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Witnesses back raising maximum age to expand police recruitment in Boston and other cities
Summary
City councilors, officers and advocates urged the committee to lift or raise maximum age limits for police academy entry — including a bill to raise Boston's limit from 39 to 45 and requests to harmonize other city limits — arguing the change would expand the pool of qualified local applicants and boost diversity.
City officials and rank‑and‑file officers told the Joint Committee on Public Service they support bills that would raise maximum age limits for police academy entry in Boston and other municipalities. Councilor Gabriela Coletta and supporters asked the committee to back House Bill 4,093 to raise Boston's maximum age for police academy entry from 39 to 45. Officer Casey Onivo of the Worcester Police Department requested increasing his department's age cutoff from 32 to 39 to help recruit officers from BIPOC communities. "Individuals slightly over the age of 39, many of whom are capable, willing, and deeply committed to Boston residents, are automatically excluded from service despite their ability to meet every other requirement," Councilor Gabriela Coletta read on behalf of herself and co‑sponsors. She said the current process forces councils to file home‑rule petitions repeatedly to waive the limit for individual applicants. Committee members questioned how later entry affects pension and retirement timelines; witnesses said entrants who join later will simply have fewer years of service before retirement and may have different retirement outcomes, but that remains a personal decision. The Boston Police Patrolmen's Association said it was neutral on H 4,093 and expressed concern about retirement impacts. No committee vote or formal action was taken during the hearing.
