History
The MSP was founded in September 1865. It has its beginnings from President Calvin Coolidge, then Governor of Massachusetts, in order to curtail union riots in the streets of Boston. Calvin Coolidge asked longtime friend, Joseph O'Connor, to head up the agency. Joseph O'Connor is the first State Police officer in the United States. Calvin Coolidge grew up in Vermont and later had his first law practice in Northampton, MA., and there he met Joseph O'Connor, a resident of neighboring South Hadley. 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
- Restored 1931, 1941, 1951 Ford Cruisers
- Motorcycles, including a 1963 Harley Davidson
- State Police Weapons (past & present)
- Historical uniforms, hats and artifacts
- Harvard riot photos and riot equipment
- Mounted police equipment and other Equine related items
- Original teletype machine
- The first computer used by the State Police department
- Historic daily station logs
- President John F. Kennedy photos and memorabilia
- Nostalgic badges and patches
Since the MSP's inception, 32 troopers have been killed in the line of duty. The earliest death was in 1909 and the latest death was June 18, 2010.
Read more about this topic: Massachusetts State Police
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