Student Court Officers attending the Court Officer Academy are subject to the disciplinary procedures outlined in this manual. Academy Staff personnel and guest instructors will read and familiarize themselves with the Academy Disciplinary Code. This process utilizes a system of progressive discipline tools, which includes verbal counseling/correction, and more formal disciplinary measures. Instances of Student Court Officer misconduct, either on or off duty, will be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination from the Court Officer Academy.
During any investigation during the Academy, or upon conclusion of the Academy where a complaint or incident may have been brought forward or learned of, Student Court Officers are required to fully cooperate and participate in the investigation. Failure to cooperate in the investigation may result in dismissal from the Academy.
Serious infractions of a criminal nature may require the referral of these incidents to a law enforcement organization with appropriate jurisdiction. Any Training Staff member or guest instructor who identifies a Student Court Officer who has committed an infraction of the Academy Disciplinary Code may recommend to the Chief Court Officer, in writing that action be taken against that Student Court Officer. The Chief Court Officer may require the Student Court Officer as well as the Training Staff member or guest lecturer to submit a To/From.
Any Training Staff member, academic instructor or guest lecturer who becomes aware of any violation of either the Staff or Student Court Officer Operations Manual(s) will report the infraction to the Chief Court Officer, forthwith. This includes violations committed by the Training Staff, academic instructors, guest instructors, or Student Court Officers. Documentation of violation of the Academy Discipline Code is imperative to the integrity of the Disciplinary System.
Only the highest standards of integrity, discipline, conduct, and professionalism are acceptable. Student Court Officers belonging to a collective bargaining agreement follow MTC policies and procedures progressive discipline system.
Student Court Officers are subject to the rules, regulations and procedures outlined in this manual as well as the ability to consistently meet training performance expectations, and the rules and regulations of the MTC Security Department. Further, overarching guidance for employee conduct and the disciplinary process is outlined in the Trial Court Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual.
Student Court Officers are reminded that they are employed in a probationary status. Probationary employees may be terminated at the sole discretion of the appointing authority if the performance of an employee is deemed unsatisfactory. Successful completion of all training requirements, adherence to the Academy rules, and behavior consistent with expectations identified in the Policy and Procedures Manual is required to achieve successful performance during the academy training phase.
Violations of policies and procedures outlined in these references may result in corrective or disciplinary action. The Trial Court Security Department and Training Staff uses a system of progressive discipline. Verbal counseling and correction is the most common form of action required to improve performance or change unacceptable behavior. Repeated violations or unacceptable behavior may result in a written warning or other forms of progressively severe discipline. Repeated violations of the policies and procedures, or any violation of the honor code or Policy and Procedures Manual, and any action by a Student Court Officer that brings discredit to the Trial Court are grounds for disciplinary action that includes termination of employment.
A. Verbal Reinforcement/Counseling
The preferred method of influencing Student Court Officer performance and behavior will be through the use of positive verbal reinforcement. This can be best accomplished by providing verbal advice, guidance, or correction to the Student Court Officer.
B. Observation Reports
Student Court Officers may be issued Observation Reports. Observation reports can be issued for positive and negative behaviors. Observation reports will remain in the Student Court Officer’s training file.
C. To/From Letters
Any Training Staff member may order a Student Court Officer to submit a To/From letter to address an infraction or improper behavior. Whenever a Training Staff member orders a Student Court Officer to submit a To/From Letter, the Training Staff member will advise the Student Court Officer of the subject of the To/From letter. The Student Court Officer will note the subject of the To/From letter in their pocket notebook. The Student Court Officer will address the letter to the issuing Training Staff member and will follow the proper To/From format. The Student Court Officer will turn in the To/From on the next training day. Training Staff may extend the due date of a To/From as warranted. Discrepancies in the To/From letter may be grounds for an order that a second To/From letter be written, at the discretion of the Academy Staff. All acceptable To/From letters will be filed in the Student Court Officer's official records file. If the To/From is time sensitive the Training Staff member will forward an uncorrected copy to the addressed party and return the original to the Student Court Officer for corrections.
Academic work assignments may be issued contemporaneously with a To/From in collaboration with the Group Liaison. Academic work assignments include but are not limited to, report writing, complaint applications and affidavit writing assignments.
D. Violation System
The Chief Court Officer or designee is responsible for maintaining a log of all issued To/From letters. At the end of each training day, each Training Staff member reports all issued To/From Letters to the Chief Court Officer or designee. When a Training Staff member issues a To/From, they will immediately advise the Student Court Officer of reason(s) for issuance. The issuing Training Staff member will fill out information in their violation notebook. The Student Court Officer will record the violation in their pocket notebook and will submit a To/From letter regarding the incident in accordance with the To/From letter format. The Chief Court Officer or designee will review the To/From letter to be placed into the Student Court Officer’s official training file, along with any other pertinent documentation and reports. The Training Staff member may recommend further corrective or disciplinary action, if necessary. If further action is warranted, the Training Staff member and Student Court Officer will be notified by the Chief Court Officer or designee, who will oversee and document any further action(s). Arbitrarily issuing To/From letters to an entire group of Student Court Officers is prohibited.
