What to Know
- Republican Gov. Charlie Baker has signed a bill to raise $10 million for municipal police training programs.
- The bill calls for a $2 fee on all car rentals to fund the new programs.
- Police chiefs have been calling for increased training after deaths of officers, including Sean Gannon of and Michael Chesna.
Republican Gov. Charlie Baker has signed a bill that would impose a $2 fee on all car rentals in Massachusetts, helping raise $10 million for municipal police training programs.
Baker said the new law will let the Municipal Police Training Committee conduct additional recruitment and training that will give local police the tools needed to ensure the safety of Massachusetts residents.
The committee is responsible for training and setting training standards for local police, University of Massachusetts police, and state environmental police.
Baker signed the bill Wednesday, a week after the House of Representatives voted 144-4 in its favor. He noted the recent shooting deaths of Weymouth police Sgt. Michael Chesna and Sean Gannon, a Yarmouth sergeant and K-9 officer.
Frank Frederickson, Yarmouth's police chief, has been calling for increased training since shortly after Gannon's murder.
"We need to step our game and make sure that our officers get the training that they need," Frederickson said last week.
The bill signing comes as House and Senate lawmakers are racing to pass bills before the end of their formal session Tuesday.
