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November 18, 2024 Clouds | 45°F
The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Section 108O: Employment contracts for police chiefs and fire chiefs

Section 108O. Any city or town acting through its appointing authority, may establish an employment contract for the salary, fringe benefits, and other conditions of employment, including but not limited to, severance pay, relocation expenses, reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performance of his duties or office, liability insurance, conditions of discipline, termination, dismissal, and reappointment, performance standards and leave for its police chief and fire chief, or a person performing such duties having a different title. In communities where said police chief and fire chief is subject to the provisions of chapter thirty-one, the provisions of chapter thirty-one shall prevail when the provisions of this section conflict with the provisions of said chapter thirty-one.

Said contract shall prevail over any conflicting provision of any local personnel by-law, ordinance, rule or regulation. In addition to the benefits provided municipal employees under chapters thirty-two and thirty-two B, said contract may provide for supplemental retirement and insurance benefits.

Nothing contained in this section shall affect the appointment powers of any city or town over its police chief and fire chief, or such person performing such duties with a different title. In the absence of any conflicting provisions in an employment contract, nothing contained in this section shall affect the removal powers of any city or town over its police chief and fire chief or such person performing such duties with a different title.

Nothing contained in this section shall grant tenure to such officer, nor shall it abridge the provisions of section sixty-seven of chapter forty-four. If there is no employment contract in force, and if the police chief or fire chief has an appointment for a term, the appointing authority shall give such chief at least one year's written notice if it decides not to reappoint said chief.