September 2, 2025 • 38 mins
Massachusetts Colonel Geoffrey Noble has been leading the MA State Police for nearly a year now and has taken on the large task of reshaping the force and restoring public trust after a series of scandals. After the overtime scandal, the firing of trooper Michael Proctor, and the tragic death of an academy recruit, it has not been an easy task. For the first-time fielding questions from the public, Col. Noble joined us on NightSide to discuss reform and took listener's calls!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on w b Z,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome back everyone. There is probably no police agency in
New England, maybe any police agency in the country that
in recent years has had as much internal turbulence, if
you will, then the Massachusetts State Police. We're delighted to
be joined by the new colonel of the Massachusetts State Police,
(00:28):
technically lieutenant colonel, but the colonel the Massachusetts State Police.
He was a lieutenant colonel in New Jersey. He is
the head of the Massachusetts State Police. I want to
welcome to our program, Colonel Jeffrey Noble. Colonel Noble, welcome
to Nightside. How are you, sir?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I'm doing well, Dan, Thank you very much for having me.
It is an absolute pleasure.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Well, I'll tell you, I really appreciate you being willing
to come on. I grew up around here a long time.
I'm I'm a little bit biased because I had family
members who were members of the State Police. Uh. And
you have come to this agency at a time when
(01:14):
I think it needs some work. You've been in your
official position now about eleven months. Let's start off with
a nice easy question. How do you feel eleven months
in I know you you you you had some some
issues right off the bat, none of your none of
those issues of your making, but they landed on your
(01:35):
plate the day, I guess last October fourth. How's it
been going for the nearly the first year.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yeah, well, thank you Dan.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Well, certainly it's been an extraordinarily busy first eleven months.
Certainly hit the ground running. And you know, one thing
with this police work is there's really yeah, I have
we have to be mindful that of course we want
to we want to take a moment and take stock
of all the issues that we have to deal with.
But also we have a live, operational, you know, uh
(02:06):
world that we that we live in. So it's a
it's a blend for me to to to take over
this this incredible department knowing that we have the real
awesome just you know, scope of our duties to make
sure that we're doing everything we can to to really
keep the topic Will safe while at the same time
doing but also I think is the real reason why
(02:27):
I'm here. I think of our hearing brought me on board.
I'm the first outside colonel uh in the in the
in this in this agency's history. So and you know,
with that comes a very special role. It comes to
me a very unique moment in time when I can
come in and really take stock of the entire agencies,
you know, our really our our our whole mission, and
(02:51):
really look to seek to find ways that we can
enhance areas where we're doing well and also identify the
areas where we need to look ourselves in the era.
And that's what I'm here. So my first year, as
you know, has not been quiet. We've had a lot
of issues. There's a lot of eyes on the mass
State Police. I would say, as it should be. I think,
(03:12):
uh that as the as the state's largest police force
and the state agency with the awesome responsibilities we have,
I think that that introspection that we have by the
by the public is certainly warranted. And uh, I think
that this department, here's the here's the concerns, and I
know that the that the men and women of the
mass State Police are certainly ready to continue to you know,
(03:35):
hit these challenges head on.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
So my first year, yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Let me just if I can. You grew up in
Rhode Island, but spent a lot of time in the Cape,
and your first job in law enforcement was a summer
police officer UH in Nantucket, which is a different sort
of police experience, but that's that's how you started your
career here UH. And then you you worked in New Jersey,
(04:06):
which is UH which is a big Northeastern state, not
unlike Massachusetts in their state police, and you eventually ended
up number two in that department. Were you surprised when
when you got the call that the governor was seriously
considerating considering you and then actually going to appoint you
(04:26):
the head of the Massachusetts State Police? You certainly know
what a storied history this organization.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Has, absolutely and I I certainly wasn't surprised in the
moment that the governor was doing a nationwide search for
the next colonel. I think that there are times in
really every organization where it's certainly appropriate to really look
for someone from the outside. So I, based on what
(04:51):
was kind of happening here in Massachusetts, I was not
surprised that that was the was the direction of the
nationwide search. And I was very proud to put my
put my hat in the air in their ring for this,
you know, for the honor of this position. I have
worked alongside the master of the State Police. Really my
entire professional life. While serving as a trooper down in Jersey,
(05:15):
I got to work hand in hand and in partnership
with so many Massachusetts State Police troopers and many investigations
and I and I came up with a profound respect
for the mass State Police, and hearing about some of
the issues that were occurring up here during recent years,
it really did not align with what my experience was
working alongside troopers from Massachusetts. I always found troopers from
(05:39):
MSP to be of the highest caliber, to be very driven,
to to to always do the right thing. That was
my experience. So what I was hearing what was going
on just didn't resonate. And I felt that if the
governor decided that I was the candidate that would that
would take the reins of the MSP, I I felt
like I have a a pretty good understanding of the
(06:04):
moment coming from a very similar agency. I also come
with this job a very profound appreciation for the MSP,
the for the ninety nine point nine percent of our
troopers who are out there working hard every day doing
everything right. And it was for that component of the
MSP is why I probably put my hand up and
I just would just add in one comment, Yeah, there's
(06:25):
certainly a lot of public discussion about me coming from
out of state, and I proudly served as a as
a Jersey Trooper for twenty seven plus years. But the
reality is my grandparents are from good old Dorchester. My
grandparents are from the saven Hill part of Dorchester. My
dad grew up my dad grew up here. I spent
the summers working at the family business, which was a
(06:46):
restaurant right down on good old kid Cot. So I
got some pretty good roots up here.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
So well we get back. What I want to do
is going to take a quick break here, and I
want to talk about, you know, some of the issues
to the extent that you can. And I realized that
some of them are open investigations and all of that,
And well, I also understood that you'd be willing to
take some phone calls from some of my listeners. And
I've always explained to my listeners that guests of my
(07:15):
program are the same as guests in my home, and
when people call, I expect guests in my home were
invited to my home to be treated well. And so
I'm sure our listeners will have either some words of
encouragement or some questions, but I'm sure everybody will be
polite and appropriate. My first recollection of the New Jersey
State Police was that horrific shooting which I think predated
(07:40):
your arrival in New Jersey. Troupula Monica who was shot
to death down in New Jersey Jackson Melville group of radicals.
