Worcester Police Recruiting Age Limit Raised Under New Law

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester will be able to recruit older police officer candidates under a home rule petition signed into law this week.

Gov. Maura Healey signed H.3929 on Tuesday, raising the maximum age to begin the process of becoming a Worcester police officer from 32 to 39. The change was approved unanimously by the Worcester City Council in Nov. 2024 and advanced through the Legislature by Sen. Michael Moore and Rep. James O’Day.

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Under the previous rule, a recruit older than 32 on the date of the entrance examination was ineligible for their name to be certified for appointment as a Worcester police officer. The new law raises that cutoff to candidates older than 39. Candidates with military service receive an additional three years under both the old and new eligibility limits.

City officials said the change will help Worcester expand its pool of qualified police recruits. The city has seen potential recruit numbers fall from about 1,200 to 1,500 per year in past years to about 200 to 250 more recently.

“I was proud to work with the City of Worcester and Representative O’Day to get this home rule petition across the finish line,” Sen. Moore (D-Millbury) said in a statement. “This minor change to the Worcester Police’s age of eligibility guidelines will expand the pool of qualified individuals to recruit from without sacrificing the safety or security of Worcester’s neighborhoods.”

Sen. O’Day (D-Worcester) said the change gives Worcester another tool at a time when police departments across Massachusetts are working to recruit and retain qualified officers.

Worcester Mayor Joe Petty said the new age limit will allow the city to consider recruits with more life and professional experience.

“The passing of this bill will have a profound impact on the Worcester Police Department’s ability to recruit more officers,” City Manager Eric Batista said in a statement, citing retirements, long-term disability cases and military deployments among current officers.

The change aligns Worcester with other Massachusetts communities including Boston, Plymouth and Taunton.

The Worcester City Council approved the petition in an 11-0 vote on Nov. 12, 2024. It was filed in the Legislature on March 20, 2025, passed the House on May 26 and passed the Senate on June 18.

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