Massachusetts Police Association releases statement on police reform bill

The Massachusetts Police Association has expressed their concern over a bill that passed Tuesday.

Executive Director of The Massachusetts Police Association, James Machado, issued the following statement on the policing bill passed by the Massachusetts Senate this morning.

“The Massachusetts Police Association is deeply disappointed and disturbed by the Senate version of police reform. We tried during this expedited process to show some of the unintended consequences to police, municipalities and more importantly the good citizens of the Commonwealth. In the end, all our proposals were rejected.”

“We cannot support a measure which takes handcuffs off drug dealers and gang bangers and puts them on police, allows criminal records to disappear while tearing open police personnel files and allows criminals to appeal for monetary damages while denying police due process to appeal for their job.”

“We look forward to working with the House to find fair and equitable solutions to this complex problem and ending bias and discrimination in our society.”

The bill would ban chokeholds, limit the use of tear gas, license all law enforcement officers and train them in the history of racism.

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