Legislation would exempt the Grafton Police Department from Civil Service
BOSTON – Senator Michael O. Moore (D-Millbury) and Representative David K. Muradian (R-Grafton) announced that the Legislature passed a bill that would exempt the Grafton Police Department from Civil Service. The bill, filed pursuant to a Grafton Town Meeting vote taken in May 2016, passed both Chambers unanimously and has now been laid on the Governor’s desk.
“I am proud to have worked with Representative Muradian to usher this bill through the Legislature,” said Senator Moore. “Removing the Department from Civil Service allows for greater flexibility within the hiring and promotional process, and responds to the needs identified by the Grafton community.”
"I am excited for the Grafton Police Department and the many benefits associated with this legislation," said Representative Muradian. "This bill will not only ensure a more effective hiring process with an expanded pool of candidates, but also enable the town of Grafton to implement their own testing standards that they were actively seeking."
Grafton Town Administrator Timothy McInerney, Police Chief Normand Crepeau, Jr., and Lieutenant Neil Minardi joined Senator Moore and Representative Muradian during a legislative hearing last year to testify in support of this legislative initiative.
“The civil service system places the Town under state oversight in the hiring and promoting of police officers,” testified Chief Crepeau. “By removing the police department from civil service, the department will be able to recruit trained police officers or self-sponsored academy trained candidates, which could potentially save the town thousands of dollars in training expenses.”
The Grafton Police Department opted into Civil Service in 2000 and is currently comprised of 20 officers including Chief Crepeau, a detective, four sergeants, a lieutenant and thirteen patrol officers. The Governor will have up to ten days to sign the legislation into law.
Legislative Update
The Governor signed this legislation into law on January 12, 2017.