State police need ‘major overhaul’

Readers say

“This has been necessary for a while, but the Karen Read affair has put them in the spotlight,” said one of the more than 900 respondents to our survey.

The murder trial of Karen Read has taken Massachusetts by storm and put a spotlight on the Mass. State Police, which Boston.com readers say needs a “major overhaul.”

Readers’ appeal follows the questionable conduct of Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the case, which came to light earlier this month.

Proctor admitted on the stand to “juvenile and regrettable” comments he made in texts to friends and colleagues during his investigation of Read, who is accused of killing Boston police officer John O’Keefe.

In the text messages, Proctor called Read “moronic” and “crazy,” made fun of her medical condition (Crohn’s disease), and used derogatory language to describe her. In a text to his sister, Proctor said he hoped Read would “commit suicide.” He also told colleagues: “No nudes so far” while searching his phone.

Massachusetts State Police began an investigation into Proctor. Jurors in the Read trial are expected to begin their deliberations this week.

Call for a Blue Ribbon Commission

Boston.com reader Donna C. of Revere said an overhaul of the MSP has been “needed for some time, but the Karen Read case has put them in the spotlight.”

Indeed, MSP has long sparked concerns and calls for reform within the agency. Law enforcement watchdog the Massachusetts Association for Professional Law Enforcement (MAPLE) has been calling for an investigation since 2018, according to Dennis Galvin, president of the group.

Galvin, a retired state police major, told Boston.com that MAPLE has called for an “end-to-end review of the entire agency” in the form of a ribbon commission blue in response to a series of scandals over the past six months. years.

“It’s time for a major overhaul and bring in outsiders to run the organization. The overtime scandal was just the tip of the iceberg,” said Allston Boston.com reader Joe M..

The blue ribbon commission would involve a comprehensive public review of the entire organization, including its selection processes, its training philosophy, how it conducts assignments and deployments, and what its promotion and promotion practices are. supervision, Galvin said.

Galvin retired from MSP 20 years ago, after joining the agency in 1974. He said the agency was an institution he aspired to, loved and respected, and called it “heartbreaking » to see her undergo the difficulties she experiences.

“But we think we also have an obligation to this old agency and to what it stood for, to make sure we emphasize that this is not how we do business – this is something different.” And it will be fixed. And it seems like some people are starting to get the message,” he said.

Following scrutiny of MSP during the Karen Read trial, we asked Boston.com readers if the agency should undergo an overhaul. The overwhelming majority (93%) of the 904 respondents to our survey said yes, the agency needs an overhaul. Only 7% voted no to an overhaul.

Many readers expressed outrage over text messages Proctor sent about Read to colleagues and senior agency leaders, and called his conduct “unprofessional,” “unacceptable,” and “misogynistic.”

In a statement to Boston.com, an MSP spokesperson said that “while the Massachusetts State Police remains committed to upholding the integrity of the ongoing criminal trial and our own internal affairs investigation, Colonel Mawn understands and shares the concerns regarding police misconduct that have emerged.” during the trial. The public and the Department itself rightly demand that members of the State Police uphold the highest standards of professionalism, and anything less than that undermines the trust we depend on to effectively carry out our duties. assignment.

Below, see what readers had to say about Trooper Proctor and the changes to the Massachusetts State Police.

Answers have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.

Does the Massachusetts State Police need an overhaul?

Yes

“This officer’s behavior brought disgrace to himself and his profession. This fact alone does not justify a redesign. It appears that his colleagues and superiors were aware of his behavior and conflicts of interest. Their inaction is far more concerning than his actions alone – it warrants an overhaul. Hopefully the agency disciplines all officers involved rather than just using this officer as a scapegoat. Guilty or innocent, his behavior compromised this investigation and the credibility of the entire department. One of his superiors should have intervened.

– Jake L., Grafton

“I support an overhaul of mass state policing. The list of controversies is long. An ethics review and reaffirmation of the Code of Conduct would go a long way for me (as a U.S. Veteran residing in Massachusetts) to restore confidence that every state trooper is carrying out their duty in a professional and trustworthy manner.

– L.C., Massachusetts

“Every organization our taxes fund should be subject to annual reviews and audits, and the results of those audits should be made public. This particular organization seems to produce scandal after scandal. As citizens of the Commonwealth, we deserve to know whether or not an organization like the MSP deserves our support.

– Bill, Brighton

“What is most concerning is that this behavior was reported to his (Trooper Proctor) superiors and he was not reprimanded. They are all still in positions of power where this behavior likely continues to exist and will happen again if not corrected. Awareness training is needed and greater accountability is essential. They probably need a guard dog and probation.

– Joe, South Boston

“Between the numerous overtime scandals that have surfaced in recent years, the recent CDL licensing scandal, and the alleged police cover-up in the Karen Read case, it seems clear that an overhaul of the State Police is necessary . Even though the vast majority of police officers do their jobs honestly and ethically, when just a few step outside the bounds of what is acceptable tarnishes the reputation of the entire agency. Although it is unreasonable to expect perfection, higher standards must be put in place to demonstrate that the State Police are at least striving for perfection and being more accountable for their actions.

– Jeff, Natick

“Any law enforcement professional within the State Police, aware of or receiving unprofessional text messages arising from a criminal investigation, should have initiated internal actions to combat such misconduct. An internal investigation is now only informed by public scrutiny, not because of a sudden realization to reform or enforce acceptable public safety protocols. The Karen Read case exposed the incompetence of the leadership of the Massachusetts State Police.

– Joe D., Groveland

“I think the MSP should have a blue ribbon commission. They are supposed to be the state’s leaders in law enforcement. Some of the things that were done during this investigation are unethical, unprofessional and just plain wrong. If citizens of the Commonwealth are expected to follow the laws of the state, then the same laws should be expected to apply to the Massachusetts State Police. I live in this state, I pay taxes in this state, and I trust that the Massachusetts State Police will uphold their oath to serve the Commonwealth. If some state troopers are unable to do so; they must be held accountable for their actions and removed from office.

– Kelly P., Marlborough

No

“MSP does not need an overhaul, but perhaps an audit to see if it is performing at expected levels. The disgusting language used by Trooper Proctor certainly doesn’t seem to match the expected level of performance. I really trust the MSP and think they do a fabulous job keeping the state safe, but there are bad cops everywhere (Proctor). Unfortunately, we usually only hear about the bad ones and not the good ones. The good ones outnumber the bad ones. »

– Ryan, Amesbury

“Unfortunately, in organizations large and small, there are members who do not respect or outright ignore standards and decency. Proctor is one of them and must be disciplined. However, he is not the poster boy. I know many other troopers who shine their flashlights into cars at 2 a.m. or execute search warrants, all in an effort to protect public safety. An internal review, including its chain of command, should suffice.

– John, Shrewsbury

” Let’s be realistic. Every week for the past nine years, trials have taken place in which the defense has had access to text communications from the Massachusetts State Police. However, this is the first time that a series of such defamatory texts has been discovered. So should we knee-jerk and spend tens of millions to rework the MSP on what might be a one-off problem? I do not think so.”

– Chuck H., Harwich

“These guys do a job that no one else wants to do. They have suffered a lot of abuse over the past five years. Soon, no one will want to go into law enforcement. They are treated like murderers because of locker room talk.

– Karen, Waltham

“You can’t blame every soldier for a few bad apples, you have to pick your battles. The State will make an example of it. “It’s really sad that the reputation of Massachusetts state officials will be tarnished for a period of time.”

– Whit, Waltham

Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be interpreted as an unscientific measure of reader opinion.