The Massachusetts State Police Academy will halt intake of new recruits until it implements the most urgent changes recommended by an independent review. The pause follows the 2024 death of trainee Enrique Delgado Garcia, whose fatal injuries in a boxing match sparked the investigation. Officials say the delay, originally set for a June start, gives them months to address management, culture and safety flaws.

An outside panel commissioned by Gov. Maura Healey spent a year probing the academy’s practices and delivered a 100‑point report last Wednesday. Twenty‑two of the most critical items, including new instructor training, injury‑tracking systems and a civilian training director, must be adopted now. The state allocated $600,000 for the review and will hire an external monitor to enforce a “safety first” culture.

Recent lawsuits have already cost the agency millions, with verdicts of $6.8 million and $11 million for discrimination claims. Governor Healey’s 2024 appointment of Colonel Geoffrey Noble, the first outsider to lead the force, aims to restore public confidence. The academy’s overhaul, tied to federal oversight contracts, could affect recruitment pipelines and training‑service contracts across New England.