The LEA portal is now open to process recertifications for officers with last names Q-Z.
By statute, all officers who were employed as police officers in Massachusetts on July 1, 2021 were certified and scheduled for recertification in three groups based on the officer’s last name. Upon recertification by POST, the certification is valid for three years.
- Officers with last names A-H were recertified as of July 1, 2022
- Officers with last names I-P were recertified as of July 1, 2023
- Officers with last names Q-Z will be recertified by July 1, 2024
The Commission shall not issue a certificate to an applicant who does not meet the minimum standards of the Commission or has been convicted of a felony or whose name is listed in the national decertification index.
2024 Recertification Submission Process
Helpful information regarding the recertification process, timeline for submitting applications, POST’s process of reviewing these applications and issuing certification notices, and relevant resources for submission are found here.
Officers must complete Questionnaire and Oral Interview with Agency Head or designated Evaluator before the recertification application can be submitted.
Agency Head or designee submits recertification applications between May 1, 2024 and June 30, 2024.
POST reviews applications and issues certifications from May to October 2024.
The recertification of veteran officers (active as of 7/1/2021) with last names beginning Q-Z will be submitted through the LEA Portal. This is the same process as last year’s I-P recertification.
Before submitting the applications in the portal on behalf of your officers, officers eligible for recertification should complete the Officer Questionnaire. This questionnaire is to be submitted by your officers to your Agency Head or designated Evaluator. The responses are then discussed with the officer and the questionnaire should be retained internally within your agency.
As part of the recertification application, the Agency Head or their designee will attest that the Officer Questionnaire was completed by the officer, and that an oral interview was completed based on those responses. Typically, this document would only be submitted to POST if the Agency Head declines to attest to an officer’s moral character and fitness as an officer.
Beginning May 1, the Agency Head or their designee will be able to access the applications through the Portal. These applications are due no later than June 30, 2024, but may be submitted as early as May 1.
Recertification applications will be reviewed by POST on a rolling basis. An application submitted May 1 for an officer who has completed all requirements, including TY24 training, may receive their Notice of Certification as early as July. An application submitted later in the application window, or for an officer who has outstanding requirements, may not have a decision issued immediately. Please note that while training records for TY24 are not due to the MPTC until September 30, 2024, submitting these records earlier and ensuring that your Q-Z officers’ Acadis records are up to date will help expedite the process. Training records submitted on September 30 may delay the Notice of Certification into October.
Once a Notice of Certification is issued to an officer, the Agency Head or their designee will be able to view this in the LEA Portal. Instructions for accessing these documents are attached here. POST will send periodic updates to Departments of which officers have been certified, but the Portal allows for real-time updates.
Less Common Certification Scenarios:
Non-Attestation:
In the event that you are not attesting to an officer’s character and fitness, you must still complete the Certification Application within the LEA Portal, and also email the Non-Attestation Form to POSTCCertification@mass.gov. A copy must also be provided to the officer.
Officer on Extended Leave:
If an officer is on extended leave and has been unable to complete one or more certification requirements as a result, you must still complete the Recertification Application within the LEA Portal. If this officer’s leave status is not currently reflected within the Portal roster, please also submit the Officer Status Update form and POST will make this change. The officer will be issued a certification with the status “Not Certified – On Leave.” Upon their return, the Officer Status Update form must be submitted to inform POST of this and the officer will be granted a 90-day Conditional Certification to allow them to come into compliance with any missed requirements. Please be sure to keep POST updated if this officer’s leave status changes.
Officer Separation from Employment After Application Submitted/Before Certification is Issued:
If an officer leaves your agency after an application is submitted on their behalf, but before a certification has been issued, please contact POST as soon as possible. Whether the officer has resigned/retired in good standing, resigned/retired in lieu of discipline, or has been terminated may impact their certification. If the officer has retired, please specify whether this officer has retired completely, or whether they are working details (either with your agency or another, to the best of your knowledge). The Officer Status Update form linked above can be used to notify POST of such a change.
Officers who graduated from an academy July 2021 - December 2021:
Officers who graduated from an academy after July 1, 2021 were issued a certification at the time of their graduation, and there are approximately 160 officers in this group statewide. Other veteran officers were recertified out of sequence in 2021 for various reasons and are included here. That initial certification between July and December 2024 will expire 3 years from the issue date.
