Massachusetts State Police Selects Independent Evaluator to Oversee Academy Reforms

PFM Group Consulting will function as an advisory board and provide five years of independent counsel; 93rd Recruit Training Troop planned for final week of October

FRAMINGHAM – The Massachusetts State Police today announced PFM Group Consulting LLC (PFMGC) will serve as the independent evaluator of the Department’s ongoing Academy reforms. Selected in consultation with the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS), PFMGC will monitor the implementation of the 103 recommendations included in the International Association of Chiefs of Police assessment released in May. With priority reforms underway and an independent evaluator in place, the Department also announced it intends to begin the 93rd Recruit Training Troop on Monday, October 26, 2026.  

“Public safety depends on the Massachusetts State Police Academy’s ability to train the next generation of Troopers and prepare them for a fulfilling career in law enforcement,” said Colonel Geoffrey Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. “Recognizing the need for urgent training reform, our team has thoughtfully considered every aspect of the Academy and aligned the curriculum and instructional approach with national best practices. The new approach – informed by the IACP’s assessment and the experience of visiting exemplary academies across the country – incorporates challenges that prepare trainees for the dangers of contemporary policing and enhanced support structures that empower them to meet our rigorous standards for becoming a Massachusetts Trooper. We appreciate the support of the Healey-Driscoll Administration and PFMGC to ensure we deliver on our commitment to best-in-class training.” 

At the conclusion of the IACP assessment this spring, Colonel Noble formed a 10-member working group of sworn and professional staff representing a cross-functional range of expertise. The Colonel also delayed the start of the 93rd RTT and prioritized 31 recommendations focused on strengthening the Academy’s training curriculum, instructional approach, leadership, trainee wellness, and processes for continuous institutional improvement.  

The working group determined that 22 of the priority recommendations must be completed before the next training class begins. These recommendations largely address the immediate training environment and day-to-day Academy practices. Work on the remaining nine recommendations must be underway before the class begins. Those recommendations focus on building the long-term infrastructure needed to strengthen leadership, trainee wellness, professional culture, safety and data-driven improvement. 

“In the last 12 weeks, the Department has developed curriculum, policy, and new civilian leadership roles that will position our Academy to successfully train the 93rd RTT in a more consistent, supportive, accountable, and evidence-informed training model,” said Colonel Noble. “As we finalize plans to begin the class, PFMGC will monitor the implementation of the recommendations, assess outcomes related to attrition, injuries, and performance, and support continuous improvement of the training model through annual reporting over the five-year engagement. Like the IACP assessment, those documents will be made public and inform all that we do going forward.” 

PFMGC brings more than five decades of experience helping public-sector organizations improve their structures, operations and outcomes. Its monitoring team for this engagement includes Seth Williams and Ronal Serpas, Ph.D., and supported by additional experts in law enforcement and organizational reform. 

Williams leads PFMGC’s law enforcement practice which conducts operational reviews and analyzes financial practices, workforce needs and organizational structures across the criminal justice system. He has supported a diverse set of clients, including the Commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia, the State of Hawaii, and several New England cities, including Worcester, Providence, and Pittsfield. Prior to consulting, Williams served in the Office of New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine as the Cabinet Liaison and Deputy Director of Management and Operations. In that role, he was the primary point of contact in the Governor’s Office on operations, budget preparation, organizational management issues, and tactical activities for 12 cabinet departments and sub-cabinet agencies – primarily in areas of criminal justice and public safety. 

Serpas serves as a professor of criminology and justice at Loyola University New Orleans. Prior to this academic role, he served for 34 years in law enforcement. Serpas rose through the ranks of the New Orleans Police Department before becoming Chief of the Nashville Metro Police Department, Chief of the Washington State Patrol, and returning to his native New Orleans as its Superintendent from 2010 to 2014.  

“Reform can be hard to sustain, which is where we come in, over the next five years we will track the Department's progress against the IACP recommendations, look closely at outcomes, and give the Department candid assessments of what is working and what still needs attention," said Seth Williams. 

"The Department asked for a candid outside read on its own academy, and that is what we will provide. How a department trains its recruits shapes how it polices for a generation,” said Ronal Serpas. 

Williams and Serpas will be supported by additional law enforcement subject matter experts in their work to facilitate effective change management around the Department’s approach to training the next generation of Massachusetts State Troopers.