SECTION 3.1.2.A POLICE AND FIRE COMMISSIONERS
In accordance with and to implement the Selectmen'sresponsibilities under applicable laws, the Selectmen shall bearthe titles “Police Commissioners” and “Fire Commissioners” whenexercising their responsibilities relating to the town's PoliceDepartment and Fire Department, respectively.
The Selectmen'sresponsibilities and authority are not enhanced, diminished, oraltered in any fashion from those that exist under applicableLaws by virtue of bearing such titles, nor shall the Board beinvolved in the day-to-day administration, operations ormanagement of the Police and Fire Departments.
A number of years ago, one of the selectwoman stopped by one of the fire stations with her kids in tow... no problem, parents are
always stopping by with their children to ask questions, let them climb on board the trucks, etc.
It started out normally at first, then she takes her badge from her wallet to show her kids and proudly proclaim "see, I'm their boss".
The Lt on duty (who is one of the most mild mannered, easy going guys you would meet), almost lost it on her.
Instead, he just spun around, picked up the department phone to call dispatch and told the person to "send us out NOW"!
I don't care what it is, where it is, just do it"!
The tones came on 30 seconds later.
Lieutenant governor candidate Deb Goldberg recently touted her “public safety background” during a candidate’s forum in Lowell, referring to her service as a Brookline selectwoman.
Members of the board of selectmen in Brookline are also police and fire commissioners. They even get shiny gold badges that say “police commissioner,” which got Goldberg into a jam two years ago.
The Brookline TAB ran a story in May 2004 alleging that Goldberg flashed the badge to get out of a 2003 speeding ticket. A Brookline Police Department source told the paper Goldberg even used the classic line: “Do you know who I am?” In a surprise twist, the cop didn’t write her a ticket.
Goldberg told the newspaper she didn’t recall the traffic stop but admitted she has used the badge as ID at airports.
As if the alleged badge abuse wasn’t bad enough, the town’s police chief told the paper he once acted as a personal taxi for Goldberg and another selectman, shuttling the pair in his cruiser to a Red Sox game to watch a local rabbi throw out the first pitch.
According to police, the commissioners’ badges aren’t collected from board members after they leave office, meaning Goldberg could very well still be flashing it around.
http://masscops.com/threads/badge-behavior.18338/
I can only hope they try that with a State Trooper some time. I don't think he will be impressed.
Like the time one of the selectman got into a jam down in the Combat Zone and flashed his badge on a BPD cop?
Or the one that got pulled over for DUI and pulled the I have a badge/get out of jail free card?
I don't recall what the final outcome was for either one. I'm 90% sure it was all quietly forgotten and swept under the rug though.