Applying for the PCIPP | Eligibility Requirements | PCIPP Online Application Process (For Department Administrators)
Officers must apply for the PCIPP through their police department. Officers should contact their respective police department and follow department protocol to apply for the program. Applications submitted on an individual basis and not through the appropriate contact person at their police department will not be considered.
No. Officers only need to apply for approval at each incentive level. Once an officer is approved at an incentive level, he/she will remain at that level until an upgrade is approved. If an officer is requesting an upgrade from one incentive level to another, an application for the new incentive level must be submitted along with supporting documentation of the earned educational degree.
The officer should contact the PCIPP coordinator at the new police department. The new police department should notify OSFA in writing that the officer has transferred, and include the date the officer began service.
Officers must complete the application form, Attachment A. They must also submit official transcripts from all institutions in which course credit was earned. If the transcript does not state that the degree has been conferred, OSFA requires that the officer also submit an official letter from the institution verifying that the officer has completed all academic requirements for the degree. A copy of the diploma is also acceptable as proof of degree completion. Any officer submitting a PCIPP application for the Fiscal Year must have completed all academic requirements by September 1st of that year to be eligible for certification. Please note that copies of transcripts are not considered official. All official transcripts must be mailed or dropped off in person. We cannot accept transcripts that have been faxed or emailed.
The application period begins on or around July 1 of each year. All departments must submit their applications and supporting materials by September 1 for each Fiscal Year, unless otherwise indicated.
No. Please do not submit applications to our office outside of the application period. Applications may only be considered during the published certification period. Officers who are not eligible for approval must wait until the next certification period to submit their credentials.
Officers need to meet the following criteria:
The 2009 General Appropriations Act placed additional restrictions on the PCIPP eligibility requirements. Officers needed to be considered regular full time officers in a participating department on or before July 1, 2009 and be enrolled in an approved academic program by October 1, 2009 to be eligible.
If an officer has enrolled (admitted into and begun taking courses) in an approved program prior to January 1, 2004, he/she will be eligible upon completing an approved criminal justice or law enforcement program listed here.
If an officer has enrolled (admitted into and begun taking courses) in an approved program on or after January 1, 2004, the officer will be eligible if he/she attends and graduates from a program listed here.
No. According to the 2009 General Appropriations Act, regular full-time officers must have been accepted into and begun taking courses in an approved program as of October 1, 2009 to be allowed to participate in the police career incentive pay program. Any officer who enrolls after October 1, 2009, will not be eligible to participate.
No. Any regular full-time officer who is currently participating in the police career incentive pay program will be allowed to continue to participate in the program, pursuant to G.L. c. 41, s. 108L.
Current PCIPP recipients looking to continue their education to receive benefits at the 20% or 25% level should refer to a program on this list.
Yes. Officers who have earned a juris doctor from a NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) accredited institution are eligible for benefits at the 25% level, provided that they pass the Massachusetts bar exam.
No. You need to pass the Massachusetts bar exam to be eligible.
Officers who are currently enrolled in an approved bachelor’s degree criminal justice program and have earned at least 60 credits towards their degree may be eligible to receive associate’s degree level benefits, provided that they have completed at least 18 credits in Criminal Justice coursework, and have completed at least 25% of their total number of credits in residence at their current institution. For further guidance on this issue, please see section D.6 of the 
Guidelines for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Academic Programs.
No. Any regular full-time member of a police department hired on or after July 1, 2009 shall not be eligible to participate in the police career incentive pay program.
No. Officers must be considered a regular full time officer as of July 1, 2009 in a department that participates in the PCIPP to be eligible.
No. According to the Guidelines for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Academic Programs, an officer cannot receive PCIPP benefits if he/she has not graduated from a PCIPP approved institution with PCIPP approved curriculum. If your bachelor’s degree is in an unrelated field, you are required to successfully complete the master’s degree program to qualify for PCIPP benefits. Master’s degree candidates are not eligible for partial PCIPP benefits.
No. You will only be able to apply for the PCIPP if your community participates in the PCIPP program.
The Police Career Incentive Pay Program Administration Logon website is located at https://secure.osfa.mass.edu/police. Each police department will need a username and password to log in.
Departments should use their username and password to access the database. For security reasons, we recommend that departments change their password frequently.
I lost my login information and need a password reset.
Police Departments that have questions regarding log-in information should contact Jillian Pellegrini, Associate Director at (617) 391- 6076, jpellegrini@dhe.mass.edu
If an officer continues to appear on your roster after leaving the department due to retirement or any other reason, please indicate this in the notes section and include the date the officer left the department. We will delete the officer from your roster.
After the data entry process is completed, please select the “Submit to OSFA” button on the main menu. The database will perform a validation check to make sure that you have entered specific required information. You will be prompted to complete information that missing.
At this point, submitting a reimbursement request is optional, and up to the discretion of their community. We are still collecting reimbursement requests in the event funding for the program is restored.
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