Independent institutions that check this jurisdiction's own power — audit, ombudsman, inspector general, civilian review, ethics, and grand-jury bodies established by statute.
The Massachusetts State Auditor is independently elected statewide to a four-year term. The office audits all state agencies, state authorities, and entities receiving state funds. As an elected...
Read scorecard → 02 Inspector GeneralThe Massachusetts Inspector General is appointed by the Inspector General Council (a three-member body: the Attorney General, the Auditor, and a gubernatorial appointee) to a five-year term. The...
Read scorecard → 03 Ethics CommissionThe Massachusetts State Ethics Commission enforces the conflict of interest and financial disclosure laws for all state and municipal employees and officials. Five members are appointed by the...
Read scorecard → 04 Civilian ReviewThe Massachusetts POST Commission is a nine-member civilian-majority body created by the landmark 2020 police reform law (Acts of 2020, Ch. 253, codified at M.G.L. Ch. 6E). Three members are...
Read scorecard →Massachusetts law-enforcement oversight is anchored by the POST Commission (M.G.L. Ch. 6E, Acts of 2020 Ch. 253), a nine-member civilian-majority body with binding decertification authority, subpoena power, and statutory access to all LE agency records including internal-affairs files and BWC footage. POST initiates its own preliminary inquiries into officer-involved injuries and deaths, making it the sole statewide independent investigative body. The OIG (Ch. 12A) and State Auditor (Ch. 11) extend general government oversight to police and sheriff budgets but lack LE-specific discipline or UOF investigation authority. No independent statewide corrections oversight body exists by statute — legislative proposals (S.1725) remain pending.