History of the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society
By Detective Sergeant Herbert Spellman (rt)
Part 1.. It was March 23, l979 and the first meeting of all the detectives in the Boston police department was held at Florian Hall, Hallet st, Dorchester., only 3 detectives were missing.
After some discussion it was a motion from the floor that we form our own social organization. we put a set of officers in place pending a formal election in May of l979. And we were still members of the B.P.P.A. We appointed Detective Robert Chenette of the Organized Crime Unit as our first president. Detective Donald Varnerin of the Intelligence Unit as our first vice president, both now deceased Detective Jack Mc Cormack of the Vice Control Unit as our Treasurer and Detective Eddie Miller of the Suffolk County District Attorneys office to be our secretary.
Our first Board of Directors were Detective Frank Sheehan of District 4 , Detective Stephen Murphy of the Drug Control Unit, Detective Richard Driscoll of District 4, Detective Salvatore DeLuca of District 3 ,Detective Joseph Carr of the identification Section.and Detective Robert Cunningham of the Tactical Patrol Force. All are now deceased except Steve Murphy.
We were registered with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and our address was P.O. Box 320, in Jamaica Plain .
Part two.
After the formation of the social group, and the election of the first officers of the society in May, 1979 we were still having problems with the leadership of the B.P.P.A. in particular with Chester Broderick the president. This hostility led to a formal vote to leave the B.P.P.A. altogether. At the time we only had one ( 1 ) detective on the board of the B.P.P.A. and that was the late Garrett (Gary) Flanagan who worked out of Headquarters 150 Berkeley St. Gary was the department sketch artist, who did all the wanted posters for the detective bureau. So an election by secret ballot was conducted on April 5, l982 and the results of the election to leave or stay in the B.P.P.A. was as follows.
Total Ballots cast:167 Ballots cast for Society:150 Challenged Ballots:14 Ballots cast against:2 Void Ballots:1
Blank Ballots:0 Protested Ballots:0
In September of 1982 an election was held for officers, directors and representatives.
Elected were:
President Daniel J. Mahoney (D) Area D
Vice President Garrett Flanagan (D) Arson Squad
Secretary Robert O’Reilly Area E
Treasurer Roy Prout District Attorneys Office
Board of Directors Joseph Lundbohn Area C-11
Frank DiNatale (D) Area C-11
Representatives
District Attorneys Office: Robert Chennette
Area A: Charlie Carroll
Area B: Tommie Montgomery
Area B: Jerry Langston
Area C: Jack Parlon
Area D: Frank Sheehan
Area D: Richard Driscoll
Area D: William McGuiness
Area E: William Cannon
Area E: Robert Maloney
Auto Squad: Peter Mc Donough
C.I.D.: John Ridlon
This entire group is now retired, some have passed on, but we did have Bob O’Reilly elected to the presidency after Dan Mahoney retired. Also Tommie Montgomery after Bob O’Reilly and Jack Parlon finished his police career as the President.
Part three.
The Formation of the Superior Officers Unit of the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society.
After the Detectives had voted to leave the B.P.P.A. the Superior Officers who were then rated as Captain Detective, Lieutenant Detective, and Sergeant Detective who at this time were still members of the Superior Officers Federation had a meeting Location and discussed the advantages to leaving the Federation and forming a separate and distinct unit within the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society.
In a July 7, 1982 letter to the President of the B.P.D.B.S. Dan Mahoney the then rated Detective Supervisors notified Dan that they wanted to be included in the B.P.D.B.S. . He then petitioned the Massachusetts Labor Relations Board on their behalf to become their collective bargaining agent.
The following Superior Officer Detectives signed the petition in full force, 100%.
Captain Detective Walter J Casale C.I.D.
Lt. Detective Sam Abany D-4
Lt. Detective Louis Scapichio
Lt. Detective William F Sweeney I.A.D.
Lt. Detective Joseph F Dunford Area A
Lt. Detective Arthur Kelley Homicide
Sgt. Detective Alexander Savioli D-4
Sgt. Detective Arthur Mc Namara
Sgt. Detective Sydney Goodman Academy
Sgt. Detective Frank Mulvey D 4
Sgt. Detective Joseph Kelly Homicide
Sgt, Detective Nick Maffeo Area B - 2
Sgt Detective Steve Delosh Vice Control Unit
Sgt. Detective Steve Murphy Homicide Unit
Sgt. Detective Al Bornstein Homicide Unit
Sgt. Detective William Johnston C.D.U.
