Urgent reforms targeting problems with management, culture, and safety at the Massachusetts State Police Academy must be put in place before new recruit training can resume, academy officials announced this week, according to The New York Times.
Implementing the 22 highest-priority recommendations from the report — a process likely to span several months — must be completed before the academy's June training session can begin, said Col. Geoffrey Noble, head of the Massachusetts State Police, according to The Times. Noble said the remaining recommendations — 100 in total — would be implemented on a timeline stretching across several years, with a state-funded outside entity brought in to track whether the academy achieves what he called a "safety first culture."
Gov. Maura Healey ordered the outside investigation after Garcia died at the New Braintree academy in September 2024 following injuries sustained in a boxing match. Among the reforms called for in the report, which was released Wednesday, are a civilian training director, updated instructor preparation, and better systems for recording injuries, according to The Times.
Four people — a supervisor and three instructors — face manslaughter charges in connection with Garcia's death, according to The New York Times. Not guilty pleas were entered by Lt. Jennifer Penton, who led the defensive tactics unit at the time, and instructors Edwin Rodriguez and David Montanez when they were arraigned last month. Casey LaMonte, a fourth instructor, entered the same plea at his arraignment this week. In a written statement, LaMonte's attorney Brian T. Kelly described Garcia's death as a tragedy and accused the state of compounding it by "scapegoating an innocent state trooper and charging him with a crime he didn't commit," according to The Times.
When a fellow trainee turned down the bout with the class's most skilled boxer, citing the uneven matchup, Garcia stepped up as a volunteer. Authorities did not bring charges against the cadet who fought Garcia, according to The Times.