I think this would have been a circa nineteen eighty
one or eighty two, if I'm not mistaken. I'm sure
you ar you with that.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
I'm very familiar and I'm very familiar with his son,
Michael Lomonico, who was four years old when his dad
was gunned down, who's now a captain in the New
Jersey State Police and I consider a good friend. And
we just had Captain Michael Lomonico from New Jersey up
here to meet several of the Massachusetts troopers who are
now retired who took part in the capture of the
suspects that we're associated with too for of Lomonico's dad's killer,
(08:24):
so very very meaningful to me.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Yeah, that was a stunning and tragic event, but that
sort of camaraderie that is built is so important. We'll
take a quick break. My guest is the New new
eleven month in the job head of the Massachusetts State Police, again,
a storied law enforcement agency which has been besmirched by
(08:49):
the actions of a few and we're going to talk
about that and we'll take some phone calls. Colonel Jeffrey
Noble is now the head of the Massachusetts State Police,
the first state Police colonel from outside the ranks of
the State Police here in Massachusetts. And I watched several
(09:09):
television interviews that he conducted a few weeks ago with
local television stations here in the Boston area and probably
somehow out west and western Massachusetts. And I delighted that
he's kind of up to join us tonight and take
phone calls six one, seven, four ten thirty six one
seven nine three one ten thirty. Very quick break here
on Nightside back with Colonel Jeffrey Noble, the head of
(09:30):
the Massachusetts State Police. Right after these messages.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on w Boston's news
radio with us.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Is the colonel of the Massachusetts State Police, which is
the top rank in the agency. Colonel Jeffrey Noble, he's
been in the position now for eleven months, and he
comes to us from New Jersey, but with some very
deep roots in Massachusetts, but the first uh, Colonel head
of the Massachusetts State Police from outside the ranks. Colonel,
(10:03):
there's probably no more serious issue that is facing the
police right now. The State Police right now is the
responsibility to get to the bottom of the tragedy in
which Enrique Delgado Garcia died while while in Trinity become
a State Police trooper. I know that there has been
(10:24):
an autopsy report released to the family, who was in
the Globe last week. I also know that there's an
investigation that could turn into a criminal investigation being conducted
by David Meyer, who's a very respected former prosecutor here
in Massachusetts and defense attorney and someone who I have
a great deal of fat pain and who I know,
(10:47):
and I know that whatever he will follow the truth
to wherever it leads him. What are you able to
say about this? The autopsy said that and Rique Delgado
Garcia died from blunt impact injuries to the head, which
would seem to be consistent in a cranial hemorrhages. Due
(11:09):
to the blunt impact injuries of the head and the
setting of physical physical training exercises, which we are related
to believe was in a was in a boxing ring.
Is there anything you can tell us about that that
the public should know at this point beyond what we've
already read about in the Globe on August twenty eighth.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Dan, First, I can't stress enough how how from that
happened just before I was sworn in here an MSP,
and when I arrived, I met with obviously as many
too much as my credit and I still him and
I just the overall heartbreak that the department feels as
(11:55):
well and in sympathy and has so much respect for
what the family is going through here. We obviously can
never understand or put ourselves in those shoes, but we
we are as an agency devastated as as as well,
and we all want the same thing here. We all
want to understand exactly what happened. We all want to
(12:16):
learn from it. We want to move forward and understand
the circumstances that really contributed to what happened, so that
we can ensure that that never happens again. I can't
there is Like you said, there's a there's an active
investigation going on. I've been walled off from the particulars
of that investigation as well as the rest of our
(12:37):
of our agency, we are supporting uh Prosecutor Meyer with
his efforts anything he needs. We obviously are cooperating with
that guy. There's some interesting pieces obviously that came out
with the death certificate. That was the least to include
the fact that the manner of death was also accidental
associated with with the injuries that you had described. So
(13:00):
what that means we all want to digest that, but
we can't do that, and it would be premature for
me to really speak to it until we see the
whole investigation, and once Prosecutor Meyer completes that investigation, we
we we eagerly look forward to sitting down with Prosecutor Meyer,
understanding what his findings are, and then of course doing
(13:23):
everything we can to work towards addressing any issues that
are uncovered during the prosecutors Okay, so but until that
time going.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Further, I get it, But let me just say it
from a purely procedural point of view, David Meyer does
the investigation, is the next step for him to report
back to the Attorney General and then and then report
to you. I'm just curious how this will lay out,
and if you have any sense of a time frame,
(13:53):
and I don't want to try to pin you down
here on I'm just trying to.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Understand it because it is go ahead absolutely. I I
do know that the prosthumized, his investigation has been very active.
He I can't speak to what his timeline is that
would be and that would be for him to really
speak to. But uh, this independent review was ordered and
by the Attorney General obviously under the and with the
(14:19):
recommendation of course by Deblor Healey. And so yeah, so
formally he is working on behalf of the Attorney General.
So what that looks like as far as how his
report will will go, I will defer to him on that.
But I do believe that his investigation is nearing nearing
the end. But that's a bit of a speculation for
my part. But I know he's been very active and
(14:41):
this has been a very active time train for him.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Okay, let me go just generally to some of the
other areas, certainly the the Michael Procter case. I know
that that you're the attorney for the department has been
at a hearing. Are you convinced that Proctor received adequate
due process before he was dismissed?
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yes, yeah, I yes, I am. I'm very satisfied that
there was a it was a fair process internally with
the MSP uh so I I was very confident after
reading the final report that came to me. I was
confident in concurring with the board's recommendation. And I believe
(15:26):
that terminating Michael Proctor was the righteous decision.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
And there have been a series of other cases. The
names float by me. I don't expect, I don't anticipate
to mention all the specific names. But you know, we
had the the Massachusetts Turnpike overtime issue that was an
embarrassment to the state police. We have the uh, the
(15:52):
driver's license issues and all of that. I can remember, UH.
Occasionally there was a state police officer who got himself
jammed up. There was a guy way back I remember
his name was Chester Campbell and the late I guess
was the late seventies early eighties. So occasionally this happens.
(16:14):
But how concerned are you from a systemic point of
view with the number of troopers over a relatively short
period of time who seem to take advantage of particularly
overtime scandals and things like that. I mean, again, without
going to specifics, what reforms can be put in to
make sure that this spate of embarrassments doesn't happen on
(16:38):
your watch.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Yeah, well, I think that when you see the types
of issues that have occurred here over the last several
years and even beyond, absolutely it points to an area
that we need to improve on, and that is internal
accountability measures, internal safeguard matches, I think, and that's one
(17:01):
area that I am I'm very much focused on. We've
already we've started to put a lot of new internal
controls into place, really with the expert. As a public agency,
we should be very transparent and ultimately accountable to the public.
So but in order to do that, we need to
add and enhance our internal reporting measures. I need through
(17:24):
proper channels to be to have the confidence that each
one of our troopers that are out there, that we
have the ability to measure their performance to ensure that
they're getting the support and the resources that they need,
but also to ensure that they're doing the right thing
and that they're out there engaging with the public and
the manner in which the MSP prescribes and and that's
(17:45):
the toll order. But it is certainly possible, and that
is that is really built. That is what was built
upon in this Excellence Initiative. And you read the Excellence
Initiative which we just announced, it's it's it's filled with
internal accountability measures. So it's aimed at really addressing system
wide issues that we can put fixes into place to
(18:07):
ensure that where there are issues, and we are human,
I think it's important to know where there are issues,
and you know, as a humanity, troopers are going to
there are moments when we're going to have to say
this that did not go as planned. We need them
have the ability to respond to it, to see it,
respond to it, and fix it. And that's what I'm
focused on.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Then, the thing that struck me through all of this
was that troopers are pretty well compensated. I think I
realized that people who are going out putting their lives
on the line every day, that's a big responsibility and
there to protect us the you know, the thin blue
line if you will. But they're they're compensated, and you
(18:49):
folks have to screen them. I know that there's at
least one class of troopers that are coming out pretty soon.
Uh is the Department? Do you have enough troopers here? Boston?
I know is down about five hundred uniformed officers. You
(19:10):
guys have about twenty four hundred I believe you know
line troopers. Is that the number that is what you
need we.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
Do Right now, we're just over twenty four hundred. Optimately,
we'd like to see that number up closer to twenty
six or twenty seven hundred. And we have two classes
that are in right now, so I do anticipate we
will graduate several hundred new troopers that over the next
year will graduate the academy and go through the break
in and out be out on our patrol. But it's
(19:41):
tough because we have to deal with retirements as well.
So that and certainly recruiting is a big challenge in
law enforcement right now ensuring that and that's really for me.
I need to make sure that we're doing everything we
can so that young men and women who want to
put their hand up and say, hey, I want to
be part of some and I want to be part
of of of a of a change. I want to
(20:03):
be part of an organization that is on the front lines.