Sgt. Detective James Bradbury Crime LAB
Sgt. Detective Daniel Lovett I.D. Unit
Sgt. Detective Russ Childers Area E
Sgt, Detective Edward Simmons
Sgt. Detective William Kelley Auto Squad
Sgt. Detective John Doris Drug Control Unit
Sgt. Detective Brendan Bradley Drug Control Unit
Sgt. Detective Robert Ryan D.A. Office
Sgt. Detective Gilbert Griffiths Drug Control Unit
Sgt. Detective Francis M. Roache Community Disorders Unit
Sgt. Detective Edward J. Mc Nelley Vice Control Unit
Almost one year to the day, the City of Boston formally recognized the Society as the Union for Superior officer Detectives. It will be the exclusive representative in collective bargaining for a contract. And on July 5, 1983 the first contract was signed by, President of the Society Daniel J Mahoney and John Carey, Al Savioli, Walter Tower and our attorney Michael Muse.
With a change in the By-Laws Gil Griffiths became the first Vice-President of the Superior Officer unit of Society.
Police officers so classified with the grade of Lieutenant shall thereby qualify for the grade of Lieutenant detective, those with the grade of sergeant shall thereby qualify for the grade of Sergeant detective. Patrolmen special officers, so called, so classified who have performed criminal investigative work for ten years or more shall thereby qualify for rating as first grade detective.
Patrolmen who have performed such work for five years of more, but less than ten years, shall therby qualify for second grade detective, and patrolmen who have performed such work for less than five years shall thereby qualify for third grade detective. The police commissioner may transfer to the grade of third grade detective the regular patrolmen who have performed extraordinary and outstanding service in line of duty if he is of the opinion that such promotion is desirable and in the best interests of the service: provided that in making such transfers, the requirements of chapter thirty-one of of the General Laws need not be complied with: and provided, further, that such transfers shall be reported to the division of civil service as provided in section eighteen of said chapter thirty-one.
1983 .
On September 14, 1983 an election was held at the City of Boston Teachers union hall in South Boston.
The following candidates ran for office.
For President: Dan Mahoney unopposed
For Vice President: Bill Dwyer, Gary Flanagan, and Peter McDonough.
For Secretary: Bob O’Reilly
For Treasurer: Roy Prout
For Director: Bob Chenette, Frank DiNatale, Dick Driscoll, Jerry Langston, Joe Lundbohm, Bob Maloney, Frank Olbrys, and Frank Sheehan
The results of the voting were :
President Daniel Mahoney
Vice President Gary Flanagan
Secretary Robert O’Reilly
Treasurer Roy Prout
Directors Robert Chenette
Dick Driscoll
Joseph Lundbohm
Frank DiNatale
Robert Maloney
1984.
An election was conducted for the position of Representative. The following candidates ran for office.
Area A: Herbert Spellman Unopposed
Area B: Thomas Montgomery Unopposed
Area C: John Parlon and Frank Olbrys Jack Parlon Won
Area D: James Powers and John McCormack Jimmie Powers won
Area E: William Cannon Unopposed
Headquarters Three Positions to be filled. Days, Nights, and open
Days: Albert Knuipis and Thomas Matheson Tommie Matheson Won
Nights: John Ridlon and Walter Robinson John Ridlon Won
Open: John Pierce
1985.
An Election was conducted for the positions of Officers of the union. This was held in our first official rented office, at The Fairmount Building , 45 Fairmount Ave , Hyde Park on the second floor.
President Daniel Mahoney Unopposed
Vice President Thomas Montgomery and Frank Sheehan
Tommie Montgomery won.
Secretary: Robert O’Reilly Unopposed
Treasurer : Roy Prout Unopposed
Now that I have outlined the formation of the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society, I want to go back to the formation of a Detective Bureau within the Boston Police Department. It all began August 8, 1950 almost 60 years ago.
Chapter 735 of the Massachusetts General Laws, the Acts of 1950. An Act creating a Detective Bureau in the police department of the City of Boston, and establishing the compensation of the members of such bureau.
Be it enacted, etc., as follows:
Section 1.
