BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MA STATE POLICE
The MA State Police was founded in September 1865 when President Calvin Coolidge, then the Governor of MA, asked a friend, Joseph O'Connor, to head an agency to curtail the Union riots in the streets of Boston. Joseph O'Connor was the first State Police Officer in the country.
In 1921, the MA State Police was enlarged to comprise 50 troopers stationed in barracks across the state. Their primary mission was to provide law enforcement to rural areas lacking local police coverage and motor vehicle regulation on the Commonwealth's interstates.
In 1954 as the State Police grew, women were hired and trained to the position of State Police Woman to address domestic and sexual crimes referred to then as "morals cases."
In 1964, the Civil Rights Act and other court decisions to follow addressed the hiring discrimination against women and minorities in the work place. Therefore, in 1974, Massachusetts accepted the first two women troopers to attend and graduate the academy alongside the male trainees. (End of history).
When asked to summarize her feelings and memory about attending the academy back in 1974, Joan replied, "It was militaristic, intense, overwhelming and at times hilarious."
Monday morning, November 4, 1974. The first day was a blur of yelling of orders, running and doing push ups, learning commands, responding "Sir. Yes, Sir!", and members of the media flashing pictures.
This blur continued for about two weeks, and included: getting fitted for khakis, issued gear, learning schedules and commands, and what was expected of you at given time. About 15% of the trainees failed to make it past the first two weeks and dropped out.
By the beginning of the third week, the intensity seemed to calm down a bit, and the following schedule ensued:
0545: Awake, PT gear, exercise and run, shower, breakfast
0900: Classroom instruction
1200: Lunch, "Motivation Squad" for those who didn't keep up during morning run
1300: Classroom instruction
1700: Dinner
1800: Exercise, clean-up details, study
2100: Lights out, bedtime (except for those who studied under blankets with flashlights)
Joan recalls feeling intense scrutiny as the instructors paid close attention to her progress. Encouragement and praise only came in a back-handed way. By about the fourth week she felt she was at least holding her own. In many of the daily runs, Joan kept up with the pack and was finally able to avoid the lunchtime "Motivation Squad".
She was doing well academically. An instructor approached Joan in the hall after a Friday test and asked, "Farrell, how do you think you did?" She responded, "Sir. Good SIR!!" He shot back, "Farrell!! You got a damn 100!"
Rifle drills proved a little more challenging. Somehow, during the instruction, she ended up with her rifle upside down on her left shoulder. The punishment was to walk back and forth in front of the whole group with her rifle in that configuration and yell, "I am a Civil War Soldier! I am a Civil War Soldier!" Joan admitted that she didn't quite remember the eight separate movements to get the rifle from her right shoulder to her left shoulder, so she just did any eight movements that came to mind, then laid the rifle on her left shoulder. She thought to herself, "ha ha I did it...no one noticed"...until the screaming started! She never did this maneuver incorrectly again!
By about the fifth week, they started classroom training with the service weapon, a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber 6-round Revolver. They learned the history of the revolver, its various parts and safety instruction. At the range, they practiced dry firing (without bullets).
The first day of live firing was quite memorable for Joan. After firing her very first live rounds into the target, they were given the order to lock and holster the weapon and stand at attention. While standing at attention Joan heard whispering and soon realized all the instructors had gathered around her. The head instructor stood directly in front of her, rested his swagger stick on her shoulder, and said, "Farrell! You will never again shoot a group closer than mine!! Do you understand!!???" (Another one of those back-handed compliments). With a smile this time, she offered the mandated response, "Sir! YES SIR!" On the bus ride back to the academy, her classmates called her "Trainee Oakley".
Joan has good memories of all the instructors. She appreciated their professional and supportive attitude. It was obvious that a great amount of effort and planning were involved in running this academy training session without a hint of discrimination. .
Unfortunately, there was one instructor who was problematic for Joan. For example, he said something that had a sinister and sexual undertones because the comment was about her body parts. Of course, he said it when no one else could hear. From that moment on, she was wary of him.
On another occasion, Joan and approximately five other male trainees were alone cleaning a classroom. This instructor entered, walked behind Joan and grabbed her around the waist. He proceeded to flip her upside down with her feet in the air, her legs spread and her head towards the ground. She remembered instantly being embarrassed and knowing that her classmates couldn't say or do anything to help her. The whole situation felt horrifying to Joan. The instructor yelled, "What are you going to do now, Farrell, when someone does this to you???" She took her elbow, slammed his groin, and yelled, "Sir, hit him in the balls, SIR!" He immediately dropped her and retreated from the room without another word. This was not to be the last, nor even the worst encounter with this instructor. However, this is when she started to understand the sad fact that hidden behind the numerous professional officers were a few snakes with evil intent especially since women were an easy target.
The sixteen weeks were almost complete and Joan could tell the reality was starting to sink in for the instructors that there were actually going to be women state troopers!! "Oh no!! They're really going to graduate!!" The day before graduation there was a dress rehearsal. All of the men from the line up were released at the end of rehearsal except the two women. With a smile on his face and a "God Help Us" in his voice, one instructor asked them, "Trainees, tell me where the zipper is on your uniform. In the front or on the side?" In unison, "In the front, SIR!" He responded, "Then remember...it's still a man's world." The women were released with big smiles because they realized this was his way to say, "Welcome to the MA State Police."
As graduation was only hours away the trainees were finally given their final scores. Joan did well academically, qualified successfully at the firing range, and held her own in the physical fitness testing. She ranked 48 out of 103. She knew she hadn't done poorly, but was both surprised and pleased to realize she had done so well. She wondered how much better her overall rank would have been had she managed to do even one pull up.
The following evening, Feb 28, 1975, at Boston Garden, 103 trainees lined up in dress formation and stood proudly before MA Governor Michael Dukakis as their badges were pinned on. History was made. The MA State Police now counted 2 female troopers among its ranks. Four years before this night, Joan put her last $10 in the collection basket and asked God for His guidance.
She never imagined it would lead her to this very spot!!!
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