And and and if you want to be part of
a place where you can come and make an impact,
my job and Our job is to make sure that
the MSP is a is a good place for you
to come. It's a place where young men women can
put their hand up and say I want to serve,
and I would just offer right now in this moment.
Then anybody that's out just reach out to us. Get
(20:24):
to know the MSP. There's a lot of noise that
that is out there, and that's one of the reasons
why I am on the show tonight.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Okay, and we'll talk a little bit more about that
when we come back after the news. We're also going
to go to some phone calls, but I want to
give you an opportunity to talk about they have to
I know that there are young men and women who
listen to this show. I saw today that they had
some sort of a program to UH to attract ice
agents and a new ice agents, and i'm i'm I
(20:55):
think that there's a there's a pool of applicants out
there that need to know that the tradition of the
Massachusetts State Police, despite some of the most recent problems,
is a very proud tradition and hopefully under your leadership,
it can be restored. My guest is the Colonel of
the Massachusetts State Police, Colonel Jeffrey Noble. We're going to
(21:16):
get to phone calls. The only lines that are open
right now, the six one, seven, two, five, four, ten
thirty is full. If you want to get in and
ask a question respectfully or make a comment, this is
the line to call six one, seven, nine three thirty.
If you get through on either of those lines, I'm
certain you'll be accommodated. Between now and when we have
to finish this hour at at about nine fifty five,
(21:40):
join the conversation. This is a great opportunity to encourage
this colonel who has an immense responsibility to deal with.
If you want to offer a piece of constructive criticism,
that's fine, but let's let's keep it positive. And let's
(22:01):
also welcome Colonel Jeffrey Noble here the Massachusetts We're a
few months late, but that's okay. Coming back on Nightside
right after the news at the bottom of the.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Hour night Side with Dan Ray, I'm delling you bes
Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
My guest is Colonel Jeffrey Noble, the head of the
Massachusetts State Police. Let's go right to the phones and
give folks an opportunity join the conversation again, delighted that
he is with us, and delighted that he's willing to
come on and basically take your calls. Let's go to
Justin in Marlborough. Justin, you were first tonight. I appreciate
you calling in. You're all with Colonel Jeffrey Nobles.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
Go ahead, Justin, Hi, Colonel, thank you for taking our calls.
I want to thank you for making your life harder
than it has to be. Oh, I better good? I mean,
did your friends and family say like, are you a
glutton for punishment? I don't mean that as a joke.
I mean seriously, your life could be easier, and I
(22:59):
hope you can get the state peace back to the
high the steam that many of us remember growing up.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Colonel the right ahead. I think that yep, this is
actually a compliment that that Justin is offering.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Yeah, Justin, that's a that's a that's a really unbelievable question.
And I am a public servant at heart, and I
signed up for this job thirty something years ago knowing
full well that it wasn't easy, and it's only, I
would say, rightfully, so gotten harder as I've advanced through
the years and now we live in a moment when
(23:40):
this job needs people to step up, needs people to
put themselves in some type of risk, And you're right this.
I came out of retirement to take this job, but
it's who I am and I'm very blessed to have
a family support that understands what it means to be
a public servant. And so I'm to take the good
(24:01):
the pad Justin, And I think that that is a
really great question, and I think that in order for
us to meet the moment, it's going to take resolve.
And I'm certainly willing to put myself up there, and
I'm willing to do it because I know that all
twenty four hundred plus sworn men and women of the
MST are also equally willing to do what do whatever
(24:21):
it takes. So thank you, justin.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Quick questions, go ahead, go ahead, quickly, go ahead, Justin.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
I work as a mailman, so I speak to lots
of people, and all the younger people I meet, for
some reason, they have such a high image of firefighters.
Do you know how you I hope you can get
the police back on, but I always speak to twenty
year olds and said the state police are Ireland and
(24:49):
all of them always say I want to go fire
I don't.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Well, Justin keep on recruiting for us. Anybody you can
tell and listen. I think that absolutely. I think any
big public service agency, whether you're a fireman, a school teacher,
a police officer, there's times when things go sideways, and
there's times when when we have to, you know, as
a group and as an agency and as a police field,
(25:15):
have to come together. And that's certainly one of those times.
But it is a great field, and I hope that
there's lots of young women and men out there that
see it for what it is, which is a very
honorable field. So thank you, Justin for that.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Thanks Justin, appreciate your call. Talk to you soon. Good night,
six seven four ten thirty or six one seven nine thirty.
Let me go to David in San Francisco. David is
a regular listener and caller, and we do get uh,
we get callers from all parts of the country, as
a matter of factur all parts of the world. Colonel,
(25:49):
go right ahead, David.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Well, thanks Dan, and colonel yeah, I know the coastal
states are going to be believed now with these tariffs.
Years ago smuggling used to be a big problem with
the tariffs, and I'm wondering if the you know, the
state police are aware of the problems that are going
(26:11):
to be facing them with smuggling.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Now, David, you're the first person that I've heard asked
that Question's a little bit of a tench to the
politic to that question and political tinge. I'll give the
CLDINAL a chance to respond to it. I don't know
how many people are going to be smuggling in this
day and age, CLDINAL, is that on your radar?
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Well, what I can say is, first of all, great question, Yeah,
thank you. And here's my there are many organized criminal
groups out there, organized criminal enterprises that constantly seek to
take advantage of opportunity, whether it's a tariff situation or
whether it's any type of situation that's out there. And
the MSc here in Massachusetts has a very large, robust
(26:56):
operations that are in place with our law enforcement partners
is to go after organized criminal enterprises.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
So I'll leave that.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
When they're dan if that's all right. But it's a
great question. But I do hear you though, David, thank you,
Thank you all.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
I appreciate the call, David, thank you again. David often
comes with some interesting perspectives. They trying to make as
subtly as possible a political point. Let me go to
David Kingston, Massachusetts, a little closer to home, different David,
Go ahead.
Speaker 6 (27:26):
Dave, Hey, Dan, first time, longtime Bud for real.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
First time call. Let you give you a quick round
of applause as of course as a first time call
him again. Our digital studio audience up if Rob could
find the right button. But that's okay, Do you go
right ahead? Dave?
Speaker 6 (27:42):
All right, So I guess my my one question is
that with the whole Karen Reid thing with Michael Proctor,
I guess him being hired had had the state police
known the person he actually is what he have been
hired back twenty whatever years ago.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Tough. It's tough to look back in any situation, you know,
hindsight's twenty twenty. Dave. I'm going to give the colonel
a chance to answer that question. I think the answer
is probably inherent in the question. But I understand what
you're saying, and I don't think that they could have
anticipated and said, Hey, is this the sort of language
(28:24):
you use while investigating a future homicide case, Colonel Garudhead,
I don't mean to jump in there.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
No, Thank you Dan, Thank you Dave for the question. Obviously,
we obviously have standards, we have rules, we have regulations
when it comes to becoming a master the state trooper
and what you need to do. But that said, measuring
integrity and particularly future integrity, that's a real challenge I
think for all of law enforcement and.
Speaker 6 (28:50):
How we do it.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
We do have a very significant background investigation. I would
say our background investigators here with the Mass Safe Please
are as thorough. It's not more throw than I would
think any other police agency here in the Commonwealth. And
when we when we consider potential applicants, we absolutely dig
deep because we do believe that past behavior is an
indicator often of predictive behavior of going forward, especially when
(29:14):
it comes to integrity. So I you know, it's a
tough one for me to answer yes or no on that. Obviously,
the facts of the case are, you know, being measured
here during the present time, so it's tough to go
back in time, just like they have said. But I
can assure you one thing I have looked at since
I've been here is our background process by which we
(29:35):
are measuring integrity because that is so important right now.
