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Legislators, unions and an applicant ask committee to relax age caps for police and firefighter appointments
Summary
The committee heard testimony supporting House Bill 4443, which would alter maximum-age rules for original appointment to firefighter or police officer posts, and a separate Senate petition asking the State Police to waive the 34-year age limit for applicant Jonathan Lewis.
Lawmakers, union representatives and a state trooper applicant told the Joint Committee on Public Service that statutory age caps limit recruitment and can disqualify otherwise-qualified candidates.
Paul Jacques, legislative agent for the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, told the committee the union supports House Bill 4443, “an act relative to the maximum age requirement for original appointment to the position of firefighter or police officer,” and said Haverhill Firefighters Local 1011 had submitted supporting testimony.
Senator Nick Collins separately urged the committee to grant a waiver that would allow Jonathan Lewis, a 38-year-old Dorchester resident, to be certified for appointment to the Massachusetts State Police despite the statutory maximum age of 34 for initial appointment. “He scored 98.06 on the state trooper exam,” Collins said, and asked the committee to consider a waiver to permit Lewis to pursue the appointment.
Lewis spoke directly to the committee about his background and testing results. “I was ranked number 49 out of 2,987 people,” he said of the most recent eligibility list; he described prior experience working in hospitality and mentorship by a U.S. marshal, and said he continues physical training to be ready for the next class.
Committee members responded positively to Lewis’s record and asked staff to work with sponsors. The hearing record shows no formal committee vote on HB4443 or on any waiver request during this session.
Clarifying details in testimony included that the statutory maximum age for Massachusetts State Police initial appointment is 34 (as stated in the hearing), that Lewis reported a written exam score of approximately 98.05 on the most recent test and a rank of 49 on the eligibility list, and that unions are pursuing related changes for appointment rules for municipal fire and police hires.
