11 Fall River officers, Brockton, New Bedford, Taunton, among those who graduated from Plymouth Police Academy

PLYMOUTH – Today, the Municipal Police Training Committee Executive Director Robert Ferullo and Plymouth Academy Director Eileen Goodick announced the graduation of 61 police officers from the MPTC Plymouth Police Academy’s 76th Recruit Officer Class (ROC). The graduates successfully completed over 20 weeks of intensive, standardized training in all aspects of law enforcement and will now serve as full-time officers representing 23 police agencies across Massachusetts.

“The latest MPTC graduating class represents our investment in the future generation of public safety leaders who are well-prepared to protect and serve their communities and advance public safety across the Commonwealth,” said MPTC Executive Director Robert Ferullo (Ret. Police Chief). “I commend their commitment to meeting our statewide professional training standards, which has prepared these officers to provide communities with exceptional policing services by putting into practice the advanced skills, values, and principles engrained throughout their training.”

In a graduation ceremony at the Plymouth Memorial Hall earlier today, members of the 76th ROC took an oath and received their badges for service. The new officers represented several police departments and agencies, including Acushnet, Attleboro, Barnstable, Bellingham, Brockton, Dedham, Dennis, Duxbury, Fall River, Harwich, Hopedale, Middleborough, Milton, Nantucket, New Bedford, North Attleboro, Norton, Plymouth, Raynham, Rochester, Sandwich, Stoughton and Taunton They are the first officers to graduate from MPTC-operated academies in training year 2024-2025.

Among the graduates, were the 11 newest members of the Fall River Police Department.

They will begin the next phase of their training on Monday morning. They will spend one week with the training coordinator, Lt. Joseph Galvao reviewing department policies and procedures, followed by a twelve-week Field Training & Evaluation Program.

The officers include: Officer Matthew Cabral-Barbosa, Officer Anyeric Castillo, Officer Logan Arruda, Officer Taylor Carreiro, Officer Ronaldo Mendes, Officer Christopher Rosa, Officer Zhade Belcher, Officer India Cote, Officer Brandon Andrade, Officer David Silvia III, and Officer Dylan Viera-Owens.

As part of the MPTC’s commitment, the Recruit Officer Course provides over 800 hours of course curriculum designed to prepare student officers for the safe and effective performance of their duties. In keeping with mandates established by the landmark 2020 police reform law, the MPTC curriculum includes de-escalation training based on new use-of-force policies and regulations. Student officers also receive uniform training based on best practices related to essential modern-day policing needs, including effective communication skills, victim-centered and trauma-informed incident response, missing persons and human trafficking investigations, mental health-related emergency response, active shooter and hostile event response, patrol duties, and officer safety and wellness.

Upon successful completion of the Academy, student officers have met all training requirements to be eligible for Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission certification.

The Municipal Police Training Committee develops and delivers training across the Commonwealth to 23,000 officers at every stage of their careers, ranging from basic training for new officers to mandatory and specialized professional development training. An agency within the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, MPTC is responsible for the statewide standardization of police training, delivering a modernized training program that aligns with national best practices, public expectations, and legislative mandates put forward by the 2020 police reform law. MPTC operates a network of convenient regional academies and authorizes independent academies that meet the Agency’s standard of excellence. 

In addition to municipal officers, MPTC ensures the training standards for MBTA Police Officers, Environmental Police Officers, UMass Campus Police Officers, Campus Police Officers, and Deputy Sheriffs performing Police duties and functions.

The MPTC operates Police Academies in Boylston, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lynnfield, Plymouth and Randolph. The MPTC also authorizes full-time academies with the Boston Police Academy, Cambridge Police Academy – Northeastern University, Fitchburg State University Police Program, Lowell Police Academy, MBTA Police Academy, Springfield Police Academy, Worcester Police Academy, Quinsigamond Community College, and the MA National Guard Civilian Academy.