A detective bureau is hereby established in the police department of the city of Boston, with the following grades;- Lieutenant Detective, Sergeant Detective, first grade detective, second grade detective, and third grade detective. As soon as may be after this act becomes fully effective, the police officers, including superior officers, serving in the bureau of criminal investigation in the police department of said city, and the officers assigned to and carrying on criminal investigation work in the divisions of of said department, shall be classified as detectives and become members of said bureau. The police commissioner for the city of Boston shall have the right to assign any of said detectives to any division. Or department of said police department and they shall come under the supervision of the superior officers of the division or department to which they have been assigned. Police officers so classified with the grade of lieutenant shall thereby qualify for the grade of lieutenant detective, those with the grade of sergeant shall therby qualify for the grade of sergeant detective. Patrolmen special officers ,so called, so classified who have performed criminal investigation work for ten years or more shall thereby qualify for rating as first grade detective. Patrolmen who have performed such work for five years or more, but less than ten years, shall thereby qualify for second grade detective, and patrolmen who have performed such work for less than five years shall thereby qualify for third grade detective. The police commissioner may transfer to the grade of third grade detective the regular patrolmen who have performed extraordinary and outstanding service in line of duty if he is of the opinion that such promotion is desirable and in the best interests of the service: and provided , that in making such transfers, the requirements of chapter thirty-one of the General Lawsneed not be complied with; and provided, further, that such transfers shall be reported to the division of civil service as provided in section eighteen of said chapter thirty-one. For the purpose of promotions under section twenty of said chapter thirty-one, to the grades of captain, lieutenant, and sergeant respectively, the grades of lieutenant and detective lieutenant shall be deemed to be in the next lower grade of that of captain; the grades of sergeant and sergeant detective shall be deemed to be in the next lower grade of that of lieutenant; and the first grade detective, second grade detective, third grade detective and patrolman shall be deemed to be in the next lower grade to that of sergeant.
Section 2.
The members of the detective bureau shall receive the following compensation.
A lieutenant detective shall receive an annual compensation of three hundred dollars in excess of the salary received by a regular lieutenant.
A sergeant detective shall receive an annual compensation of three hundred dollars in excess of salary received by a regular sergeant.
A first grade detective shall receive an annual compensation of five hundred dollars in excess of the maximum salary received by a regular patrolman.
A second grade detective shall receive an annual compensation of four hundred dollars in excess of the maximum salary received by a regular patrolman.
A third grade detective shall receive an annual compensation of three hundred dollars in excess of the maximum salary received by a regular patrolman.
All members hereafter transferred to said bureau shall serve a probationary period of six months as such detectives, during which period the commissioner may transfer them from said bureau to other duties in the department, provided such duties are in accordance with their civil service rating, and a person so transferred shall not have any right of appeal as provided in chapter thirty-one of the General Laws. A member hereafter transferred to said bureau after he shall have served such a probationary period, or any officer of said department classified as a detective under section one of this of this act at the time of passage may be transferred from said bureau to the rank held by him immediately prior to the date of his transfer to the detective bureau by order of the commissioner or if he has obtained subsequently as a result of civil service examination a higher rank to said rank but he shall a right of appeal to the trial board appointed under the provisions of chapter two hundred and ninety-one of the acts of nineteen hundred and six, which shall have the power to hear and determine such appeal and the provisions of of said chapter thirty-one shall in no way be applicable to said hearing and determination made thereunder . The decision of such trial board shall be final.
Approved August 8, 1950
1986.
On September 11, 1986 an election was held for the position of Representative. The following candidates ran for office. The election was held at our new office at 1408 Centre St West Roxbury , next to Detective John Kellehers Bar.
Area A: Herb Spellman Unopposed
Area B: Miller Thomas Unopposed
Area C: Jack Parlon Unopposed
Area D: James Powers and George Noonan Jimmy Powers won
Area E: William Cannon and Walter Robinson Walter Robinson won
Headquarters D Jack Carroll Unopposed
Headquarters N John Ridlon Unopposed
Headquarters Open Jack Pierce Unopposed
1987.
On September 4, 1987 an election was held for Officers and Directors . The election was held at 1408 Centre St west Roxbury.
President: Daniel Mahoney Unopposed
Vice President: Tommie Montgomery Unopposed
Secretary: Robert O’Reilly Unopposed
Treasurer: Roy Prout Unopposed
For Director: George Lotti, Joseph Memmo, William Cannon, Larry Pacino, William Dwyer, Richard Ross, John Martell, Lorraine Henshaw, and Ray Vial Pando .
The results of the voting were:
Directors:
George Lotti
Joseph Memmo
William Dwyer
Richard Ross
John Martell
Editors note: Sergeant Detective Herb Spellman is enjoying his retirement in sunny Florida. You can send your comments to Herb at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it