Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
On Oct. 2, the MMA hosted a webinar about the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission and its impact over the last five years. Speakers included (clockwise from top left) Andrew Golas, town administrator and emergency management director for the town of Charlton, Enrique Zuniga, executive director of the POST Commission, Christopher Padden, police chief in Norwood and Eric Atstupenas, general counsel for the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association.
On Oct. 2, the MMA hosted a webinar about the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission and its impact over the last five years.
Andrew Golas, town administrator and emergency management director for the town of Charlton, led a panel discussion with:
• Enrique Zuniga, executive director of the POST Commission
• Eric Atstupenas, general counsel for the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association
• Christopher Padden, police chief in Norwood
Zuniga, who has led the commission since 2021, said he is working to build an “agency to implement police reform and enhance public confidence in policing by implementing a fair process of mandatory certification, discipline, and training.”
POST works closely with the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. Atstupenas said the chiefs “provide some feedback and guidance to help [POST] better understand what some of the challenges are from our perspective,” which can be helpful when POST issues draft regulations.
On the topic of collective bargaining, Padden said Norwood’s approach is to reflect any additional work with POST in employee contracts.
Zuniga said POST’s public database includes summary information about police officers, their certification status, and their disciplinary records.
Golas moderated 15 minutes of questions and answers, addressing inquiries regarding which positions apply to POST, what changes to POST the panelists would like to see, and how POST has changed public perception.