Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Driscoll Appoint Mawn, Jr. as Massachusetts State Police Interim Colonel

In full transparency, the following is a press release.

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BOSTON – Today, February 17, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel John E. Mawn, Jr. as Massachusetts State Police Interim Colonel, effective Friday, February 17, 2023. Mawn succeeds Colonel Christopher Mason, who retires today after a 40-year career in law enforcement.  

“Lieutenant Colonel Mawn is an accomplished leader with 30 years of experience at the Massachusetts State Police,” said Governor Maura T. Healey. “We are grateful for his public service and know he has the commitment and skills to provide steady leadership during this transition period.” 

“I am confident that the Commonwealth and the Massachusetts State Police will be well-served by Lieutenant Colonel Mawn,” said Lieutenant Governor Kimberley Driscoll. “We appreciate Lieutenant Colonel Mawn’s willingness to accept this responsibility as we establish a plan to identify the Department’s future leadership.”  

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“As a veteran member of the Massachusetts State Police, Lieutenant Colonel Mawn has earned the respect of his colleagues through his meaningful contributions to the Department’s professionalism and police services,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence M. Reidy. “I know that his work ethic, expertise, and leadership skills will steadily guide the Department forward while the process to identify a permanent successor is underway.” 

“I want to thank the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their confidence in me and the opportunity to serve,” said incoming Interim Colonel Mawn. “I look forward to building upon the Department’s steadfast efforts to enhance public safety, implement reforms that foster public trust, and adopt innovations that strengthen our ability to provide the highest levels of policing services to residents and visitors across the Commonwealth.” 

The Healey-Driscoll Administration is finalizing plans to establish a comprehensive search process to identify and review prospective candidates for the next Massachusetts State Police Colonel.  

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Before this role, Mawn served as Commander of the Division of Investigative Services, which investigates homicides and other violent crime, crimes against children, narcotics offenses, cybercrime, and organized crime investigations. With more than 400 members across 24 units, the Division provides dedicated service to the Commonwealth’s 11 District Attorney’s Offices, the Office of the Attorney General, and the State Fire Marshal’s fire investigation team.  

Under Mawn’s leadership, the Investigative Services Division launched several new trainings to enhance investigations, increase police accountability, and implement new strategies to advance neighborhood safety. During Mawn’s tenure, the Division achieved a 97% homicide solve rate, one of the highest in the nation. He also created the State Police’s first division diversity officer to recruit women and people of color, review job postings and hiring practices for potential bias, and report division-wide diversity statistics. This position became the model for a department-wide diversity officer, which now resides centrally in the Administrative Services Division.  

Lieutenant Colonel Mawn joined the State Police in 1993 as a member of the 71st Recruit Training Troop following his service as a United States Marine during the Gulf War and in Kuwait and 6 years as a Harwich Municipal Police Officer. Then-Trooper Mawn earned the ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant, Detective Lieutenant as a member of the Cape and Island and Suffolk County Teams. He advanced to the rank of Captain as Executive Officer of Troop D, and later Major as Deputy Division Commander of Investigative Services.    

Mawn earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees of criminal justice from Curry College.