We have to put good people on this job. So
it's a great point. Dave, thank you for the question.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Appreciate the question, Dave. Thank you. Good night, Robbie. If
you find that applause button for our first time callers again,
it's always good to have it right handy, that's for sure.
Let me get one more in here. No, you know,
I'm going to hold this because we're at the breaks.
We'll take quick break, Kevin, you will be next on Nightside.
We're going to continue our conversation with the head of
(30:06):
the newly minted head of the well eleven months now,
so we really got I guess thank can'd say newly anymore.
But the current head of the Massachusett State Police, Colonel
Jeffrey Noble. He's been at the job now since last
early last October, uh and he has a number of
issues on his plate. He's been pretty candid talking about
them tonight. If you want to ask a question, to
(30:27):
make a comment, we're coming back on night Side sixty
or six, one, seven, nine thirty coming back after this.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray on w b
Z Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
My guest is the head of the Massachusetts State Police,
Colonel Jeffrey Noble. I don't ever remember another colonel of
the State Police being gracious enough to come on and
take phone calls or talk talk with me, So I'm
very appreciative of his time. Tonight. Let me go to
Steve in Whereham. Hey, Steve, you're next on night side?
Speaker 7 (31:03):
Are How are you doing the en good? I'm gonna
call it gauds. I was just listening to the radio
when I heard, you know, the colonels say that they
were looking for you know, shoopers. They're looking to hire. Yes,
And I just told my grandson because he was really
excited about, you know, he wanted to be a state trooper,
and I would just I just let him know that,
(31:23):
you know, they look at recruits or whatever looking to hire.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
And how old is you?
Speaker 5 (31:27):
Old?
Speaker 2 (31:28):
Steve, let me ask you, how old is your grandson?
Speaker 7 (31:31):
He's twenty two?
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Okay, Well, colonel, I assume that you take applicants who
are as young as twenty two. Uh, well, have we
lose the Did we lose the colonel here?
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Nope, I'm sorry about the show.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
I'm here, Go ahead, colonel, I'm sorry, Steven. Steve is
inquiring about a grandson of his who aspires to join
the State Police and he's twenty two years old. I'm
not I know that there's an you cannot be you
cannot apply for to become a trooper. I believe after
the age of thirty five, if I'm not mistaken, is
(32:10):
there a minimum age that someone has to be in
order to apply to to become an applicant to join
the state Police.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Well, then, well let me get a answer one quick
thing that Right now, we are accepting applicant applications into
our Cadet program, which your grandson is eligible for on
his age. This is a program where you can come
on get hired by the mass State Police, work with
us for a period of time, you get paid, you
collect benefits, and if you successfully complete that program, you
(32:39):
automatically get a bid into the upcoming class, which would
be next year. So to find out more on that,
you can simply go to mass dot gov type in
guides Cadet program and that information shall come right up
for you. Then you can find all that. But we
are accepting applications until Halloween for that for that program.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
That's a pretty specific answer, Steve. What I'm going to do, Steve,
I give you a chance to go get a pencil,
piece of paper, hang the phone up, and I'll have
the colonel repeat that right before we end the hour,
so you get that information to your grandson. We'll get
that for you, I promise.
Speaker 7 (33:16):
Okay, it sounds good and he's doing a great job.
Just keep up the good work.
Speaker 6 (33:22):
Cheap, I mean, okay, thank.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
You, Steve, no problem, you know, Colonel. One thing that
I'm sure you're probably aware, but just when you when
you talk about you can let Steve go there, Rob
if you want, if you talk about you know, state
police officers, and again I don't want to put you
(33:47):
in the middle of anything here, but if you're unaware.
There were about a dozen state police officers who were
dismissed under a prior administration, not under Governor Heey's administration,
because they asserted an exemption from getting a COVID shot.
And I think a lot of people at the time
were concerned they were given the exemption, but then they
(34:10):
were told that the state police had no non public
facing a position for them was kind of what I
would call leon yuris kind of catch twenty two type situation. Yeah,
we can accommodate your situation. One of the troopers who
was dismissed was a trooper, a young woman named Samantha Sila,
(34:32):
who I got to know pretty well. Her dad was
a State Police trooper, Vincent Sila, who died in the
line of duty here in Massachusetts in July in two
thousand and five. I don't know if the administration wants
to take a look. These were good men and women
who had never done anything to bespirts the reputation of
(34:54):
the State Police, and I think it may be time
for the State Police to look back at those decisions
and perhaps I mean they were not insubordinate. They requested,
were given the exemption, and then in a kind of
a catch twenty two way, say well, we don't have
a position for you, So I just leave that with
you for something that I think cries out for perhaps
(35:19):
a fresh look. If you get my.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Drift, absolutely, thank you, Dan, and I am aware of
that issue, and we are working for several folks. Now
are a couple court cases going through the court tests
right now on that, but I am tracking that and
I hear you loud.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
And clear, Yeah, when I was essentially saying that those
court cases maybe could be resolved if whatever. You're smarter.
Clearly you're smarter guy than I am in terms of
knowing the procedures internally. Now, let me let you give
one more time for people who are interested in joining
the state police. What is the website for young people
(35:55):
who are interned who might come in as cadets? And
is there a separate process for applicants, Yes.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Sir, so cadets. The age to become that is open
to be a cadet is between nineteen and twenty five.
The application is live right now and you can find
that at mass dot gov Forward slash Guides, Forward slash
Cadet hyphen program. So that's mass dot gov Forward slash Guides,
Forward slash Cadet dash program. And I can provide this
(36:24):
link to your staff if you'd like to share it
some other way.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
I could get that with with Tim tomorrow. H is
the word guides like g U I D E S.
Is that the mask of slash guides?
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Yep, yeah sure. And just to recap, the maximum age
to apply to be a State trooper if you go
don't do the cadet is thirty four twenty one to
thirty four the eligible ages to apply. And you mentioned before,
I know we'll run out of time. You mentioned before
mine of duty deaths. I'd be remiss as the carnel
if I didn't take a moment and just stay that today.
(37:00):
Number second March the twenty I'm sorry thirty first year
anniversary of Trooper Mark Charbonnaire's death. He was shot and
killed in line of duty on Route three in nineteen
ninety four. And as I unfortunately, tomorrow is the five
year anniversary of Trooper Thomas Devlin who was also he
was struck by a car on his plate in bill Ricca. Yeah,
(37:20):
so I just this is a heavy time for us.
It's a reminder why we're here, and we're here to
fight and to continue this this mission for the MSA
and to continue to honor all the incredible good troopers
that are out there tonight and that have served previously.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
I knew Mark Charbonier a little bit through my brother
who was a State Police trooper. And Mark Charboner was
an outstanding, extending, outstanding member of the Massachusetts State Police
and he was he was he was shot by a
coward who literally as he approached the vehicle that he
had stopped. The guy opened the door and just shot
and killed him. An absolute coward anyway, But Mark Sharpener
(38:02):
was a hero in my in my opinion, Colonel, I
can't tell you how much I appreciate your time tonight,
and perhaps we can do it again. I think I
think a lot of bridges were built tonight and for
between you and members of the public who I think
enjoyed hearing what you had to say. It's Brotha fresh Air.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
Thank you so much, thank you, thank you for the chance.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Jain absolutely all right. When we get back, we're going
to talk about an event that is taking place tomorrow
in the state of Delaware. Why would we be talking
about an event in the state of Delaware. It's a
mediation between the parties in Basket. In market Basket, this
is the family few that just never ends. I don't
(38:45):
know what mediation is going to solve. We'll talk about
market Basket. Are you still going there? Have you decided
to find groceryes elsewhere? We'll talk about all of that
right after the ten o'clock news here one night side
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on w b Z,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome back everyone. There is probably no police agency in
New England, maybe any police agency in the country that
in recent years has had as much internal turbulence, if
you will, then the Massachusetts State Police. We're delighted to
be joined by the new colonel of the Massachusetts State Police,
(00:28):
technically lieutenant colonel, but the colonel the Massachusetts State Police.
