S 2860

SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2860
Senate, December 11, 2025 -- Text of the Senate amendment (Senator Barrett) to the House Bill
increasing the age limit for retired police officers serving as special police officers in the town of
Weston (House, No. 4031).
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
1SECTION 1. Chapter 74 of the acts of 2020 is hereby repealed.
2SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule or regulation to the
3 contrary, the town manager of the town of Weston may appoint, at the recommendation of the
4 chief of police and as the chief of police deems necessary, retired police officers as special police
5 officers to perform police details or any police duties arising from police details or during the
6 course of police detail work, whether or not related to the detail work. Such retired police
7 officers shall have been regular full-time police officers who voluntarily retired based upon
8 superannuation. No further deductions shall be made from the regular compensation of such
9 retired police officers under chapter 32 of the General Laws for any service subsequent to
10 reaching 65 years of age and, upon retirement, such retired police officers shall receive a
11 superannuation retirement allowance equal to that which they would have been entitled had they
12 retired at 65 years of age. Special police officers appointed pursuant to this act shall not be
13 subject to the maximum age restrictions applied to regular police officers under said chapter 32;
14 provided, however, that such special police officers shall not be eligible to serve as special police
15 officers after reaching 70 years of age. Prior to appointment pursuant to this act, a special police
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16 officer shall provide certification to the town that they are covered by personal health insurance
17 and shall pass a medical examination by a physician chosen by the town to determine that the
18 officer is capable of performing the essential duties of a special police officer, the cost of which
19 shall be borne by the special police officer.
20SECTION 3. Special police officers appointed pursuant to this act shall not be subject to
21 chapter 31 of the General Laws, section 99A of chapter 41 of the General Laws or chapter 150E
22 of the General Laws; provided, however, that they shall be subject to chapter 151A of the
23 General Laws. A special police officer appointed pursuant to this act shall comply with all
24 requirements of chapter 6E of the General Laws, including: (i) maintaining certification and
25 good standing with the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission; and
26 (ii) complying with all annual in-service and other training requirements mandated by the
27 municipal police training committee.
28SECTION 4. When performing the duties under section 1, special police officers
29 appointed pursuant to this act shall have the same power to make arrests and to perform other
30 police functions as do regular police officers of the town of Weston.
31SECTION 5. Special police officers appointed pursuant to this act shall subject to
32 removal by the town manager at any time with 14-day written notice.
33SECTION 6. Special police officers appointed pursuant to this act shall be subject to the
34 rules and regulations, policies, procedures and requirements of the police department and the
35 chief of police of the town of Weston, including: (i) restrictions on the type of detail
36 assignments; (ii) requirements regarding medical examinations to determine continuing
37 capability to perform the duties of a special police officer; (iii) requirements for training; (iv)
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38 requirements for firearms qualifications and licensing; and (v) requirements regarding uniforms
39 and equipment; provided, however, that the cost of compliance with all requirements shall be at
40 no cost to the town of Weston.
41SECTION 7. Special police officers appointed pursuant to this act shall be sworn before
42 the town clerk of the town of Weston, who shall keep a record of all such appointments.
43SECTION 8. Special police officers appointed pursuant to this act shall be subject to
44 sections 100 and 111F of chapter 41 of the General Laws. The amount payable under said
45 section 111F of said chapter 41 shall be calculated by averaging the amount earned over the prior
46 52 weeks as a special police officer working police details or averaged over such lesser period of
47 time for any officer designated as a special police officer less than 52 weeks before the
48 incapacity. In no event shall payment under said section 111F of said chapter 41 exceed, in any
49 calendar year, the limitation on earning contained in paragraph (b) of section 91 of chapter 32 of
50 the General Laws. Payment under said section 111F of said chapter 41 shall terminate when a
51 physician designated by the town determines that the disability no longer exists or when the
52 special police officer reaches 70 years of age. Special police officers appointed pursuant to this
53 act shall not be subject to or eligible for any benefits under section 85H or 85H1/2 of said
54 chapter 32.
55SECTION 9. Appointment as a special police officer pursuant to this act shall not entitle
56 a special police officer to assignment to any detail. Special police officers shall be paid the detail
57 rate applicable to regular full-time officers but shall not be entitled to any other town benefits.
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58SECTION 10. Retired police officers serving as special police officers pursuant to this
59 act shall be subject to the limitations on hours worked and on payments to retired town
60 employees under paragraph (b) of section 91 of chapter 32 of the General Laws.
61SECTION 11. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
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