The commonwealth is looking for a new top cop.
“The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is assisting the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with their search for the next Superintendent (Colonel) of the Massachusetts State Police (MSP),” began the listing on the IACP job board for the job that pays $275,000 to $300,000 a year.
And if you want the job, you better apply fast as the listing has a tight deadline: Sept. 24.
Interim Col. John E. Mawn, who began as a trooper and worked his way up the ranks, took on the position following Col. Christopher Mason’s retirement on Feb. 17 following 40 years with the MSP. Should the state hire a new colonel before he’s been on the job a year, his superintendent-level pension benefits may not take effect, based on the state law governing State Police.
Neither Gov. Maura Healey’s office nor a spokesman for the State Police returned Herald inquiries for comment regarding the posting, the speed of the deadline, whether Mawn could keep the superintendent pension and other questions. A spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security did respond but deferred comment to the governor’s office.
The rank-and-file “look forward to seeing how this process plays out,” according to the head of the State Police Association of Massachusetts.
“We have the confidence that the Healey Administration will select a leader who will continue to move the evolution of policing forward,” union President Patrick McNamara told the Herald in a texted statement. “Whether that comes from our own qualified and competent internal candidates or a less experienced external civilian is yet to be seen.
“This position should not just be a political appointment but a capable leader who will focus on the success of the Massachusetts State Police,” McNamara continued. “The Association will continue to advocate for our membership and the citizens we serve regardless of who is selected for the position of Superintendent.”
The job, per the listing, requires five to seven years of experience as a senior administrative position in a police force or military body — and not less than a decade of experience as a full-time sworn law enforcement officer — a bachelor’s degree and a laundry list of soft skills needed to accomplish MSP goals.
Those include developing strategies for the “department’s continuous improvement,” “increasing diversity … especially in the higher ranks,” “increasing community engagement,” “building morale,” and “strengthening relationships and cooperation with other law enforcement agencies.”
