From its inception in 1865 as a State Constabulary, The Massachusetts State Police has evolved into a modern full service law enforcement agency with a compliment of over 2300 officers.

Having the distinction of being the oldest state police organization in the United States, the Massachusetts State Police boast a rich history of service to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The actual beginning of the MSP as it is known by mandate today, began in 1921 and was called a "State Police Patrol". This force was comprised of 50 men who were stationed in barracks across the state with the primary mision to provide law enforcement to rural areas where service by local police departments was "undernourished". The MSP is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety.

By the 1930's, the MSP had increased its ranks to around 250 officers. November 4, 1933 saw the first glimpse of the benchmark French and Electric Blue uniforms when the 25th MSP Recruit Class graduated. Those same distinctive colors adorned the patrol vehicles of the MSP as they still do to this day!

The 1940's saw the MSP trying to maintain its mandate with fewer officers as many had enlisted for service in the military theaters of World War II. Up until 1971, Officers of the MSP worked 84 hour weeks in live-in barracks. The Governor of the day saw fit to abolish the live-in barracks system and lowered the MSP trooper's work week to 40 hours.

On July 1 1992, a new Department of State Police was dramatically increased to absorb the Metropolitan District Commission, the Registry of Motor Vehicles and the Capitol Police. The MSP is comprised of the following Troop locations: Troop A (Northeast) Troop B (West) Troop C (Central) Troop D (Southeast) Troop E (Mass Turnpike) Troop F (Logan Airport) Troop H (Metro Boston)

Massachusetts State Flag

On a white field is a blue shield emblazoned
with the image of a Native American, Massachuset.
He holds a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other.
The arrow is pointing downward representing peace.
The white star represents Massachusetts as one of the original thirteen states.
Around the shield is a blue ribbon with the motto:
" By the Sword We Seek Peace, but Peace Only Under Liberty".
Above the shield is a arm and sword, representing the first part of the motto.

1940 Massachusetts troop car with regular issue plates.
Picture courtesy of Norman Rhoades

1953 Massachusetts troop car with regular issue plates.

1951 issue- State Vehicle. Embossed Steel
(Approx. 9 7/8"x 6 3/8")
Believed to be a type used by MSP at the time.
Debossed border - rest of plate embossed
Plate courtesy of Sgt. Mike Crosby
Massachusetts State Police

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this type plate on duty....
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1961 Base
Entire plate embossed
Plate courtesy of Sgt. Mike Crosby
Massachusetts State Police

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1966 regular passenger plate-no reserved series.
State Police vehicle assigned to exclusively patrol
Massachusetts Turnpike (Troop E). Turnpike Cars
were painted green and white at that time.
Photo Courtesy of Massachusetts State Police

Circa 1967 showing what could be a dark blue over reflective
white plate without the words "OFFICIAL" or "VEHICLE"
along the bottom. No known surviving examples of this type
of plate are known yet. Please help if you can.
Photo Courtesy of Monty McCord

1967-1973 issue- Usually validated with December decals.

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this type plate on duty....
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1973-1981 issue- VEHICLE embossed along bottom. December validation decals were used until 1975 when someone finally realized how redundant and unnecessary it was to use-up validation stickers on tax exempt vehicles with permanent plates. Some validation stickers were removed (scratched-off), others were taped over.

Picture courtesy of Jat Weinstein

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this type plate on duty....
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1973-1981 issue- E=Massachusetts Turnpike. VEHICLE embossed along the bottom. December validation decals were used until 1975 when someone finally realized how redundant and unnecessary it was to use-up validation stickers on tax exempt vehicles with permanent plates. Some validation stickers were removed (scratched-off), others were taped over.

We are looking for a picture showing
this type plate on duty....
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We are looking for a picture showing
this type plate on duty....
Can you help us?

1973-1981 issue, "D" suffix used on support vehicles
(supply vans, ramp trucks, non-patrol cruisers)
Plate courtesy of the Robert Ward Collection

The National Flag Truck

1973-1981 issue- F=Logan Airport.
OFFICIAL embossed along the bottom.
December validation decals were used until 1975.
If you have one of these for sale or trade or just a picture,
Please contact Norm

circa 1979-1981 issue- These later VEHICLE issues had STATE POLICE silkscreened instead of embossed. Haven't seen too many of these versions around. This one was found in an abandoned garage in Chino California in 2001!

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this type plate on duty....
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1981-1989 issue- Brighter white reflective sheeting- OFFICIAL embossed along the bottom.

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Massachusetts Turnpike plate
If you have one of these for sale or trade or just a picture,
Please contact Norm

1989-Current issue

1989-2006 issue. Troop E (Turnpike)

1989-Current issue- E= Mass Turnpike Troop
Picture courtesy of Robert Ward

1989-Current issue- F= Logan Airport (Boston) Troop

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this type plate on duty....
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1989-Current issue- Boston Marathon Commemorative plate.
As I was told, members of the MSP who compete in the
annual Boston Marathon, are given these special plates
as tokens of esteem. The number 97 indicates in this instance
that it was the 97th running of the Boston Marathon in 1993.
Logo of 1993 Boston Marathon applied on right side of
number. These plates were NOT run on MSP vehicles.

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this type plate on duty....
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Democratic National Convention souvenir plate (2004)
given to security detail personnel for the event.
Courtesy of the Bob Bruce Collection

Sample of the new Massachusetts State Police license plate
due to enter service in Jan. '07
Plate courtesy of Sgt. Mike Crosby and Karl Brenner
Massachusetts State Police

State Owned cycle plate
White over Maroon base
"S" followed by # up to 3 digits
over Year and MASS
Picture courtesy of the Massachusetts State Police

Motorcycle Plate - late 60's - early 70's

Picture courtesy of Ted Evangelous

Circa 1972 /73 issue used on Foxboro (Troop H- Station 3)
motorcycle radio boxes. MSP motorcycles at that time had no
markings on the rear, and a couple of Troopers got together
and decided to have a plate made to fit onto the rear of the
cycle as a prominent identifier. This is one of 4 plates that
were made by the Massachusetts Department of Public
Works in Wellesley. These Foxboro SP motorcycles were
used primarily for duty at Schaeffer Stadium (Now Gillette
Stadium) football games into the early 1980's. When new
light assemblies were installed, these plates were removed. (Information graciously provided by
Retired Tpr Paul Driscoll- MSP)

Motorcycle Plate - 1970's

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this type plate on duty....
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Motorcycle Plate - 1980's

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Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicle Police
cycle plate ~ Early 90's. The R.M.V. was later merged
with the Mass. State Police

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this type plate on duty....
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Troop F - Logan Airport

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this type plate on duty....
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Motorcycle Plate - Current issue
Stickered to indicate that it has
passed it's annual inspection

2007 Combined Accident Reduction Effort
conference souvenir plate.
Plate courtesy of Sgt. Mike Crosby
Massachusetts State Police