Mission
The mission of the Municipal Police Training Committee is to develop and deliver training, to set and enforce training standards, and to provide record keeping services regarding training to Municipal Police Departments statewide (Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 96B). These responsibilities are to be carried out in a way that ensures community oriented professionalism throughout the organization.
Vision
The future success of the MPTC is dependent on a shared vision, one that all interested parties believe in and want to work to achieve. The MPTC has adopted an inclusive process for developing this vision, and we believe it represents the best interests of our law enforcement customers and our ultimate constituents: the Citizens of the Commonwealth.
Our vision includes five long-term goals:
- The advancement of the regional training delivery system
- The acquisition and deployment of training technology
- The advancement of the community-oriented/values-driven model of recruit training
- The enhancement of the quality of our training courses
- The professionalization of the MPTC's organizational structure.
1. The regional model of training locates academy sites near population centers. This maximizes local involvement in the academies and shortens commuting distances for student officers. It allows recruits to return to their communities and families at night while they are in the basic course, and it provides convenient access to police departments for in-service training. In order to maintain a regional system of training delivery, a control center must exist to ensure uniformity and compliance with training standards. This system requires strong oversight to make it work. Because of the many advantages of this system to local police departments, the MPTC is committed to putting in place the structure to make it work effectively.
2. The regional police academy sites need to be equipped with the best and latest technology. Two critical areas are defensive driving and firearms training. Computer technology is available that can greatly enhance this training. If the MPTC is to be on the leading edge in police training, it is imperative that Massachusetts invest in new technology.
3. Over the last several years, the MPTC has made changes in the way it delivers recruit training. This shift can be described as moving away from a military model and moving toward the community-oriented model. This shift has in no way diminished graduates' abilities to handle serious or dangerous situations with courage and ability. It has, however, put an emphasis on quality of life issues and community values. As this new way of training recruits matures, it will be the responsibility of the MPTC to ensure that all instructors are trained in these values and deliver the appropriate message. The MPTC is committed to the follow-through required over the long run to make the community model successful.
4. Police work has become more and more sophisticated. Society asks the law enforcement field to deal with some of its most difficult problems. These problems include family violence, hate crimes, guns, drugs, alcohol abuse, juvenile delinquency, and gang violence. If law enforcement officers in Massachusetts are to be able to work on solving these problems, they will need to have the most sophisticated training. This training will have to provide strategies for solving problems. The MPTC is committed to raising the quality of the training course delivered, at its in-service and specialized programs.
5. Finally, the MPTC views the professionalization of its own organizational structure as a long term goal. MPTC management expects to hire more police professionals to staff the regional academies, use technology in all administrative functions, and demand excellence of ourselves.