Council rejects home-rule petition to let retired officers serve as special police up to age 70

A proposed home-rule petition to permit retired Brockton police officers to serve as special police for private details up to age 70 failed at the May 11 City Council meeting after councilors debated its scope and precedent.

Councilor Firewall, who introduced the petition, said the language was modeled on petitions adopted by other municipalities and that the change would give the mayor and police chief the option — not an entitlement — to appoint retirees who meet physical and certification standards to private details. "It only gives whoever is the mayor at the time and the police chief at the time the option of considering officers in that age bracket for appointment as special police officers by the city council," Firewall said.

Councilors then proceeded to a roll-call vote. The measure failed, with four councilors voting in favor and seven voting in opposition; the clerk read the tally into the record and declared the order failed.

The proposal would have applied only to special appointments for private details and explicitly would not authorize regular police assignments. Proponents argued it mirrored successful policies in neighboring communities and would help fill private-detail needs; opponents raised concerns during the roll call and the measure did not receive sufficient support to pass.

The council did not adopt any immediate substitute or amendment; the record shows the proposal was defeated on the floor and no further procedural action on this petition was recorded at the meeting.