Several current and former Massachusetts State Police troopers are facing charges in connection with an alleged bribery conspiracy scheme involving commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). This is just the latest in a series of scandals that have plagued the agency in recent years.
One of the biggest scandals, known as “Troopergate,” began in 2017 when two troopers claimed they were pressured to remove embarrassing details about the arrest of a judge’s daughter. This led to the retirement of the agency’s colonel and a lengthy ethics investigation.
Since then, there have been numerous cases of officers accused of betraying the public trust. The most widespread scandal involved nearly 50 state troopers in an overtime fraud scheme along the Massachusetts Turnpike, resulting in convictions and restitution to taxpayers.
Another scandal saw the former president of the State Police union sentenced to prison for embezzlement and accepting kickbacks.
In addition, there were reports of recruits being injured during unauthorized exercises at the Massachusetts State Police Academy, leading to a leadership shakeup.
These scandals have caused a trickle-down effect on the agency, with recruitment and retention challenges becoming increasingly difficult. However, efforts have been made to reform the agency, including the requirement of body cameras for all CDL exams and the implementation of location-tracking on cruisers.
Despite these challenges, a department spokesperson emphasized that the actions of a few do not reflect the values and integrity of the majority of State Police troopers.
Source
Photo credit www.nbcboston.com