He was a lieutenant colonel in New Jersey. He is
the head of the Massachusetts State Police. I want to
welcome to our program, Colonel Jeffrey Noble. Colonel Noble, welcome
to Nightside. How are you, sir?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I'm doing well, Dan, Thank you very much for having me.
It is an absolute pleasure.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Well, I'll tell you, I really appreciate you being willing
to come on. I grew up around here a long time.
I'm I'm a little bit biased because I had family
members who were members of the State Police. Uh. And
you have come to this agency at a time when
(01:14):
I think it needs some work. You've been in your
official position now about eleven months. Let's start off with
a nice easy question. How do you feel eleven months
in I know you you you you had some some
issues right off the bat, none of your none of
those issues of your making, but they landed on your
(01:35):
plate the day, I guess last October fourth. How's it
been going for the nearly the first year.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yeah, well, thank you Dan.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Well, certainly it's been an extraordinarily busy first eleven months.
Certainly hit the ground running. And you know, one thing
with this police work is there's really yeah, I have
we have to be mindful that of course we want
to we want to take a moment and take stock
of all the issues that we have to deal with.
But also we have a live, operational, you know, uh
(02:06):
world that we that we live in. So it's a
it's a blend for me to to to take over
this this incredible department knowing that we have the real
awesome just you know, scope of our duties to make
sure that we're doing everything we can to to really
keep the topic Will safe while at the same time
doing but also I think is the real reason why
(02:27):
I'm here. I think of our hearing brought me on board.
I'm the first outside colonel uh in the in the
in this in this agency's history. So and you know,
with that comes a very special role. It comes to
me a very unique moment in time when I can
come in and really take stock of the entire agencies,
you know, our really our our our whole mission, and
(02:51):
really look to seek to find ways that we can
enhance areas where we're doing well and also identify the
areas where we need to look ourselves in the era.
And that's what I'm here. So my first year, as
you know, has not been quiet. We've had a lot
of issues. There's a lot of eyes on the mass
State Police. I would say, as it should be. I think,
(03:12):
uh that as the as the state's largest police force
and the state agency with the awesome responsibilities we have,
I think that that introspection that we have by the
by the public is certainly warranted. And uh, I think
that this department, here's the here's the concerns, and I
know that the that the men and women of the
mass State Police are certainly ready to continue to you know,
(03:35):
hit these challenges head on.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
So my first year, yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Let me just if I can. You grew up in
Rhode Island, but spent a lot of time in the Cape,
and your first job in law enforcement was a summer
police officer UH in Nantucket, which is a different sort
of police experience, but that's that's how you started your
career here UH. And then you you worked in New Jersey,
(04:06):
which is UH which is a big Northeastern state, not
unlike Massachusetts in their state police, and you eventually ended
up number two in that department. Were you surprised when
when you got the call that the governor was seriously
considerating considering you and then actually going to appoint you
(04:26):
the head of the Massachusetts State Police? You certainly know
what a storied history this organization.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Has, absolutely and I I certainly wasn't surprised in the
moment that the governor was doing a nationwide search for
the next colonel. I think that there are times in
really every organization where it's certainly appropriate to really look
for someone from the outside. So I, based on what
(04:51):
was kind of happening here in Massachusetts, I was not
surprised that that was the was the direction of the
nationwide search. And I was very proud to put my
put my hat in the air in their ring for this,
you know, for the honor of this position. I have
worked alongside the master of the State Police. Really my
entire professional life. While serving as a trooper down in Jersey,
(05:15):
I got to work hand in hand and in partnership
with so many Massachusetts State Police troopers and many investigations
and I and I came up with a profound respect
for the mass State Police, and hearing about some of
the issues that were occurring up here during recent years,
it really did not align with what my experience was
working alongside troopers from Massachusetts. I always found troopers from
(05:39):
MSP to be of the highest caliber, to be very driven,
to to to always do the right thing. That was
my experience. So what I was hearing what was going
on just didn't resonate. And I felt that if the
governor decided that I was the candidate that would that
would take the reins of the MSP, I I felt
like I have a a pretty good understanding of the
(06:04):
moment coming from a very similar agency. I also come
with this job a very profound appreciation for the MSP,
the for the ninety nine point nine percent of our
troopers who are out there working hard every day doing
everything right. And it was for that component of the
MSP is why I probably put my hand up and
I just would just add in one comment, Yeah, there's
(06:25):
certainly a lot of public discussion about me coming from
out of state, and I proudly served as a as
a Jersey Trooper for twenty seven plus years. But the
reality is my grandparents are from good old Dorchester. My
grandparents are from the saven Hill part of Dorchester. My
dad grew up my dad grew up here. I spent
the summers working at the family business, which was a
(06:46):
restaurant right down on good old kid Cot. So I
got some pretty good roots up here.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
So well we get back. What I want to do
is going to take a quick break here, and I
want to talk about, you know, some of the issues
to the extent that you can. And I realized that
some of them are open investigations and all of that,
And well, I also understood that you'd be willing to
take some phone calls from some of my listeners. And
I've always explained to my listeners that guests of my
(07:15):
program are the same as guests in my home, and
when people call, I expect guests in my home were
invited to my home to be treated well. And so
I'm sure our listeners will have either some words of
encouragement or some questions, but I'm sure everybody will be
polite and appropriate. My first recollection of the New Jersey
State Police was that horrific shooting which I think predated
(07:40):
your arrival in New Jersey. Troupula Monica who was shot
to death down in New Jersey Jackson Melville group of radicals.
I think this would have been a circa nineteen eighty
one or eighty two, if I'm not mistaken. I'm sure
you ar you with that.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
I'm very familiar and I'm very familiar with his son,
Michael Lomonico, who was four years old when his dad
was gunned down, who's now a captain in the New
Jersey State Police and I consider a good friend. And
we just had Captain Michael Lomonico from New Jersey up
here to meet several of the Massachusetts troopers who are
now retired who took part in the capture of the
suspects that we're associated with too for of Lomonico's dad's killer,
(08:24):
so very very meaningful to me.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Yeah, that was a stunning and tragic event, but that
sort of camaraderie that is built is so important. We'll
take a quick break. My guest is the New new
eleven month in the job head of the Massachusetts State Police, again,
a storied law enforcement agency which has been besmirched by
(08:49):
the actions of a few and we're going to talk
about that and we'll take some phone calls. Colonel Jeffrey
Noble is now the head of the Massachusetts State Police,
the first state Police colonel from outside the ranks of
the State Police here in Massachusetts. And I watched several
(09:09):
television interviews that he conducted a few weeks ago with
local television stations here in the Boston area and probably
somehow out west and western Massachusetts. And I delighted that
he's kind of up to join us tonight and take
phone calls six one, seven, four ten thirty six one
seven nine three one ten thirty. Very quick break here
on Nightside back with Colonel Jeffrey Noble, the head of
(09:30):
the Massachusetts State Police. Right after these messages.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on w Boston's news
radio with us.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Is the colonel of the Massachusetts State Police, which is
the top rank in the agency. Colonel Jeffrey Noble, he's
been in the position now for eleven months, and he
comes to us from New Jersey, but with some very
deep roots in Massachusetts, but the first uh, Colonel head
of the Massachusetts State Police from outside the ranks. Colonel,
(10:03):
there's probably no more serious issue that is facing the
police right now. The State Police right now is the
responsibility to get to the bottom of the tragedy in
which Enrique Delgado Garcia died while while in Trinity become
a State Police trooper. I know that there has been
(10:24):
an autopsy report released to the family, who was in
the Globe last week. I also know that there's an
investigation that could turn into a criminal investigation being conducted
by David Meyer, who's a very respected former prosecutor here
in Massachusetts and defense attorney and someone who I have
a great deal of fat pain and who I know,
(10:47):
and I know that whatever he will follow the truth
to wherever it leads him. What are you able to
say about this? The autopsy said that and Rique Delgado
Garcia died from blunt impact injuries to the head, which
would seem to be consistent in a cranial hemorrhages. Due
(11:09):
to the blunt impact injuries of the head and the
setting of physical physical training exercises, which we are related
to believe was in a was in a boxing ring.
