Plymouth to ask voters whether police should exit state civil service on May 17 ballot

Town Manager Derek Brundizzi said Thursday the Town of Plymouth will ask voters on May 17 whether the town should revoke its 1917 acceptance of the civil service law (chapter 31 of the Massachusetts General Laws) for the police department. The question, placed on the ballot by the Select Board on April 11, asks voters whether Plymouth should establish its own hiring, promotion and disciplinary-appeals processes for police without the statewide civil service rules.

The ballot question was explained during an online town program that included Police Chief Dana Flynn, Lieutenant Mark Higgins (president of the Superiors Union) and Officer Kyle Kreitzer (president of the Patrolmen’s Union). Brundizzi said a "yes" vote would let the town set local hiring and promotion procedures; a "no" vote would keep the department under the statewide civil service system.

Chief Dana Flynn said the civil service process can extend the time needed to put a fully independent officer on the street to roughly 18 months from first application to solo patrol. "From beginning to end, from the moment we call for the exam to getting them on the road so they're an officer who can work independently, it's 18 months," Flynn said. He described recent staffing shortfalls: in fiscal 2022 the department was short 11 officers, in FY23 it was short six, and in FY24 it was short eight. He said the department currently expects additional retirements and resignations that would leave it short roughly 11 officers by the end of next December unless hiring accelerates.

Flynn and the union leaders said most grievance and disciplinary protections that apply now would remain if the town leaves civil service. Lieutenant Mark Higgins described how collective bargaining and a grievance process continue to provide protections: "If they're not satisfied with the grievance process, they'll go through independent arbitrator," he said, adding that that pathway would not change if the town exits civil service.

Officials said the principal benefit the town expects from leaving civil service is flexibility in recruiting. Flynn said other departments that have left civil service have been able to hire lateral, experienced officers more quickly and to run continuous or locally tailored recruitment processes. "A veteran's lateral transfer, you're going to go from an 18-month process down to a four-week process," Lieutenant Higgins said. Flynn added that leaving civil service would allow Plymouth to run its own exams, set higher minimums (for example an associate degree), and add local preferences for residency, veterans, language skills or EMT certification if the town chooses.

Officer Kyle Kreitzer, president of the Patrolmen’s Union, said vacancies are increasing workload and stress for current officers, contributing to fatigue and shorter careers. "The call volume goes up and the same officers are going to calls more and more," Kreitzer said. He and Flynn said unions and town administration would work together on active recruitment at colleges, job fairs and military transition events.

Panelists said core medical, psychological and physical standards required by the Massachusetts training authorities would not be removed. Flynn noted that hiring still requires medical and psychological exams, a physical-ability (Cooper) test for academy admission, and certification by the state training authority. Officials also described the role of the state "POST" certification process (Police Officer Standards and Training) in recertifying officers and in making some disciplinary findings public.

Town officials said some third-party vendors (for example, GetBadged) offer continuously running examinations and applicant-management services that towns use after leaving civil service; costs vary and can be borne by departments, applicants or shared. Flynn and Brundizzi argued that although the town would take on more of the upfront recruitment and testing cost, shortening time-to-hire and reducing turnover could save money over time by reducing overtime and training lost to short tenures.

Brundizzi reminded residents that the May 17 local election will consolidate polling locations from 14 to five and encouraged voters to check their polling site. He said the town will post a frequently asked questions document and the recorded program online. The Select Board placed the question on the ballot April 11; the 1917 vote that originally accepted civil service in Plymouth was decided by local ballot (658 yes, 605 no), a historical result referenced during the program.

The program included a question-and-answer period but no formal vote by residents; the Select Board’s earlier vote to place the question on the ballot was the formal action leading to the public referendum. If voters approve exiting civil service, officials said the town would need to adopt a local framework for recruitment, transfers and disciplinary appeals, and that returning to civil service later would require another local ballot question.

For information about voting locations and the town's FAQ document, officials said they will post resources on Plymouth's website ahead of the May 17 election.