Alumni Spotlight - Paul S. MacMillan, CJ'75

As the first officer to rise through the ranks to become chief of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Transit Police in its 40-year history, Paul S. MacMillan has a unique perspective on how the police force has evolved.

“Some programs remain in place because they have proven to be effective,” said MacMillan, a 1975 graduate of the College of Criminal Justice, who was officially sworn in as chief on December 2. “But a lot has changed over the years and we’ve had to become more aware and more visible.”

Serious crime on the nation’s fourth-largest transit system has dropped by 10 percent between 2006 and 2007 [the most recent figures available], and MacMillan attributes that to increased police visibility at many points of entry. With an average of 1.3 million riders per day, MacMillan believes the “T” has become an increasingly safer mode of transportation because of the stepped-up presence.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people have this preconceived notion of the safety of the system,” MacMillan said. “But we want the riders to become more involved. Crime is less likely to happen if everyone is paying more attention to what’s going on. If you see something unusual, report it. Something that seems suspicious, let us know about it. Riders can definitely play a role in making the system a safer place.”

While serving as deputy to former chief Joseph Carter, MacMillan managed the StopWatch program, a nationally recognized multi-agency effort to curtail disorderly conduct among young riders on the MBTA. He has been credited with reducing crime through a number of innovative programs and partnerships with other agencies.

Earlier this year, MacMillan guided the Transit Police’s preparation for state and national accreditation and also joined with the Boston Ten Point Coalition for the “Season of Peace” Campaign in an effort to reduce violence in Boston.

MacMillan, who received his Master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Western New England College, is also the Chairman of the Committee on Public Safety of the American Public Transportation Association.

A few years after graduating from Northeastern, MacMillan had two employment choices: The MBTA or the former Metropolitan District Commission, whose police force has since been rolled into the Massachusetts State Police.

“The MBTA was the first one to call me so that’s where I went,” MacMillan said.
That was in 1983. Twenty-five years later, MacMillan has had an opportunity to reflect on what he feels laid the groundwork for a successful and fruitful career in law enforcement.

“I entered the Criminal Justice program pretty early on [it was founded through a Ford Foundation Grant in 1968], but even then people realized the importance of the educational aspect for successful police work,” MacMillan said. “It’s amazing how much the program has grown since I was there.”

MacMillan said the MBTA Transit Police have accepted two co-op students every semester for the past three or four years, and “it remains a commitment of mine to maintain that connection” to Northeastern.

“The quality of students we get is excellent,” MacMillan said. “Many of them have come over with some pretty innovative stuff and great skills that have helped us expand the way we do things.”