020, c. 253. Separation Notice. A written notice by an academy director to a student officer documenting the date and reason for their separation from a police academy. Specialized Training. Police training that is not police academy or in-service training. Sponsored Candidate. Someone a law enforcement agency sponsors (but has not hired) to become a law enforcement officer and who needs to be enrolled in a police academy. Sponsored Student Officer. A sponsored candidate who is enrolled in a police academy. Sponsoring Administrator. The head of the sponsoring law enforcement agency. Sponsoring Agency. The law enforcement agency enrolling a sponsored candidate/student officer into a police academy. Student Officer. A person who is enrolled in a police academy and who, upon satisfactorily completing it, is eligible to be certified by POST and sworn-in as a law enforcement officer authorized to perform police duties and functions in Massachusetts.