Certification applications will be available on May 1 for those officers whose certification expires in July or August 2024. For officers with a certification expiring in September or later, their certification application will be available in the portal 60 days in advance of the expiration. Going forward, POST will contact agencies on a monthly basis with a list of officers with upcoming expiration dates, and you can view your officers’ certification expiration dates at any time via the Agency Roster page of the portal. For all officers whose initial certification is expiring before 7/1/2025, the certification renewal process will be the same as the Q-Z recertification process.
Officers Who Do Not Have a Certification Status:
If there are any officers on your roster (excluding students currently enrolled in an academy) who do not have a certification status and who do not appear on your recertification list on May 1, please contact POSTCCertification@mass.gov. These officers may not have been certified when they were due if an officer transferred agencies in the middle of recertification, or if an officer retired and subsequently returned to work details. Anyone working in a law enforcement capacity must be POST certified.
2024 Recertification Eligibility
Officers processed for recertification on July 1, 2024 have last names beginning with Q-Z, were employed in any police capacity on July 1, 2021 (certified by statute) and have not been issued a new certification as of the date of their submission. This recertification submission is for full-time officers, part-time officers, reserve officers, officers on leave or suspension, and retired officers that work details.
The recertification process is governed by the Recertification Regulations (555 CMR 7.00) and is based on the principles described in those regulations:
- Agencies apply for recertification on behalf of officers.
- Agencies utilize a questionnaire to conduct an oral interview (administered by the chiefs or their designees).
- The head of the agency makes (or declines to make) an attestation to the good moral character and fitness for duty as a law enforcement officer for each individual officer. In the case of the chief, their appointing authority makes such attestation.
Exceptions (Officers on Leave)
Officers on extended leave (medical/injured on duty, military, family, administrative or other) who have not met the required conditions of recertification will be classified as “not certified” and categorized as “on leave” until they return to full duty.
Upon return to full duty, the agency must submit a Status Form and the officer may be granted a conditional certification allowing 90 days for the completion of requirements. If an officer is on administrative leave due to a pending investigation or discipline, the case may be classified as requiring further review. The agency must also notify MPTC at MPTCAcadis@mass.gov of the officer’s return to duty. Upon completion, a second status form will be filed with POST and, upon review, a full certification will issue.
In reaching a determination on the officer’s recertification status, the Division of Certification reviews the officer’s application and the accompanying documentation received from the officer’s employing agency. The Division of Certification may grant an officer full recertification and has the authority to deny an officer full recertification, or limit, condition, restrict, revoke or suspend the officer’s certification. An officer will receive a notice from the Division of Certification detailing their recertification status.
2024 Recertification Forms
2024 Recertification Fact Sheet
2024 Attestation Questionnaire Quick Reference Guide (part 1)
2024 Officer Questionnaire (part 2)
2024 Officer Questionnaire (part 2) Fillable
2024 Recertification Submission Guide
The questionnaire must be answered by all Q-Z officers and reviewed by a supervisor/evaluator to qualify as the oral interview administered by POST. The questionnaire is not submitted to POST unless there is no attestation made for that officer.
The non-attestation form must be uploaded for each officer not attested to or with a negative attestation. A copy must be provided to the officer by the agency head/designee.
Recertification Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs: Requirements for Recertification
Who is eligible for recertification by July 1, 2024?
Officers with the last names Q-Z employed in any police capacity on July 1, 2021, who have not already received a new certification (from another agency or as a new academy graduate). Officers on all types of leave are considered employed officers and should be included in the submission.
I have 2 reserve officers that work in another town. Do I need to attest to them?
If another department has that officer hired full-time, that department should provide the recertification documents to POST. If they are hired part-time equally by multiple departments, the department they worked for first should do so. All departments that employ that officer should ensure that the officer is being “sponsored” by one department and complying with POST filings. The officer has the responsibility to ensure an attestation is being filed on their behalf as well.
What forms do we submit for recertification?
All information will be submitted through the new POST online portal. The only forms that are required to be uploaded are those relative to non-attestations.
