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Public Safety

The Commonwealth’s capital spending supports important public safety projects and programs that ensure the safety of our citizens and communities. Public safety capital investments range from improvements to Massachusetts military facilities to addressing the equipment and facilities needs of the State Police, Chief Medical Examiner, homeland security and emergency response agencies.

The following graph reflects the Administration's estimated capital investment in public safety capital projects and programs over the next five years, as compared to fiscal years 2007 and 2013 public safety related spending.

Administration Accomplishments to Date

• DCAMM, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), MassDOT and the State Police collaborated to relocate the functions of the State Police Upper Basin barracks and the DCR maintenance yard to accommodate the construction of the new Joseph M. Smith Community Health Center. 
• Completion of Essex County Emergency Regional E911 Call Center is creating efficiencies and improving services through regionalization.
• During the past 7 years, the State Police have replaced approximately 2,250 cruisers. These new cruisers provide enhanced safety and functionality to first responders and are more energy efficient than the outgoing fleet. 
• The Administration completed construction of the Methuen National Guard Readiness Center, leveraging a $15 M federal investment.
• The Administration completed construction on the $43 M renovation and addition to the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow.

FY14 Highlights

• Construction is ongoing for the $15 M state and federally-funded Natick National Guard Readiness Center. 
• The construction of the Springfield Firefighting Academy facility will commence, providing an expanded and convenient training location for Western Massachusetts. 
• The Commonwealth will begin design of a new Massachusetts Chief Medical Examiner facility in Western Massachusetts that will consolidate two leases and provide the department with a modern facility.
• DCAMM, in collaboration with DCR and the State Police, will begin planning the renovation and expansion of the State Police Lower Basin.  This high-priority facility serves the State Police during major events on the Esplanade and downtown. 
• A state-wide emergency management assessment will be completed this year and new emergency management space will be created to provide a collaborative work environment for major events management.
• Planning will begin for renovations to the National Guard Concord Armory building to provide appropriate space for the Massachusetts National Guard Military Museum. 
• Completion of 27 energy efficiency upgrades at State Police barracks, the headquarters in Framingham and the Academy in New Braintree will be completed.  This $6 M investment is estimated to result in an annual savings of $470 K. 
• In FY14, the State Police will take delivery of the third Eurocopter EC-135 and will place the order for the fourth and final helicopter in the fleet replacement plan. This will bring the 7 year, $25 M helicopter replacement plan to a close in the first few months of FY15. The new fleet of helicopters allows the State Police to expand the number and type of missions it can undertake.
• The Department of Fire Services (DFS) will begin increasing its Technical Operations Modules (TOMs) and Operational Response Units (ORUs). This is the first phase in a project to increase the Hazardous Materials Response program fleet. Over the next five years, the Administration and DFS will invest approximately $8.25 M for 17 units including 7 TOMs, 9 ORUs and 1 long term logistics/supply vehicle.
• The State Police will continue their cruiser replacement program with an investment of $13 M for cruisers and modular data terminals (MDTs). This investment will replace approximately 370 cruisers and outfit all of them with modern MDTs required to provide troopers with the vital information needed to protect public safety while on the roadways.
• The Commonwealth is contributing $9 M to the runway infrastructure improvement project at the Barnes Air National Guard Base.  This project is a collaboration that brings together federal, Commonwealth and municipal funding to address the base’s most critical need.  Upon completion, the F-15 fighter jets that serve the northeastern region of the United States will return to the base. 
• The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs will launch a pilot program to address the critical coastal infrastructure needs of the Commonwealth in 2014.  This program will:
  • Invest in the most critical and time sensitive coastal infrastructure projects;
  • Stimulate the development of sustainable, soft infrastructure projects to address coastal risk through pilot grant programs; and
  • Conduct a sweeping risk assessment of the entire Massachusetts coastline.

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