Is there anything you can tell us about that that
the public should know at this point beyond what we've
already read about in the Globe on August twenty eighth.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Dan, First, I can't stress enough how how from that
happened just before I was sworn in here an MSP,
and when I arrived, I met with obviously as many
too much as my credit and I still him and
I just the overall heartbreak that the department feels as
(11:55):
well and in sympathy and has so much respect for
what the family is going through here. We obviously can
never understand or put ourselves in those shoes, but we
we are as an agency devastated as as as well,
and we all want the same thing here. We all
want to understand exactly what happened. We all want to
(12:16):
learn from it. We want to move forward and understand
the circumstances that really contributed to what happened, so that
we can ensure that that never happens again. I can't
there is Like you said, there's a there's an active
investigation going on. I've been walled off from the particulars
of that investigation as well as the rest of our
(12:37):
of our agency, we are supporting uh Prosecutor Meyer with
his efforts anything he needs. We obviously are cooperating with
that guy. There's some interesting pieces obviously that came out
with the death certificate. That was the least to include
the fact that the manner of death was also accidental
associated with with the injuries that you had described. So
(13:00):
what that means we all want to digest that, but
we can't do that, and it would be premature for
me to really speak to it until we see the
whole investigation, and once Prosecutor Meyer completes that investigation, we
we we eagerly look forward to sitting down with Prosecutor Meyer,
understanding what his findings are, and then of course doing
(13:23):
everything we can to work towards addressing any issues that
are uncovered during the prosecutors Okay, so but until that
time going.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Further, I get it, But let me just say it
from a purely procedural point of view, David Meyer does
the investigation, is the next step for him to report
back to the Attorney General and then and then report
to you. I'm just curious how this will lay out,
and if you have any sense of a time frame,
(13:53):
and I don't want to try to pin you down
here on I'm just trying to.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Understand it because it is go ahead absolutely. I I
do know that the prosthumized, his investigation has been very active.
He I can't speak to what his timeline is that
would be and that would be for him to really
speak to. But uh, this independent review was ordered and
by the Attorney General obviously under the and with the
(14:19):
recommendation of course by Deblor Healey. And so yeah, so
formally he is working on behalf of the Attorney General.
So what that looks like as far as how his
report will will go, I will defer to him on that.
But I do believe that his investigation is nearing nearing
the end. But that's a bit of a speculation for
my part. But I know he's been very active and
(14:41):
this has been a very active time train for him.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Okay, let me go just generally to some of the
other areas, certainly the the Michael Procter case. I know
that that you're the attorney for the department has been
at a hearing. Are you convinced that Proctor received adequate
due process before he was dismissed?
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yes, yeah, I yes, I am. I'm very satisfied that
there was a it was a fair process internally with
the MSP uh so I I was very confident after
reading the final report that came to me. I was
confident in concurring with the board's recommendation. And I believe
(15:26):
that terminating Michael Proctor was the righteous decision.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
And there have been a series of other cases. The
names float by me. I don't expect, I don't anticipate
to mention all the specific names. But you know, we
had the the Massachusetts Turnpike overtime issue that was an
embarrassment to the state police. We have the uh, the
(15:52):
driver's license issues and all of that. I can remember, UH.
Occasionally there was a state police officer who got himself
jammed up. There was a guy way back I remember
his name was Chester Campbell and the late I guess
was the late seventies early eighties. So occasionally this happens.
(16:14):
But how concerned are you from a systemic point of
view with the number of troopers over a relatively short
period of time who seem to take advantage of particularly
overtime scandals and things like that. I mean, again, without
going to specifics, what reforms can be put in to
make sure that this spate of embarrassments doesn't happen on
(16:38):
your watch.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Yeah, well, I think that when you see the types
of issues that have occurred here over the last several
years and even beyond, absolutely it points to an area
that we need to improve on, and that is internal
accountability measures, internal safeguard matches, I think, and that's one
(17:01):
area that I am I'm very much focused on. We've
already we've started to put a lot of new internal
controls into place, really with the expert. As a public agency,
we should be very transparent and ultimately accountable to the public.
So but in order to do that, we need to
add and enhance our internal reporting measures. I need through
(17:24):
proper channels to be to have the confidence that each
one of our troopers that are out there, that we
have the ability to measure their performance to ensure that
they're getting the support and the resources that they need,
but also to ensure that they're doing the right thing
and that they're out there engaging with the public and
the manner in which the MSP prescribes and and that's
(17:45):
the toll order. But it is certainly possible, and that
is that is really built. That is what was built
upon in this Excellence Initiative. And you read the Excellence
Initiative which we just announced, it's it's it's filled with
internal accountability measures. So it's aimed at really addressing system
wide issues that we can put fixes into place to
(18:07):
ensure that where there are issues, and we are human,
I think it's important to know where there are issues,
and you know, as a humanity, troopers are going to
there are moments when we're going to have to say
this that did not go as planned. We need them
have the ability to respond to it, to see it,
respond to it, and fix it. And that's what I'm
focused on.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Then, the thing that struck me through all of this
was that troopers are pretty well compensated. I think I
realized that people who are going out putting their lives
on the line every day, that's a big responsibility and
there to protect us the you know, the thin blue
line if you will. But they're they're compensated, and you
(18:49):
folks have to screen them. I know that there's at
least one class of troopers that are coming out pretty soon.
Uh is the Department? Do you have enough troopers here? Boston?
I know is down about five hundred uniformed officers. You
(19:10):
guys have about twenty four hundred I believe you know
line troopers. Is that the number that is what you
need we.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
Do Right now, we're just over twenty four hundred. Optimately,
we'd like to see that number up closer to twenty
six or twenty seven hundred. And we have two classes
that are in right now, so I do anticipate we
will graduate several hundred new troopers that over the next
year will graduate the academy and go through the break
in and out be out on our patrol. But it's
(19:41):
tough because we have to deal with retirements as well.
So that and certainly recruiting is a big challenge in
law enforcement right now ensuring that and that's really for me.
I need to make sure that we're doing everything we
can so that young men and women who want to
put their hand up and say, hey, I want to
be part of some and I want to be part
of of of a of a change. I want to
(20:03):
be part of an organization that is on the front lines.
And and and if you want to be part of
a place where you can come and make an impact,
my job and Our job is to make sure that
the MSP is a is a good place for you
to come. It's a place where young men women can
put their hand up and say I want to serve,
and I would just offer right now in this moment.