E. Serious Violation
A serious violation involves Student Court Officer behavior severe enough to warrant the possibility of their dismissal from the Academy.
Any Training Staff member or guest instructor who becomes aware of a Student Court Officer's behavior or conduct of a serious nature shall personally report the circumstances of the incident to the Chief Court Officer, forthwith. The Chief Court Officer will request a To/From letter documenting the incident from the person making the report. The Student Court Officer may be required to submit a To/From letter documenting the infraction, in accordance with the To/From letter format. Upon receipt of the necessary documentation, the Training Staff member will forward all information to the Chief Court Officer with his/her recommendation(s).
The Chief Court Officer will review the recommendation for content, accuracy, and veracity. After review, the Chief Court Officer shall forward any recommendation(s) to the Director of Security or a final decision. The Director of Security may accept, deny, or remand the recommendation for further investigation. When a serious violation is issued, the Student Court Officer will receive written notification, a copy of which will be placed in his/her training file.
The Chief Court Officer is responsible for ensuring consistency in the application of discipline by Training Staff members. Training Staff members will utilize only those methods of discipline outlined herein. All other methods of discipline, including physical training for punishment, are prohibited. Any member of the Training Staff who becomes aware of a violation of this order will report the infraction immediately to the Chief Court Officer. Infractions of this mandate are considered serious violations of Academy Disciplinary Code.
Student Court Officers who receive To/From’s for several violations may be considered for dismissal from the Court Officer Academy. The accumulation several violations may be a symptom of an underlying behavioral or disciplinary problem. The Chief Court Officer will ensure that all recommendations for dismissal include sufficient documentation to warrant consideration. Recommendations for dismissal will be forwarded to the Academy Director for review and appropriate action.
The Academy Director makes a determination and may forward a Student Court Officer’s name for dismissal to the Director of Security. The reasons supporting a recommendation for dismissal include, but are not limited to the following inappropriate behaviors/actions:
- Violations of the Student Court Officer Training Manual.
- Violation(s) of the Academy Disciplinary Code.
- Violation(s) of the Honor Code.
- Possession of any weapon, tobacco, alcoholic beverage(s) and/or non-prescribed controlled substance(s).
- Insubordination.
- Absent without leave.
- Criminal behavior.
- Sexual harassment.
- Discrimination.
- Violations of good order and discipline.
- Failure of any academic examination, followed by failure on the remedial exam.
- Failure of any two (2) academic examinations.
- Failure to achieve performance standards.
- Failure to maintain attendance standards.
- Inability to fully participate in the health & wellness program.
- Lack of ability to perform in a manner consistent with the Academy.
- Demonstrated lack of ability to successfully complete any aspect of the Academy.
- Conduct which has the potential for bringing the Massachusetts Trial Court into disrepute or reflects discredit upon the Student Court Officer as a member of the Massachusetts Trial Court, or that which has the potential to impair the operation, efficiency, or effectiveness of the Massachusetts Trial Court.
- Failure to successfully complete CPR, First Responder, or Defensive Tactics certification.
- Cheating, Copyright, and Plagiarism.
- Horseplay.
- Use of foul language.
- Violations of MPTC rules.
F. Hazing
The MTC Academy strictly adheres to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 269: Section 17. Hazing; Organizing or Participating Academy staff are expected to carry themselves in a professional manner at all times and treat all those attending the Academy with respect. All activities of the Academy must serve a purpose directly related to the job of being a Court Officer. Any activity and / or task that is implemented by any Academy Staff that does not serve a training purpose is strictly prohibited. Any Student Court Officer at any time who feels that they are a target of hazing, is expected to immediately report said actions to the Chief Court Officer, Group Liaison, or a Regional Director of Security.
Although General Law Chapter 269, § 17, 18, and 19 does not apply to Academy training, see Perkins v. Commonwealth, Appeals Court (2001), the Massachusetts Trial Court does not tolerate or permit Academy personnel and/or Student Court Officers to engage in hazing activities.
G. Class Conduct
Students shall always conduct themselves with professionalism. It is imperative that Student Court Officers work as a team to accomplish the goal of each training exercise. They shall treat each other with dignity and respect and will not use any form of harassment or speech, public or otherwise, to bring humiliation, shame, or ridicule against a fellow Student Court Officer. Student Court Officers will not engage in any speech containing obscene or sexually explicit language, or images, acts or behavior that would reasonably be considered reckless, irresponsible or unprofessional, regardless of the intent to malign, disparage, threaten harm or otherwise express bias against any race, any religion, or any protected class of individual.
Contact for Court Officer Academy Student Court Officer Manual: Disciplinary Procedures
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| Date published: | January 2, 2023 |
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