Massachusetts State Police

Massachusetts State Police
Abbreviation	MSP
Massachusetts State Police seal
Badge of the Massachusetts State Police
Agency overview
Formed	1865
Employees	2,700
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction*	Commonwealth of Massachusetts, USA
Massachusetts State Police Troop Map
Legal jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Governing body	Commonwealth of Massachusetts
General nature	Law enforcement Civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Framingham, Massachusetts
Troopers	2,300
Civilians	400
Agency executives	Colonel Richard McKeon, Superintendent Lieutenant Colonel Francis P. Hughes, Deputy Superintendent Lieutenant Colonel Edward Amodeo, Field Services Division Commander Lieutenant Colonel Dermot J. Quinn, Investigative Services Division Commander Lieutenant Colonel Thomas D. Grenham, Standards & Training Division Commander Maribel Fournier, Chief Administrative Officer
Parent agency	Executive Office of Public Safety and Security
Facilities
Barracks	39
Patrol Vehicles	Ford Crown Victoria, Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Explorer, Dodge Charger, Ford Expedition
Aviation Units	Eurocopter AS355
Website
http://www.mass.gov/msp/
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state. At present, it has approximately 2,300 officers, 1500 of them being uniformed troopers, and 400 civilian support staff—making it the largest law enforcement agency in New England. The MSP is headed by Colonel Richard McKeon.

It investigates instances of wrongful deaths in most Massachusetts cities.

The MSP was established by Governor John A. Andrew when he signed a law creating the State Constabulary on May 16, 1865. This legislative act to “establish a State Police Force,” founded the first statewide enforcement agency in the nation. The first leader of the State Police was a General King. His title was probably earned during the American Civil War. The agency remained small and rather informal until 1921, when the MSP was enlarged to comprise 50 officers stationed in barracks across the state with the primary mission of providing law enforcement to rural areas underserved by existing local police agencies. This law enforcement mission was performed by the trooper on horse back, usually, and in motor cars in areas with upgraded roads. The MSP enlarged its mission to handle primary vehicular regulation on the Commonwealth's interstate and limited-access highways after their development mid-century; during this period, it also established a presence in protecting Logan International Airport.

For much of the twentieth century, the MSP was organized along militaristic lines with a heavy emphasis on the role of the barracks, spartan working conditions, and a uniformity in appearance and internal culture. Until recently, the MSP maintained one of the strictest regimens for physical size requirements for applicants. Efforts are being made presently to render the department more racially diverse, as well as more inclusive of women and LGBT officers.

The history of the agency is being researched and preserved for the 2010 opening of the Massachusetts State Police Museum and Learning Center. The museum is being made possible by funding of MSP troopers and employees. The museum will be located at the site of the former Troop C2 barracks in Grafton. There is currently a temporary museum at the barracks until construction is completed. Planned exhibits for the museum are