In recent years, the Massachusetts State Police have been plagued by a series of scandals, ranging from misconduct at a crime lab to an overtime conspiracy that led to criminal charges against multiple troopers. The controversies began in 2014 with chemist misconduct cases and continued with reports of troopers being at fault in car accidents and allegations of troopers collecting extra pay for work not done.
In 2018, Troop E, which was at the center of the overtime scandal, was eliminated following arrests of troopers accused of pocketing overtime pay for hours they didn’t work. The scandal broadened with more troopers being charged in a federal probe. The former head of the State Police union also faced a federal fraud investigation.
In 2019, federal prosecutors revealed that troopers had a quota system for issuing tickets, despite the agency’s denial. The overtime conspiracy was alleged to date back over 20 years and involve top commanders pushing troopers to write citations as part of an illegal ticket quota system.
By 2020, the scandal had resulted in the disciplining of 15 state troopers but allowed them to remain on the force. The following years saw more revelations of troopers remaining on the force despite past illegal conduct and lawsuits filed against State Police officials.
In December 2023, two former State Police superior officers were convicted of corruption charges related to an overtime scheme dating back to 2015. This ongoing saga has shone a spotlight on systemic issues within the Massachusetts State Police force.
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