Massachusetts State Police

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On Friday, June 24, 2011, 19 student officers of Special State Police Officer Class #23 graduated from the State Police Academy. Over 600 hours of curriculum, derived from a partnership with the Massachusetts Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, was delivered to the recruits over the course of 15 weeks of intensive training.

Massachusetts State Trooper Ellen Engelhardt, who died June 1 as a result of injuries sustained in the line of duty in July 2003, was mourned with appropriate ceremonial honors during somber services in Marshfield.

During the early morning hours of January 28, 2009, Captain Richard J. Cashin was killed in the line of duty in a cruiser accident while responding to a report of an erratic driver on Route 1 in Saugus. Captain Cashin dedicated 33 years of his life to public safety, proudly serving in the United States Air Force and both the Metropolitan and the Massachusetts State Police.

Recently the Department was awarded the “Pro Patria” award for its support of National Guard members and was selected as a semi-finalist for the 2011 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

Department 911 dispatchers Emily Mearian and Joseph Fantini, were recently recognized at the Massachusetts State 911 Department's fourth annual awards ceremony at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on April 27, 2011.

Five officers were recently honored at the 2011 Quincy Court Law Day. The annual ceremony recognizes people who have made outstanding contributions to public safety in the Quincy Court jurisdiction.

Trooper Bruce J. Tobin, currently assigned to the Norfolk County district attorney's office, received the Mark S. Charbonnier Award for his role in the capture of Malcolm Carnes, who was convicted of shooting to death Ezekiel Cuthbert outside a Randolph gas station in June 2007. Carnes was recently convicted and is serving a life sentence in prison for second-degree homicide.

On Thursday, December 16, 2011 at 1115 hours, Trooper Jeffrey K. Marsh #3148, along with a Belchertown Police Officer, were first to arrive at the scene of a medical call in the Town of Belchertown involving an infant. Tragically, despite their attempts at resuscitation, the infant did not survive. D/Lt Robin Whitney and several troopers assigned to the Hampshire/Franklin SPDU office ultimately responded to assist Belchertown Police in the investigation. For the next several hours, while the scene was processed and the circumstances investigated, Trooper Marsh remained in the basement with the deceased infant’s older siblings... Read more”

Members of the Massachusetts State Police will be joining the Ludlow Police, Ludlow Fire Fighters, and Ludlow “Regular Joe’s and Jane’s” in their participation in the upcoming Pushups for Charity Challenge. The challenge is a fundraising event hosted by a company in Ludlow called Core Fitness.

Once again the Massachusetts State Police Mounted Unit cut an impressive figure along the parade route on St. Patrick’s Day in South Boston on Sunday, March 20. In an era when many major police departments have disbanded their mounted units, the French and Electric Blue proudly continue the tradition.

The fourth annual Massachusetts State Police AMBER Alert Day and Child Safety Fair was held on Thursday, January 13. The event at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield was held in observance of the 14th annual National AMBER Alert Awareness Day.

Operation Flashcard is part of a broader strategy being undertaken by the State Police Barracks in Springfield, in cooperation with local police, to focus intensive resources on a specific area to address violent crimes as well as quality-of-life issues. The Massachusetts State Police are committed to continuing and building upon its partnership with residents of that neighborhood to make it a difficult place for criminals to operate.

The organization Cops for Kids with Cancer recently made a $5,000 donation to a Danvers family. Shown above at the donation presentation at Massachusetts State Police Troop A Headquarters in Danvers are (from left) State Police Captain Michael Drummy, Boston Police Superintendent-in-Chief (ret.) Bob Faherty, Erik West, Elayne West, Olive Letourneau, Danvers Police Lt. Dana Milne and Danvers Police Captain Ed Plamowski. Erick is fighting bone cancer and is undergoing treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital. Elayne, his mom, plans to use the grant to repair her car, which she needs to transport Erik to MGH for treatment.

Massachusetts State Troopers assigned to the Holden Barracks this morning responded to a serious crash on Route 190 northbound in West Boylston.

