The Overview

If you're Medford's next police chief or deputy chief, your job won't be filled through the state's civil service process. Massachusetts' An Act exempting the positions of police chief and deputy police chief in the city of Medford from the civil service law, H 5380, became law when Gov. Maura Healey (D) signed it Aug. 21. Massachusetts police departments have been moving away from civil service hiring in growing numbers: the Worcester Regional Research Bureau reported that municipalities across the state are increasingly seeking such exemptions, and New England Public Media reported that state police civil service exam applications fell from more than 14,000 in 2012 to about 4,300 in 2022. ​

What the Law Does

The law removes the police chief and deputy police chief positions in Medford from the requirements of chapter 31 of the General Laws, the state's civil service law, giving the city more flexibility in how it recruits and selects candidates for those two roles. Anyone already holding the police chief or deputy police chief job on the act's effective date keeps their civil service status.

Under civil service rules, police leadership candidates typically must pass a state-administered exam and be selected from a ranked list, a process that can limit a city's ability to recruit from outside the state or prioritize local priorities in hiring. The Tufts Daily reported that the law will make the city's search for a new police chief easier, following the announced retirement of Chief Jack Buckley.

Legislative Status

Rep. Paul Donato (D) sponsored the bill with the approval of Medford's mayor and city council, joined by cosponsors Rep. Christine Barber (D) and Rep. Sean Garballey (D). The City of Medford reported that the bill had the support of Medford's state delegation.

The bill passed on Aug. 13, then passed again and was sent to the governor on Aug. 20. From introduction to the governor's signature, the bill took about 128 days.

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