What documentation must be submitted in the event a Chief does not attest to an officer’s good moral character?
The following must be uploaded to the portal: 1) A separate non-attestation signature page PER officer, and 2) the officer’s completed questionnaire.
Do we submit recertification information for officers on leave?
Yes. Q-Z officers on any type of leave (military, medical, administrative, or other) should be included in the recertification submission.
I have an officer on paid administrative leave pending an investigation. Am I still able to attest to the officer’s good moral character and fitness for duty given their good work history and no other disciplinary history?
Yes. If you determine, based on your knowledge of this officer, that they are of good moral character and fit for duty as a police officer, you may attest to them. The regulations on recertification (555 CMR 7.00) adopted by the Commission on June 8, 2022 elaborate on the concept: In assessing good character and fitness for employment, an employing agency may take into account whether an officer adheres to state and federal law, acts consistently with recognized standards of ethics and conduct adopted by the employing agency or as set forth in the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct most recently adopted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and is worthy of the public trust and of the authority given to law enforcement officers.
Several members of my department have not been subject to a physical fitness exam through the MPTC but have had physical fitness exams through occupational health facilities prior to employment. Does the non-MPTC physical fitness exam qualify?
Yes. Occupational health/medical evaluations are acceptable for the purposes of officer recertification, if they are related to employment in law enforcement.
In the event an officer has not completed a psychological evaluation, or had one many years ago, will they be denied recertification?
No. Answering “no” to this question will not result in a denial of recertification or suspension. POST wants to know if any such evaluation was ever conducted for officer employment. If an officer had an evaluation administered by your department, but you do not have a record on file, you may still answer “yes” for purposes of this recertification.
Is there further clarification of what constitutes the exam approved by POST?
Any exam that was administered during any of the academies would constitute an exam approved by POST. Those exams may be different depending on the type of academy (reserve, bridge, MPTC, MSP) but they all qualify.
What happens if an officer refuses to complete the questionnaire?
POST will consider that the requirement of an oral interview, M.G.L. c. 6E, section 4(f)(1), is not satisfied, and the officer will not be recertified.
What is the difference between employees choosing not to answer one or two questions as opposed to employees who choose not to answer any of the questions? Is the former permissible, whereas the latter is not?
POST will have to evaluate instances of not answering one or two questions on a case-by-case basis. As mentioned above, if an officer refuses to participate in the questionnaire, POST will consider that the requirement of an oral interview, M.G.L. c. 6E, section 4(f)(1), is not satisfied, and the officer will not be recertified.
Can officers qualify their answers to the Questionnaire (i.e., “on the advice of counsel…”)?
Yes, officers may qualify, explain and expound their answers to ensure they are truthful. If the advice of counsel is to not answer that question, the evaluator should note that. Individuals should also note if answering the question might waive a privilege, protection or right recognized by law (as stated in the instructions).
FAQs: In-Service/Work Requirements
What happens if an officer has not completed in-service by the time we submit the roster for recertification?
If it is expected that the officer will complete the training by July 1st, please answer accordingly. POST will cross-check records with MPTC and if Acadis has not been updated to reflect completion, this may result in the issuance of a conditional certification allowing the officer all police powers. The certification would be subject to the condition that they must complete the training within a specific time period (ex. 90 days). At the end of the 90-day period, POST will again cross-check training records through Acadis to ensure compliance. If the condition has not been met by that specified time, POST may administratively suspend the officer, limiting officer duties to an administrative capacity until training is completed.
What if an officer hasn’t completed their 2400 Bridge Academy work experience hours yet?
If any Q-Z officer has not completed their work experience hours, a conditional certification may be issued allowing that officer to work with full police powers. The officer is allowed to work on a part-time basis only, defined as more than half-time, but less than full-time hours per MPTC guidelines. For example, if the department has a 40-hour work week, the officer may work over 20 hours, but less than 40 hours. The officer has until January 1, 2028 to complete the work hours experience. Upon completion of the hours, POST would be notified by that department through submission of the Officer Status Update Form, the condition would be removed, and the officer would receive full certification.
Additional Resources
| Date published: | March 29, 2023 |
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| Last updated: | May 1, 2024 |