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MSP Colonel: No evidence of cheating on promotions exam

BOSTON — Massachusetts State Police Colonel Christopher Mason told me, in an exclusive interview, no evidence of cheating has been found in recent promotions exams.

Three Mass State Police troopers recently filed a civil lawsuit alleging they were passed over for promotions because of issues with a recent Captain’s exam.

The suit questions the exam’s fairness, the use of study guides, and it alleges the Colonel’s chief of staff had an unfair advantage and scored high marks.

“Is there cheating taking place with these tests?” I asked Mason.

“Absolutely not. We haven’t seen any evidence, Bob, of any cheating on any State Police promotional examinations,” Mason said.

“What about this idea that somebody so close to you, scored so well on the test?”

“I would expect that, in that, I select a Chief of Staff,” Mason said. “It’s an appointed position and when I go about that selection process, I’m looking for someone that is smart somebody that is capable. Somebody that is organized. Somebody that has skills in those areas.”

In his first public comments about the civil lawsuit, Mason said that the three troopers who filed the lawsuit were denied promotions only because off their test scores.

“The reason these people didn’t get promoted, the plaintiffs didn’t get promoted, is solely based on their ranking. Their ranking is a reflection of their score. Their low test scores is why they didn’t get promoted. Not because of bias, discrimination or prejudice,” Mason said.

Gov. Charlie Baker appointed Christopher Mason as Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police in November 2019.

Fifteen months later, Mason is leading a department that is still mired in the controversy and bad press he was hired to turn around.

“State Police colonels don’t seem to stay on the job very long,” I said to Mason. “Are you at risk of losing the support of the governor?”

“I haven’t heard that yet from him,” Mason said. “I know what I have to do. I know my mandate as the new Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police, I know that mandate is focused primarily upon reform. Upon regaining the image and public trust that’s associated with the State Police and I’m committed to doing that.”

The Massachusetts State Police Department is also enduring other controversies, but Mason insists, he’s in for the long haul.

“How much longer to you expect to be Colonel?” I asked.

“As long as they’ll let me, I really enjoy the job,” Mason said.

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