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Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (CEMLEC)

The Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (CEMLEC) describes itself as "a non-profit corporation consisting of over 60 municipal law enforcement agencies and one county Sheriff that assist each other through a mutual aid agreement. CEMLEC covers a land area of over 1,600 square miles and serves a population in excess of 750,000 citizens across four counties."

Like other "Law Enforcement Councils" (LECs) in Massachusetts, CEMLEC is a non-profit corporation set up as a professional membership organization which links police forces across the region in communications, joint training exercises, collective purchases, and joint actions. LECs in Massachusetts have played a central role in militarizing police forces by organizing SWAT teams and purchasing military equipment such as Lenco Bearcats and other armored vehicles. LECs have tried to assert their status as private organizations to refuse public records requests about their activities. Both the Northeast Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) and the Greater Boston Police Council (GBPC) have explicitly linked the origin of LECs and their "mutual aid agreements" to the policing of anti-war protests in the 1960s and 70s. NEMLEC also mentions the civil rights movement as a point of origin of LECs, using coded racist language about the "disorder" arising "as people migrated from larger cities." (See separate entries on NEMLEC and GBPC)

CEMLEC has militarized units, including both a SWAT Team and a Special Response Team. CEMLEC's member agencies as of June 2013 are listed on its website. CEMLEC's executive officers include the following: President, Chief Timothy Bent, Webster Police; Vice President, Chief Dennis Towle, Sutton Police; Treasurer, Chief James Pervier, Charlton Police; and Secretary, Chief Normand Crepeau, Grafton Police.

357 Main St., Webster MA 01570

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