Law-enforcement groups press for retirement parity for Massport and campus police

Steve Penziotakis and other law-enforcement witnesses urged the committee to report favorably on bills that would provide retirement parity to specialized police units, including Massport police and campus police.

Penziotakis discussed Senate Bill 1798 and House Bill 2997 to address Massport police retirement classification, arguing Massport officers now perform certified policing duties, counterterrorism work and hazardous-response roles and are covered by the Massport Authority Retirement System, which is highly funded. He said council action would not cost the state because Massport has its own retirement system.

Chiefs and association representatives also supported House Bill 2808 and Senate Bill 1920 to place certified campus police in Group 4, citing recruitment and retention problems. Jack Vanoss, chief of police at Greenfield Community College, said campus officers are post-C certified, trained to the same standards as municipal officers, and are leaving campus departments for municipal agencies that offer improved retirement benefits, harming campus safety and institutional continuity.

Michael Bradley, executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, and other chiefs asked the committee to allow certain retired Group 4 members to provide consulting services without triggering post-retirement-earnings caps under Chapter 32, Section 91; they framed House Bill 2796 as a targeted modernization to preserve the ability of retired police and firefighters to serve in advisory and training roles while avoiding conflicts of interest.

Ending: The committee heard the testimony and accepted written material; no committee votes were recorded during this segment.