At 8:44 a.m., Trooper Matthew West was assisting a motorist who had spun out on the icy road when he heard and saw another car lose control as it approached the site of the original crash. The out-of-control car, a 2002 Jaguar S Type, narrowly missed Trooper West's cruiser and launched off the bridge overpass, traveling at least 30 feet and landing on the snow-covered embankment below.

For 26 years, Massachusetts State Police Barracks have always been collection points for toys, but the Department has never proactively sought out donors. While that remained true this holiday season, this year would also be different.

The Disney Store at the Northshore Mall in Peabody recently presented a generous donation to the Toys for Tots Program. Massachusetts State Police troopers assigned to the Troop A Headquarters and the Danvers Barracks gratefully accepted the donation.

Members of the Massachusetts State Police and United States Marine Corps Reserve yesterday urged the public to support the Toys for Tots Program through donations of toys or money. The donations will assist charitable organizations that provide children's gifts and holiday meals for Massachusetts families in need.

The Massachusetts State Police Communications Section has been recognized by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for surpassing the center's established standards for taking calls pertaining to endangered children. The Communications Section was presented with the National Center for Missing Exploited Children's Partner Program Award.

As part of their ongoing effort to protect motorists, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, the Massachusetts State Police, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association gathered today to discuss a statewide drunk driving crackdown currently underway and the dangers of operating under the influence.

Colonel Marian J. McGovern addressed the National Asian Peace Officers' Association 23d annual national training conference on Aug. 9 at the Hyatt Regency Boston. The training conference provides a forum to facilitate the exchange of ideas, philosophies, procedures, policies, tactics and strategies to enhance the delivery of quality police services.

John Walsh, host of the popular television series "America's Most Wanted" and a longtime supporter of law enforcement agencies across the country, was given a tour of a variety of Massachusetts State Police assets on Tuesday, Aug. 3. Mr. Walsh and his production crew were given an up-close look at several tactical units, including the K-9 Section, which demonstrated its contraband detection capabilities.

On Thursday, July 22, Colonel Marian J. McGovern, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, joined with Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray and other federal and state officials to announce a State Police initiative to research trooper safety practices and procedures.

The Massachusetts State Police mourn the passing of Sergeant Douglas A. Weddleton, who was killed in the line of duty while enforcing traffic safety laws on Route 95 in Mansfield in the early morning of Friday, June 18, 2010. A 27-year veteran of the Department, Sergeant Weddleton was assigned to Station H-3, the Foxboro Barracks, at the time of his death.

The Massachusetts State Police on June 13 posthumously named William F. Powers as Historian Emeritus of the Department. A brief ceremony was held at General Headquarters prior to the department’s annual Memorial Service.

Several state troopers are undergoing Drug Recognition Expert training, a program that is an important part of the Department of State Police mission to combat impaired drivers. A drug recognition expert (DRE ) is trained to recognize impairment in drivers who are under the influence of drugs.

The name of Massachusetts State Police Captain Richard J. Cashin was added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., in May. Members of Captain Cashin's family, Colonel Marian J. McGovern, Deputy Superintendent Stephen P. Matthews, and Lieutenant Colonel Timothy P. Alben, as well as a State Police Color Guard

On May 21, the Massachusetts State Police, in cooperation with the Northwestern District Attorney's Office and several area police departments, hosted a training exercise at the Hampshire Regional High School in Westhampton to teach teens about the physics and mechanics of automobile crashes.

The Massachusetts State Police responded to numerous flood-related calls across the state during the late March rainstorm, with extensive efforts focused on Southeastern Massachusetts, which experienced severe flooding problems.

On Feb. 24 at the Cape Cod Air Force Station Pave PAWS radar site in Sagamore, members of the Massachusetts State Police joined other police, emergency and military agencies for a crisis response drill. The exercise was hosted by the 6th Space Warning Squadron to strengthen working relationships based on the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

On Wednesday, January 13, 2010, the Massachusetts State Police hosted its third annual National AMBER Child Alert Awareness Safety Day Fair at The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon in Foxborough, in observance of the 13th Annual National AMBER Alert Awareness Day.

Governor Deval Patrick on January 14, 2010 administered the oath of office to Marian J. McGovern, whom he appointed Colonel and Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. Colonel McGovern took the oath in a ceremony at the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. She is the first woman to hold the position in the state's history.