Then anybody that's out just reach out to us. Get
(20:24):
to know the MSP. There's a lot of noise that
that is out there, and that's one of the reasons
why I am on the show tonight.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Okay, and we'll talk a little bit more about that
when we come back after the news. We're also going
to go to some phone calls, but I want to
give you an opportunity to talk about they have to
I know that there are young men and women who
listen to this show. I saw today that they had
some sort of a program to UH to attract ice
agents and a new ice agents, and i'm i'm I
(20:55):
think that there's a there's a pool of applicants out
there that need to know that the tradition of the
Massachusetts State Police, despite some of the most recent problems,
is a very proud tradition and hopefully under your leadership,
it can be restored. My guest is the Colonel of
the Massachusetts State Police, Colonel Jeffrey Noble. We're going to
(21:16):
get to phone calls. The only lines that are open
right now, the six one, seven, two, five, four, ten
thirty is full. If you want to get in and
ask a question respectfully or make a comment, this is
the line to call six one, seven, nine three thirty.
If you get through on either of those lines, I'm
certain you'll be accommodated. Between now and when we have
to finish this hour at at about nine fifty five,
(21:40):
join the conversation. This is a great opportunity to encourage
this colonel who has an immense responsibility to deal with.
If you want to offer a piece of constructive criticism,
that's fine, but let's let's keep it positive. And let's
(22:01):
also welcome Colonel Jeffrey Noble here the Massachusetts We're a
few months late, but that's okay. Coming back on Nightside
right after the news at the bottom of the.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Hour night Side with Dan Ray, I'm delling you bes
Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
My guest is Colonel Jeffrey Noble, the head of the
Massachusetts State Police. Let's go right to the phones and
give folks an opportunity join the conversation again, delighted that
he is with us, and delighted that he's willing to
come on and basically take your calls. Let's go to
Justin in Marlborough. Justin, you were first tonight. I appreciate
you calling in. You're all with Colonel Jeffrey Nobles.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
Go ahead, Justin, Hi, Colonel, thank you for taking our calls.
I want to thank you for making your life harder
than it has to be. Oh, I better good? I mean,
did your friends and family say like, are you a
glutton for punishment? I don't mean that as a joke.
I mean seriously, your life could be easier, and I
(22:59):
hope you can get the state peace back to the
high the steam that many of us remember growing up.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Colonel the right ahead. I think that yep, this is
actually a compliment that that Justin is offering.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Yeah, Justin, that's a that's a that's a really unbelievable question.
And I am a public servant at heart, and I
signed up for this job thirty something years ago knowing
full well that it wasn't easy, and it's only, I
would say, rightfully, so gotten harder as I've advanced through
the years and now we live in a moment when
(23:40):
this job needs people to step up, needs people to
put themselves in some type of risk, And you're right this.
I came out of retirement to take this job, but
it's who I am and I'm very blessed to have
a family support that understands what it means to be
a public servant. And so I'm to take the good
(24:01):
the pad Justin, And I think that that is a
really great question, and I think that in order for
us to meet the moment, it's going to take resolve.
And I'm certainly willing to put myself up there, and
I'm willing to do it because I know that all
twenty four hundred plus sworn men and women of the
MST are also equally willing to do what do whatever
(24:21):
it takes. So thank you, justin.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Quick questions, go ahead, go ahead, quickly, go ahead, Justin.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
I work as a mailman, so I speak to lots
of people, and all the younger people I meet, for
some reason, they have such a high image of firefighters.
Do you know how you I hope you can get
the police back on, but I always speak to twenty
year olds and said the state police are Ireland and
(24:49):
all of them always say I want to go fire
I don't.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Well, Justin keep on recruiting for us. Anybody you can
tell and listen. I think that absolutely. I think any
big public service agency, whether you're a fireman, a school teacher,
a police officer, there's times when things go sideways, and
there's times when when we have to, you know, as
a group and as an agency and as a police field,
(25:15):
have to come together. And that's certainly one of those times.
But it is a great field, and I hope that
there's lots of young women and men out there that
see it for what it is, which is a very
honorable field. So thank you, Justin for that.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Thanks Justin, appreciate your call. Talk to you soon. Good night,
six seven four ten thirty or six one seven nine thirty.
Let me go to David in San Francisco. David is
a regular listener and caller, and we do get uh,
we get callers from all parts of the country, as
a matter of factur all parts of the world. Colonel,
(25:49):
go right ahead, David.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Well, thanks Dan, and colonel yeah, I know the coastal
states are going to be believed now with these tariffs.
Years ago smuggling used to be a big problem with
the tariffs, and I'm wondering if the you know, the
state police are aware of the problems that are going
(26:11):
to be facing them with smuggling.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Now, David, you're the first person that I've heard asked
that Question's a little bit of a tench to the
politic to that question and political tinge. I'll give the
CLDINAL a chance to respond to it. I don't know
how many people are going to be smuggling in this
day and age, CLDINAL, is that on your radar?
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Well, what I can say is, first of all, great question, Yeah,
thank you. And here's my there are many organized criminal
groups out there, organized criminal enterprises that constantly seek to
take advantage of opportunity, whether it's a tariff situation or
whether it's any type of situation that's out there. And
the MSc here in Massachusetts has a very large, robust
(26:56):
operations that are in place with our law enforcement partners
is to go after organized criminal enterprises.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
So I'll leave that.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
When they're dan if that's all right. But it's a
great question. But I do hear you though, David, thank you,
Thank you all.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
I appreciate the call, David, thank you again. David often
comes with some interesting perspectives. They trying to make as
subtly as possible a political point. Let me go to
David Kingston, Massachusetts, a little closer to home, different David,
Go ahead.
Speaker 6 (27:26):
Dave, Hey, Dan, first time, longtime Bud for real.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
First time call. Let you give you a quick round
of applause as of course as a first time call
him again. Our digital studio audience up if Rob could
find the right button. But that's okay, Do you go
right ahead? Dave?
Speaker 6 (27:42):
All right, So I guess my my one question is
that with the whole Karen Reid thing with Michael Proctor,
I guess him being hired had had the state police
known the person he actually is what he have been
hired back twenty whatever years ago.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Tough. It's tough to look back in any situation, you know,
hindsight's twenty twenty. Dave. I'm going to give the colonel
a chance to answer that question. I think the answer
is probably inherent in the question. But I understand what
you're saying, and I don't think that they could have
anticipated and said, Hey, is this the sort of language
(28:24):
you use while investigating a future homicide case, Colonel Garudhead,
I don't mean to jump in there.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
No, Thank you Dan, Thank you Dave for the question. Obviously,
we obviously have standards, we have rules, we have regulations
when it comes to becoming a master the state trooper
and what you need to do. But that said, measuring
integrity and particularly future integrity, that's a real challenge I
think for all of law enforcement and.
Speaker 6 (28:50):
How we do it.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
We do have a very significant background investigation. I would
say our background investigators here with the Mass Safe Please
are as thorough. It's not more throw than I would
think any other police agency here in the Commonwealth. And
when we when we consider potential applicants, we absolutely dig
deep because we do believe that past behavior is an
indicator often of predictive behavior of going forward, especially when
(29:14):
it comes to integrity. So I you know, it's a
tough one for me to answer yes or no on that. Obviously,
the facts of the case are, you know, being measured
here during the present time, so it's tough to go
back in time, just like they have said. But I
can assure you one thing I have looked at since
I've been here is our background process by which we
(29:35):
are measuring integrity because that is so important right now.
We have to put good people on this job. So
it's a great point. Dave, thank you for the question.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Appreciate the question, Dave. Thank you. Good night, Robbie. If
you find that applause button for our first time callers again,
it's always good to have it right handy, that's for sure.
