Mass. State police no longer welcome at umass boston campus

Boston, MA-The Interim Chancellor at The University of Massachusetts Boston is no longer allowing the Massachusetts State Police Troopers to park on campus.

In a letter to students, faculty, alumni and staff, Interim Chancellor Katherine Newman said police cars on campus can “serve as an implied deterrent to the right to protest.” According to Newman, “members of the majority-minority campus… felt unheard, offended, or frightened by the presence on campus of state police.”

Hampden Police Chief Jeff Farnsworth is the President of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. He told 25 Investigates Reporter Ted Daniel, “there was no communication. It was an abject decision made on perceptions without discussion."

“Basically we’re talking about a series of cruisers that were parked in a parking lot. And they were afraid of the optics of that. And to me that’s quite surprising and disheartening.” Farnsworth said.

UMass Boston has allowed police agencies were allowed to use their parking lots as a meeting spot for big events such as the Boston Marathon. During the George Floyd protests, state troopers have also parked on campus.