Press Release  MSA Announces the Hire of Nationally Experienced Corrections Veteran as Director of Training

Boston — The Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association (MSA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Melissa Metzke as the Director of Training for the MSA Education & Training Committee. Melissa brings a wealth of experience to her new role, most recently serving as Director of Officer Health and Performance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC).  

In her role with MPTC, Melissa spearheaded the development of comprehensive health and wellness educational programs for police officers, aligning with statewide government regulations and public safety goals. She has partnered with academia and state health departments to incorporate evidence-based strategies into law enforcement wellness programs and has engaged government bodies and policymakers to advocate for the integration of health and wellness initiatives into law enforcement training standards. Melissa is recognized for her innovative efforts in promoting officer safety and reducing attrition rates while fostering a more inclusive and efficient training environment.  

“Director Metzke will undoubtedly enhance our focus on supporting and sustaining the highest level of professional standards within our industry. She is recognized as an innovative and proven leader in not only the public safety training domain, but also in the critical yet often overlooked field of officer and organizational wellness,” said Sheriff Patrick McDermott, MSA President. “We are eager to partner with her and incorporate her collaborative and evolved approach to public safety training and education to fulfill our vision of creating the gold standard locally and nationally.”  

As MSA Director of Training, Melissa will support the implementation of standardized correction officer academy training requirements among the fourteen Commonwealth Sheriffs Offices, focusing on curriculum development, evaluation and delivery. In addition, Melissa will assist in the deployment of a comprehensive digital data warehouse for training records, instructor certifications and academy performance standards.   

Prior to joining MPTC, Melissa served as the Lead Tactical Human Performance Specialist for the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC.

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