Massachusetts State Police have dishonorably discharged a trooper over an off-duty incident in which, the department says, he used “offensive language towards young people.” Trooper Jack Cesarz’s discharge took effect October 8, 2026. The next day, according to MassLive, he was still certified as a police officer in Massachusetts by the state’s police oversight commission.
Both things can be true at once, because two different bodies and two different sets of rules are involved. Here is what has been reported, and how the law handles a fired trooper’s discipline and certification.
What State Police said
- Cesarz was dishonorably discharged effective October 8 in response to what the department called an off-duty incident, WCVB and MassLive reported.
- “Any person who acts with such indiscretion and uses such offensive language towards young people has no place in our ranks. The Department will uphold its standards of professionalism and hold members accountable for their actions on and off duty,” a State Police spokesperson said.
- He was still in the one-year probationary period that new troopers serve, MassLive reported.
- State Police did not describe what was said, to whom, or where, WCVB reported. He first appears in state payroll records in 2025, and had been paid $117,662 so far this year, according to WCVB’s review of payroll data.
No criminal charge has been reported. The department has not released the underlying facts, and we do not know them.
Why a probationary trooper gets no trial board
Veteran troopers facing serious discipline have a statutory right to a hearing. Under G.L. c. 22C, § 13(a), “a uniformed member of the state police who has served for at least 1 year and against whom charges have been preferred shall be tried by a board to be appointed by the colonel.” A trooper who loses before that trial board can appeal under the civil service appeal provisions, sections 41 to 45 of chapter 31.
The key words are “at least 1 year.” A trooper who has served less than a year does not get that statutory trial board. The colonel’s general power comes from G.L. c. 22C, § 10, which lets the colonel make rules for the force “including matters pertaining to the discipline” and provides that any member “violating any of the rules and regulations for said force shall be subject to discipline and discharge in accordance with said rules and regulations.” State Police enlistees are also exempt from the civil service law, chapter 31, by that same section.
That is why a department can move quickly with a first-year trooper. It does not mean the decision is beyond any challenge; what rights a probationer has under the department’s own rules and any union contract is a separate question, and nothing has been reported about whether Cesarz is contesting the discharge.
Why he could still be a certified police officer
Since the 2020 police reform law, every Massachusetts police officer must be certified by the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission under G.L. c. 6E. Losing a job and losing certification are different events.
- The agency has to report. Under c. 6E, § 8(b), when discipline is imposed, the head of the agency must send POST a final report, and if the discipline “included retraining, suspension or termination,” a recommendation for what POST should do about the officer’s certification.
- Revocation is mandatory only for listed misconduct. Section 10(a) requires revocation, after a hearing and on clear and convincing evidence, for things like a felony conviction, falsified reports, perjury, excessive force causing death or serious injury, witness intimidation, or conduct that would be a hate crime.
- Otherwise it is discretionary. Section 10(b) says POST “may, after a hearing, suspend or revoke” certification if an officer, among other grounds, “was biased on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion” or other listed characteristics, or “was suspended or terminated by their appointing agency for disciplinary reasons, and any appeal of said suspension or termination is completed.”
- Immediate suspension has limits. Under § 9(a), POST must immediately suspend certification of an officer charged with a felony, and may suspend pending an inquiry if it finds suspension is “in the best interest of the health, safety or welfare of the public.”
So a discharge for off-duty language does not automatically end a certification. Whether POST opens an inquiry, and what it decides, depends on facts the department has not made public, including whether the language was biased in a way the statute names.
What happens next
Watch the POST Commission, which publishes officers’ certification status. Any decision to suspend or revoke Cesarz’s certification would come after a hearing. If the department releases details of the incident, or if Cesarz challenges the discharge, we will update this post.
Frequently asked questions
Why was State Police Trooper Jack Cesarz fired?
State Police said he was dishonorably discharged, effective October 8, 2026, over an off-duty incident in which he used “offensive language towards young people.” The department has not released details.
Do Massachusetts state troopers get a hearing before being fired?
Under G.L. c. 22C, section 13, a uniformed member who has served at least one year is entitled to a trial board when charges are preferred, with an appeal under the civil service law. A trooper still in the first year does not get that statutory trial board.
Does a fired police officer lose certification in Massachusetts?
Not automatically. The agency must report the termination to the POST Commission, which decides after a hearing whether to suspend or revoke certification. Revocation is mandatory only for specific misconduct listed in G.L. c. 6E, section 10(a).
Sources: WCVB, MassLive and Boston 25 News, October 13, 2026, including the State Police statement; MassLive for the probationary status and POST certification status as of October 9. G.L. c. 22C, sections 10 and 13, and G.L. c. 6E, sections 8, 9 and 10, read at malegislature.gov. No criminal charge has been reported. General information about Massachusetts law, not legal advice.