# New Changes for Reserve Academy in MA



## OutOfManyOne

*The latest revisions are the results of the November 6th meeting in New Braintree.*

*The first program is the Type II Basic Reserve Program for part time officers that will have no powers of arrest. It is a very basic program proposal with 105 hours of training. *

*The second program is a rewrite of the Basic Reserve Program which the working group calls the "Extended Basic Reserve Program". This program is a more comprehensive program than the variations of the one currently in use in the Commonwealth. It has a total of 362 hours of training. *

*The third and final program is a proposed 2-Module Full Basic Recruit Program for part time officers that could be offered in the evening and weekends. This proposal uses the "Extended Basic Reserve Program" as Module 1 and contains all the training hours and topics that are required in the full time basic recruit program being offered by the MPTC. *

*All three programs are works in progress and will offer to groups a minimum standardized requirement of training, for students to be eligible for a state training certificate.

* * Type II Basic Reserve Program*

*(No powers of arrest)*​
*In some communities in the Commonwealth, there is a need for community service officers to assist in traffic and pedestrian movement and to monitor lock-up facilities. These officers do not need "Powers of Arrest" however; they do need training in some areas of the law enforcement field to be competent and professional in their duties. We will call these officers,* _Type II Part Time Officers_.

*This Type II Basic Reserve Program proposed below will not affect any part time officer already working in the above capacity. They would be grandfathered in as of the implementation date of the program. This Type II Basic Reserve Program would not be required for those people who have not been required to participate in any training in the past, i.e crossing guards, to name one.*


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## id1811xecj

I think this is a great step forward. It seems similar to the California system which I think works very well.


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## roccopd

I agree 100%


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## cchc28

I hope that they make sure all the academies keep the classes simmilar, as far as how much time they spend on a certain topic.


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## soxrock75

OutOfManyOne said:


> *The third and final program is a proposed 2-Module Full Basic Recruit Program for part time officers that could be offered in the evening and weekends. This proposal uses the "Extended Basic Reserve Program" as Module 1 and contains all the training hours and topics that are required in the full time basic recruit program being offered by the MPTC. *


So, is Mass. moving to something like Florida where you can attend the FULL Recruit Academy part-time @ night?


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## mpd61

1. This is a "study" right?
2. Who comprises the membership?
3. Could end up some form of convoluted mess that doesn't get funded or
implemented!? 


Stay Tuned! 


BTW-What's the latest on the "new" 17 week community college academy thing?


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## j809

This is a study by the Mass Chiefs you can find all this in Word document on the Mass Chiefs Website. Wood, the 17 week academy is only 15 weeks.


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## MVS

Any ideas when they will decide on this?


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## Mass

Sounds like a step in the right direction!


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## j809

I think it's sad that they are going to take away the elements of a basic recruit academy. The only people that should be allowed to attend the FT academy on PT basis are people with other academies and lots of training and experience. You should not be able to just put yourself through a FT academy on weekends and evenings with no police experience or prior academies. I think the FT academy should be pumped up to 30 weeks. On top of the 21-22 weeks, add another week of firearms training, two weeks of basic accident investigation, more DT and maybe a four week going back to your PD and train and come back for more and two weeks of applied police procedures.


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## SBU29

j809,

I don't know what you mean when you say only people with an academy and experience should be allowed to go to a part time academy. What's the difference in that and letting people with no experience go to the regular academy?

Just because your going part time dosen't mean they are going to be easy on them or not teach them everything they need to know to be a police officer.

I think it's a great idea and it has been long over due for MA.


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## slam18944

I think it's a good idea. I read the proposal, and to get to the full-time academy in the part-time format you can due it two ways. 1. Get in the two part reserve academy program, where from what I read part one seems to be the old reserve officer academy courses. Then move on to the second part, which seems to be a more in-depth look at all the nerpi stuff, along with all the other training you didn't get in nerpi that you would get in the FT academy like EVOC and patrol rifle and shotgun training, etc. 2. If you have your NERPI already you are grandfathered in, and can skip the first part and go right to the second.
I understand alot of the guys who have the FT academy will not be happy and have questions, as do I. Like is the PT academy going to be Para-military style, which I think is good b/c you kind of know where you stand. And will there be PT/ DT days or not, etc. But the thing is that alot of guys in the state have good training under there belt, be it military, sheriffs, SSPO, out of state police officers, and training they have paid for on there own. Guys we need to face facts in this state, the higher ups are not interested in the beat'm down build them up that academies and this is a way around it, if it isn't para style. 
Plus, the Gov. promised 1000 new cops this is a ways to get them. And if you look at the prices for the courses on the proposal, it will help the state money pinch. B/c if I was willing to bet most of whom take any of the new courses (especially the new 2 part FT academy in the PT format) will be paying out of there pockets. 
Did anyone else come to the same conclusions I did. Please share.


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## j809

Good luck to anyone going through any of this nonsense. Remember, the last class of 40 something recruits of that new 15 weeks academy? About 28 have no jobs , add to that a whole boatload of full time certified guys and gals with no jobs from many previous academies. The way the economy is going I see it getting harder and harder to get on a police department in this state. Also I heard that anyone who went through the 15 week course it is not a POST academy and therefore cannot get a waiver in many other states. POST requires something like 800 hours to be equivalent.


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## 94c

This is nothing but a part time academy for part time officers.

Once the full time job gets offered, you'll still end up going to the full time academy.

Just my opinion.


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## Mass

Any news yet on the changes?


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## holpd

Any wording on people already working under the old standards? Do they have to go to the new one to keep arrest powers?


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## Mass

I had sent an e-mail to the Mass chiefs a while ago when it was proposed. I received one e-mail that it would be taken up with the rest of the committee, but never received another e-mail. I then asked if it had been looked at yet(many months later) and never received a response in return.


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## Guest

I have heard that if you are a part-time officer (actually working shifts, not just for detail status) currently, you will have to go to the extended basic reserve academy in order to maintain your powers. I have no idea if they will work out any exemption scenarios for guys who have been working for a while.


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