# MA MLETA RESERVE worth it?



## Bfraser01 (Oct 22, 2020)

Im looking to put myself through the MA reserve academy in February just looking for advice from anyone who has done the same or works in law enforcement In MA, I have my associates degree and live in the north shore area willing to travel somewhat. Trying to do my research online not alot of towns state weather or not they hire Reserves (not AUX) I only found like two Departments alot of forums on here are outdated so hopefully looking for some updated information what towns hire Reserves often and is the RA actually worth it and getting my foot in the door i just dont want to waste my time or money.
Thank you I appreciate any input


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## Sgt Jack (Aug 17, 2003)

Here's my just my thoughts. In pre pandemic times I would tell you to just have a department sponsor you through the full-time academy. Currently I'm not sure that the MPTC is allowing self sponsors due to covid class size reductions so that may not be an option.

Nothing wrong with going to MALETA as I know the guy that runs it. He was the former Senior Staff Instructor at MPTC Reading and is pretty squared away so I'm confident you'll get good training. The issue is that people with the RI Academy and a Associates in CJ are a dime a dozen. The upside may be given these trying anti police times you might fair a little better as there's less interest in becoming a cop. 

Plenty of Departments on the North Shore use Reserves. Boxford, Essex, Georgetown, Groveland, Hamilton, Middleton, Nahant, Newberry, West Newbury, Wenham, Manchester by the Sea, Topsfield, and Rockport.
I'd start with those if you're interested.


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## Beyou (Oct 23, 2020)

Sgt Jack said:


> Here's my just my thoughts. In pre pandemic times I would tell you to just have a department sponsor you through the full-time academy. Currently I'm not sure that the MPTC is allowing self sponsors due to covid class size reductions so that may not be an option.
> 
> Nothing wrong with going to MALETA as I know the guy that runs it. He was the former Senior Staff Instructor at MPTC Reading and is pretty squared away so I'm confident you'll get good training. The issue is that people with the RI Academy and a Associates in CJ are a dime a dozen. The upside may be given these trying anti police times you might fair a little better as there's less interest in becoming a cop.
> 
> ...


do you know what department or chief have sponsored for a full time before. With No affiliation, meaning the student would have to pay for everything. Gear/academy,etc,etc


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## RodneyFarva (Jan 18, 2007)

Sgt Jack hit the nail on the head on this one. The political climate right now in Massachusetts toward LE alone, not to mention the rest of the country is bleak. Now add the looming police reform bill hanging over our heads that the Governor stated he will sign when it hits his desk. This maybe a sign to re-access getting into LE or at least pump the brakes to wait and see.

Right now the future is unsure for part-time and reserve police officers in Massachusetts. Several things have been predicted for when this bill is singed, some are good, some are bad, and others are absolutely devastating especially for departments west of 495 that relay heavily on part timers. Some departments in that neck of the woods (pun intended) consist of all part-time officers including the Chief of police so what do we do then?

Some of the rumblings I have heard are:

A, Current sworn part-time officers will be grandfathered in as certified full time police officers with no further training required. With the exception of in-service stuff.

B, Current sworn part-time officers with be initially certified but will be required to attend a bridge program to become a full time certified officer. This begs the question if you are already working as a part-time officer and attend a bridge program for your full time certification in your department (X), can you later leave that department and go to work for department (Y) as a full time officer, or will they require the officer to attend a full time academy as a new hire?

C, Current sworn part-time officers will be eliminated altogether and you will see a push toward either regional policing, a larger MSP force to cover the smaller towns (more then what they do now) or we could see a proposal to start utilizing various sheriff departments as the primary law enforcement in certain counties in the Commonwealth.

D, They merge us all into the state police and we become troopers overnight akin to the 1992 merger Reg/Mdc/Met.. (I'm sorry.. I had to throw that jab in to the boys and girls in the French and electric blue)

Now with that said I attended the Boylston reserve academy in 1999 and the tuition was something around 300 bucks. I have heard it has exponentially increased as well as the amount of hours required to complete the course. So right now it might be wise to save up for a full time class or even better keep apply to every department in the Commonwealth with hopes they will send you on the towns dime. Things are really unstable right now.


