Governor Charlie Baker Appoints New State Police Superintendent

Governor Charlie Baker Appoints New State Police Superintendent

Colonel Kerry Gilpin to take command of 2,100 Massachusetts State Police Troopers and 540 civilian staff 

Governor Charlie Baker swears in Colonel Kerry Gilpin with Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.

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BOSTON— Today, Governor Charlie Baker announced the appointment of Colonel Kerry Gilpin to serve as Superintendent and Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police (MSP). A 23-year veteran of the State Police, Colonel Gilpin most recently served as Deputy Division Commander of the Division of Standards and Training. Her appointment is effective today.

“It is the mission of the Massachusetts State Police to keep the Commonwealth safe and I have the utmost confidence that Colonel Gilpin will excel as the leader of our tremendous police force,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Colonel Gilpin brings decades of experience and knowledge to her post, with a deep understanding of the state police force at every level. I thank Colonel Gilpin for her dedication and willingness to serve the Commonwealth in this important position, and look forward to working with her to protect our communities.”

“Colonel Gilpin became a trooper for the right reasons, because she wanted to help victims of crime and has showed leadership in each position she has been asked to take on in the State Police,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Security Daniel Bennett. “I am confident that she will be a great colonel because of the tremendous dedication she has shown over the course of her career.”

“Whether working to protect public safety from internal threats such as the terrible scourge of opioids or from those seeking to attack us from outside our borders, the role of the Massachusetts has never been more important than it is today,” said Colonel Kerry Gilpin. “I am honored to lead this great organization forward and look forward to carrying out this vital mission in close collaboration with our local and federal partners.”

About Colonel Kerry Gilpin:

Colonel Kerry Gilpin joined the Massachusetts State Police in 1994 and most recently served as Deputy Division Commander for the Division of Standards and Training where she was responsible for the coordination of all training for the 83rd Recruit Training Troop, State Police Municipal Association and Special State Police Officers, including training for Massachusetts’ federal, state and local partners.  A 1994 State Police Academy graduate, Gilpin has extensive experience within the Department, having served in the Crime Scene Services Section as a Trooper and Sergeant, and as a Lieutenant in the Division of Field Services, the Staff Inspections Section, and the Harassment Investigation Unit. She was promoted to Captain in the Division of Standards and Training in May 2016 and then promoted to Major within the Division in November 2016. A resident of Hampden, Colonel Gilpin earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Western New England College in Springfield. From December 2016 to June 2017, she attended the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University where her team project was focused on reducing deaths caused by the opioid epidemic.