Let me get one more in here. No, you know,
I'm going to hold this because we're at the breaks.
We'll take quick break, Kevin, you will be next on Nightside.
We're going to continue our conversation with the head of
(30:06):
the newly minted head of the well eleven months now,
so we really got I guess thank can'd say newly anymore.
But the current head of the Massachusett State Police, Colonel
Jeffrey Noble. He's been at the job now since last
early last October, uh and he has a number of
issues on his plate. He's been pretty candid talking about
them tonight. If you want to ask a question, to
(30:27):
make a comment, we're coming back on night Side sixty
or six, one, seven, nine thirty coming back after this.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray on w b
Z Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
My guest is the head of the Massachusetts State Police,
Colonel Jeffrey Noble. I don't ever remember another colonel of
the State Police being gracious enough to come on and
take phone calls or talk talk with me, So I'm
very appreciative of his time. Tonight. Let me go to
Steve in Whereham. Hey, Steve, you're next on night side?
Speaker 7 (31:03):
Are How are you doing the en good? I'm gonna
call it gauds. I was just listening to the radio
when I heard, you know, the colonels say that they
were looking for you know, shoopers. They're looking to hire. Yes,
And I just told my grandson because he was really
excited about, you know, he wanted to be a state trooper,
and I would just I just let him know that,
(31:23):
you know, they look at recruits or whatever looking to hire.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
And how old is you?
Speaker 5 (31:27):
Old?
Speaker 2 (31:28):
Steve, let me ask you, how old is your grandson?
Speaker 7 (31:31):
He's twenty two?
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Okay, Well, colonel, I assume that you take applicants who
are as young as twenty two. Uh, well, have we
lose the Did we lose the colonel here?
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Nope, I'm sorry about the show.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
I'm here, Go ahead, colonel, I'm sorry, Steven. Steve is
inquiring about a grandson of his who aspires to join
the State Police and he's twenty two years old. I'm
not I know that there's an you cannot be you
cannot apply for to become a trooper. I believe after
the age of thirty five, if I'm not mistaken, is
(32:10):
there a minimum age that someone has to be in
order to apply to to become an applicant to join
the state Police.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Well, then, well let me get a answer one quick
thing that Right now, we are accepting applicant applications into
our Cadet program, which your grandson is eligible for on
his age. This is a program where you can come
on get hired by the mass State Police, work with
us for a period of time, you get paid, you
collect benefits, and if you successfully complete that program, you
(32:39):
automatically get a bid into the upcoming class, which would
be next year. So to find out more on that,
you can simply go to mass dot gov type in
guides Cadet program and that information shall come right up
for you. Then you can find all that. But we
are accepting applications until Halloween for that for that program.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
That's a pretty specific answer, Steve. What I'm going to do, Steve,
I give you a chance to go get a pencil,
piece of paper, hang the phone up, and I'll have
the colonel repeat that right before we end the hour,
so you get that information to your grandson. We'll get
that for you, I promise.
Speaker 7 (33:16):
Okay, it sounds good and he's doing a great job.
Just keep up the good work.
Speaker 6 (33:22):
Cheap, I mean, okay, thank.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
You, Steve, no problem, you know, Colonel. One thing that
I'm sure you're probably aware, but just when you when
you talk about you can let Steve go there, Rob
if you want, if you talk about you know, state
police officers, and again I don't want to put you
(33:47):
in the middle of anything here, but if you're unaware.
There were about a dozen state police officers who were
dismissed under a prior administration, not under Governor Heey's administration,
because they asserted an exemption from getting a COVID shot.
And I think a lot of people at the time
were concerned they were given the exemption, but then they
(34:10):
were told that the state police had no non public
facing a position for them was kind of what I
would call leon yuris kind of catch twenty two type situation. Yeah,
we can accommodate your situation. One of the troopers who
was dismissed was a trooper, a young woman named Samantha Sila,
(34:32):
who I got to know pretty well. Her dad was
a State Police trooper, Vincent Sila, who died in the
line of duty here in Massachusetts in July in two
thousand and five. I don't know if the administration wants
to take a look. These were good men and women
who had never done anything to bespirts the reputation of
(34:54):
the State Police, and I think it may be time
for the State Police to look back at those decisions
and perhaps I mean they were not insubordinate. They requested,
were given the exemption, and then in a kind of
a catch twenty two way, say well, we don't have
a position for you, So I just leave that with
you for something that I think cries out for perhaps
(35:19):
a fresh look. If you get my.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Drift, absolutely, thank you, Dan, and I am aware of
that issue, and we are working for several folks. Now
are a couple court cases going through the court tests
right now on that, but I am tracking that and
I hear you loud.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
And clear, Yeah, when I was essentially saying that those
court cases maybe could be resolved if whatever. You're smarter.
Clearly you're smarter guy than I am in terms of
knowing the procedures internally. Now, let me let you give
one more time for people who are interested in joining
the state police. What is the website for young people
(35:55):
who are interned who might come in as cadets? And
is there a separate process for applicants, Yes.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Sir, so cadets. The age to become that is open
to be a cadet is between nineteen and twenty five.
The application is live right now and you can find
that at mass dot gov Forward slash Guides, Forward slash
Cadet hyphen program. So that's mass dot gov Forward slash Guides,
Forward slash Cadet dash program. And I can provide this
(36:24):
link to your staff if you'd like to share it
some other way.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
I could get that with with Tim tomorrow. H is
the word guides like g U I D E S.
Is that the mask of slash guides?
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Yep, yeah sure. And just to recap, the maximum age
to apply to be a State trooper if you go
don't do the cadet is thirty four twenty one to
thirty four the eligible ages to apply. And you mentioned before,
I know we'll run out of time. You mentioned before
mine of duty deaths. I'd be remiss as the carnel
if I didn't take a moment and just stay that today.
(37:00):
Number second March the twenty I'm sorry thirty first year
anniversary of Trooper Mark Charbonnaire's death. He was shot and
killed in line of duty on Route three in nineteen
ninety four. And as I unfortunately, tomorrow is the five
year anniversary of Trooper Thomas Devlin who was also he
was struck by a car on his plate in bill Ricca. Yeah,
(37:20):
so I just this is a heavy time for us.
It's a reminder why we're here, and we're here to
fight and to continue this this mission for the MSA
and to continue to honor all the incredible good troopers
that are out there tonight and that have served previously.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
I knew Mark Charbonier a little bit through my brother
who was a State Police trooper. And Mark Charboner was
an outstanding, extending, outstanding member of the Massachusetts State Police
and he was he was he was shot by a
coward who literally as he approached the vehicle that he
had stopped. The guy opened the door and just shot
and killed him. An absolute coward anyway, But Mark Sharpener
(38:02):
was a hero in my in my opinion, Colonel, I
can't tell you how much I appreciate your time tonight,
and perhaps we can do it again. I think I
think a lot of bridges were built tonight and for
between you and members of the public who I think
enjoyed hearing what you had to say. It's Brotha fresh Air.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
Thank you so much, thank you, thank you for the chance.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Jain absolutely all right. When we get back, we're going
to talk about an event that is taking place tomorrow
in the state of Delaware. Why would we be talking
about an event in the state of Delaware. It's a
mediation between the parties in Basket. In market Basket, this
is the family few that just never ends. I don't
(38:45):
know what mediation is going to solve. We'll talk about
market Basket. Are you still going there? Have you decided
to find groceryes elsewhere? We'll talk about all of that
right after the ten o'clock news here one night side
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