Some advice: Be careful what you ask newly minted troopers out on the street.

An after-party following a cotillion for the latest State Police recruiting class on Thursday in Patriot Place had the new hires packing a bar. The TVs were showing an exciting Bruins win and NFL night game and the drinks were flowing.

But a question from a Herald editor, who happened upon the party, about fellow recruit Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, who died at the academy following a boxing exercise, elicited a few choice words and a creative flash of the middle finger.

“What happened to your fellow recruit?” a Herald editor asked a group of new troopers.

“(Expletive) you!” was the response from one new officer.

“Is that how you’re going to respond to that question on the street?” the Herald quickly responded.

That’s when the snarly trooper slowly raised his middle finger while mimicking a crane hoisting up the tell-tale digit. Backing out of the bar seemed the prudent move for an inquisitive journalist at that point.

It’s clearly a sore subject.

Attorney General Andrea Campbell has named an attorney to lead an outside investigation into the death of Delgado-Garcia. The Latino Law Enforcement Group of Boston and Lawyers for Civil Rights in Boston are also demanding accountability.

In this job, you meet brilliant State Police investigators who know their way around difficult questions. When you need them, troopers are there. Yet, the agency is struggling with a serious lack of professionalism that new recruits must cope with.

One exchange in a bar does not define a class, but it sure showed a lack of any. – Joe Dwinell

Gov. Baker may not like to talk about politics these days but he’s been politically active

Even if Gov. Charlie Baker apparently doesn’t like to talk about politics anymore after years in public service, he is certainly not shy about opening up his checkbook for and lending his political clout to local and national politicians.

A review of state and federal campaign finance records show Baker has shelled out thousands to politicians all across the country this year while serving as the head of the NCAA, including two separate $2,500 donations in April to New Jersey Democrat U.S. Sen. Cory Booker.

Those came well before Baker largely shrugged off questions about his political future Thursday and snapped back at reporters who asked him about the presidential race.

“I’m here to talk about college sports and the NCAA. And that’s why I’m here, okay?” he said after speaking at the UMass Club in downtown Boston, according to our friends over at CommonWealth Beacon. “I’m not here to talk about other stuff. So if you don’t have any questions about any of that, great.”

Only hours after he made those comments, Baker again waded into state politics, endorsing a Taunton city councilor in her Republican bid for state Senate.

It’s one of only a handful that have so far been made public this election cycle. More Baker endorsements of state legislative candidates are expected to roll out as the November general election draws closer.

He’s also thrown his support behind Rep. Matt Muratore, a Plymouth Republican running for a South Shore and Cape Cod Senate seat against Rep. Dylan Fernandes, a Falmouth Democrat, and Rep. Steve Xiarhos, a Barnstable Republican running for reelection.

Baker and former Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announced their support for Muratore last month, calling him “one of our favorite legislators to work with.”

“We can’t think of a better candidate for state Senate than our friend Rep. Matt Muratore. Matt has the public and private sector experience that makes him ready to work in the state Senate on day one,” the pair said in a statement.

The former Republican governor of eight years also donated $1,000 in late August to Rep. Paul Frost, an Auburn Republican running for reelection, and another $1,000 at the end of June to Anne Manning-Martin, a Republican running to fill the open Governor’s Council seat being vacated by Eileen Duff, according to state campaign finance records.

A political spokesperson for Baker declined to comment on his activity. – Chris Van Buskirk

NCAA president Charlie Baker speaks at a press conference on March 28. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)