State Police Association of Massachusetts » details

Here We Go Again…

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:16:39 +0000

Crash Injures State Police Trooper

AUBURN, Mass. — A Massachusetts state police trooper is recovering after his cruiser was struck Monday night.Officials said the crash happened on Route 290 West in Auburn about 8:40 p.m.Investigators said another vehicle struck the back of the cruiser while the trooper was assigned to protecting a road construction detail. The trooper was inside the vehicle when the crash occurred, state police said.

Read more: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/29237424/detail.html#ixzz1YWAVvMfs

Just the tip of the iceberg…

http://public.masstroopers.us/2011/01/mass-trooper-injured-when-cruiser-struck-on-pike/

http://public.masstroopers.us/2010/09/ct-trooper-killed-by-speeding-motorist/

http://public.masstroopers.us/2010/07/3-troopers-struck-in-2-weeks-slow-down-move-over/

http://public.masstroopers.us/2010/06/veteran-trooper-and-father-of-4-killed-by-drunk-driver/

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011309060001

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/boston/12004431263558/mass-police-cruiser-hit-by-wrong-way-driver/

…and so on…

State police arrest 25-year-old Michael Morin of Chicopee following break-in to Chesterfield home

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 14:33:42 +0000

By George Graham, The Republican

May 14, 2010, 8:06AM

SPRINGFIELD – A pair of sharp-eyed state troopers, working a construction detail on Interstate 91 Thursday night, saw a 25-year-old Chicopee man suspected of breaking into a house in Chesterfield earlier in the day and placed him under arrest.

Unfortunately for the suspect, the two troopers working the detail had first-hand knowledge of the break-in because it had occurred on their watch out of the Northampton barracks nearly seven hours before…

More: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/05/state_police_arrest_25-year-ol.html

From the “Hate to say we told you so” department…

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:11:09 +0000

Civilian flaggers cost state more cash: Mass. to pay $54/hour for Route 128 workers

By Bruno Matarazzo Jr. and Alan Burke
Staff Writers
http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_081183507.html

DANVERS — When the state changed the law to let civilian flaggers work traffic details, it was expected to save money.

It’s hard to see where there will be savings, however, on the three-year project to widen Route 128, which begins this spring.

The state will pay $53.81 an hour for civilians to direct traffic on some roads, according to contract documents. That’s almost $10 per hour more than it will be paying for police officers to do the same work…

Read the rest of the Salem News article…

Flag man “Out of Control” and cursing at motorists

jg2628 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:55:59 +0000

Essex Police/Fire: Flag man, motorist exchange words

September 26, 2009 05:31 am

—

ESSEX — A motorist contacted police to complain about a flag man directing traffic during the Route 133 construction project.

The driver called police at 1:37 p.m. Thursday to report a flag man was “out of control” at the intersection of Main Street and Southern and Eastern avenues.

He said he was asked to slow down in “an aggressive tone” by the flagger. When the motorist asked if was the flag man was trained in speed estimation, the flag man responded with an obscenity.

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_269010638.html

Trooper Newspaper October 2009 Editor’s Note

admin — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 03:51:33 +0000

A year ago, many of us heard Secretary of Transportation Cohen at the public hearing on the Detail/Flagger issue, state that no matter what testimony was presented, there would be flaggers, because there would be a substantial monetary savings to the state. No matter what testimony was presented? Why let the truth get in the way of a fabricated story of savings and a political agenda? We also heard Mr. Widmer of the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation tout the savings that would be realized by the use of flaggers. Well, twelve months later, we hear from the administration that this is a jobs program (and we have seen who the flaggers are), not an effort to save money. Could it be because there is no savings? A report by the State Auditor revealed no appreciable savings. It may seem obvious on its face to those in public safety that more cops on the street equate to safer streets. But our current administration feels that a flagger lacking in training, equipment and public safety authority at the same or often more money is a better public safety choice. It makes you wonder how sound their judgement was on other issues. A year later, Mr. Widmer further states that laws (prevailing wage) have to be changed to save the money that he originally stated would be saved by just the implementation of the Detail/Flagger regulations. Which is it Mr. Widmer?

Yes, this is the same administration that was going to put 1,000 more cops on the streets. I guess some members of the administration don’t know that we have lost hundreds of sworn members since the last class, and some cities and towns are sending officers to the unemployment lines. Never mind the additional officers that have been taken off the streets by the use of flaggers (Note to the Boston mayoral candidate who thinks taking police off of details puts more cops on the street – you clearly have taken advantage of the change in marijuana laws if you believe this to be remotely true).

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Accused bank robber was employed as civilian flagger

jg2628 — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:56:04 +0000

The Mass Highway Department confirmed that 32-year old Dimitri Long is certified to work in-state as a flagger.

Sunbeam Television Corp. (WHDH):

BOSTON — Troubling new information about two accused bank robbers has raised a red flag for police.

Police said the two men have been arrested more than 70 times, and that one of them was working as a civilian flagger directing traffic.

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO118506/