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## NEPS (Aug 29, 2006)

Rodney has a good take on this issue.
In my reading of both the house and senate police reform bills, current reserve-intermittent officers would receive their initial certification as a police officer. Those officers would be required to attend further training -- as yet to be determined -- bringing those officers up to a full-time training level that will allow them to receive recertification at that level some time later.
It is all as clear as mud. What will the bridge training (as Rodney called it) be? Who will design the curriculum? At whose expense will the training be delivered and at whose expense with the trainees attend? These are all difficult questions, especially since the MPTC barely does anything to support reserve training now. Will MPTC suddenly be funded and staffed to take on a duty it currently does not -- especially in an era when lawmakers want to spend _less_ money on police?
If one wishes to enter policing -- an odd decision these days, but kids will be kids -- pouring resources of time and money into a reserve intermittent academy will be like buying a pig in a poke. A guy or gal can have really no idea what future commitment will be required by state certification standards that are yet to come but will be imposed upon them in the near future. A person doing it to get a full-time job at one of the colleges or to work details as a deputy sheriff has got a chance of making back the investment, but doing it to work sporadically for a town with hopes to get picked up full-time... who knows?
Again, Rodney's recommendation of holding out for a self-sponsor slot in a full-time academy is worth careful research.


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## NEPS (Aug 29, 2006)

RodneyFarva said:


> C, Current sworn part-time officers will be eliminated altogether and you will see a push toward either regional policing, a larger MSP force to cover the smaller towns (more then what they do now) or we could see a proposal to start utilizing various sheriff departments as the primary law enforcement in certain counties in the Commonwealth.


Because of the parochial nature of town politics in this state, I don't think there will be true regional policing. I do think small departments may have to organize themselves better to somehow acquire and split the services of full-time academy graduates, along with organize better for increased reliance on mutual aid.


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## RodneyFarva (Jan 18, 2007)

NEPS said:


> Because of the parochial nature of town politics in this state, I don't think there will be true regional policing. I do think small departments may have to organize themselves better to somehow acquire and split the services of full-time academy graduates, along with organize better for increased reliance on mutual aid.


Yeah exactly!! just getting several departments to adopt regional dispatch takes an act of GOD and even then every Police and Fire department wants their own dispatch standard operating procedure and radio frequencies. In some cases for example Nashoba regional they have 7 towns all with their own police and fire radios as well as the Devens MPs and State police. Then add the majority of department heads want absolutely no part in change but will be the first to piss and moan when the dispatchers doesn't answer the radio quick enough. They think just because their radio is silent there is nothing else going on in the state, however two towns over from them that same dispatch center are trying to work a OIS, major fire, medical CPR or chase, but I guess calling in property checks or fire alarm tests trumps all other traffic.


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## Sgt Jack (Aug 17, 2003)

Beyou said:


> do you know what department or chief have sponsored for a full time before. With No affiliation, meaning the student would have to pay for everything. Gear/academy,etc,etc


Most of the people who I knew got sponsored already had some affiliation with a department, ie auxiliary or reserve, dispatcher, intern etc. My advice would be to first call the MPTC and see if they're even allowing self sponsors right now. After that I'd call around and ask different departments if they'll sponser you. It may take some effort on your part. Also you will be on the hook for all training expenses, equipment, health insurance etc..


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## 02136colonel (Jul 21, 2018)

Another option to consider is, as of right now, a reserve academy along with a CJ degree will allow you to be sworn in as an SSPO meaning you can work full time as a campus police officer. For a town, you’ll be limited to special/reserve/PI positions, which are fine, but will oftentimes not offer the kind of security that a full time position offers.
However, not every campus will hire someone with a reserve academy. You’re not going to NUPD or MITPD with a reserve academy, but for smaller campuses they’ll often take it. Maybe not where you want to spend your career, but it’s a stepping stone and it’s a full time paycheck with health insurance while you wait to get on full time with a town


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