Officials move to adjust insulin pump guidelines for police candidates

A month after a Gloucester man challenged a state regulation that bars anyone wearing an insulin pump from being hired as a full-time police officer, state officials have moved to lift the ban.

Revised guidelines, submitted to the Legislature Thursday, would allow police candidates with insulin pumps to be considered if a doctor finds they are capable of doing the job, according to Paul Dietl, acting chief human resources officer for the state.

Gregory Hennick, 22, who wears an insulin pump, filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination after he was offered a job as a Northampton police officer, then had it rescinded because of the state regulation.

Hennick's lawyer, Timothy M. Burke of Needham, applauded the state's move and said Hennick is "clearly qualified, always has been, and is going to make a terrific police officer."

Dietl said the state consulted with a panel of physicians after learning of Hennick's case and concluded that candidates should be evaluated on the severity of their diabetes and not automatically disqualified because they wear a pump.

Dr. Howard Wolpert, director of the insulin pump program at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, said pumps have become "state of the art" over the past decade and are commonplace.

Wolpert said many people prefer them because they provide more flexibility and are more precise in controlling diabetes than injections.

"There's certainly no reason why a person who has diabetes and is on an insulin pump, in general, should not be appropriate for being a police officer," Wolpert said.