An Act relative to expanding the hiring radius for police departments

HD 1849 amends Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 41, Section 99A, to expand the maximum hiring radius for municipal police departments from 15 miles to 40 miles. This change directly affects all Massachusetts police departments currently restricted to recruiting officers within a 15-mile radius of their department's location. The key provision replaces the numerical limit "fifteen" with "forty" in the law, broadening the geographic area from which departments can hire. This policy shift aims to provide greater flexibility in addressing staffing needs by expanding the potential candidate pool.