Looking Ahead to Public Safety

By Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick W. McDermott

As 2022 kicks off and we look ahead to the promises of a new year, I want to take a moment to look back on what 2021 meant for Norfolk County and the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office. Despite a challenging year, we accomplished quite a lot. We improved our operations at the House of Correction, grew our team, and expanded our outreach to the residents of Norfolk County. We did all of this to further our mission of enhancing public safety for the whole county, a mission which I take very seriously.

2021 was a year of growth for the NCSO, and you can see that growth reflected in our organization, including receiving the first perfect accreditation score from the American Correctional Association (ACA) in NCSO history. We have hired new officers that bring a greater diversity of background and experience and promoted several officers to the ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain. As Sheriff, I have made it a point to encourage my staff to seek out opportunities for advancement and improvement, as these promotional exams make clear. Similarly, we provided leadership and skills certification opportunities for officers and command staff from the ACA and FBI-LEEDA. And on top of all of this, our staff sought out training in crisis negotiations from the FBI, peer support, and mental health first response. While 2021 had its share of challenges, we met these challenges head-on and sought opportunities to strengthen our department so we are even more prepared for future challenges.

Because of these advances, we are also better equipped to provide the highest level of care to the justice-involved individuals in our custody. In 2021, we began transitioning our programming to our new COVID-19 reality, re-introducing programming that had been postponed or delayed during quarantine and introducing new programming that reaches justice-involved individuals where they are. From carpentry training and HAZMAT certification to personal finance courses and recovery panels, we are working to set justice-involved individuals up for success the moment they return home. In 2021, we also expanded our New England Wildlife certification program to female justice-involved individuals, preparing them for careers in veterinary care while giving back to their communities. And we have more on the horizon: just this month, we will be starting programming in resume writing, an employment boot camp, and a re-entry portfolio program. When justice-involved individuals enter our facility, we are prepared to make sure that their time here is spent setting themselves up for success when they leave.

Our service to Norfolk County also extends well past the walls of the House of Correction, which is why we spent 2021 improving the reach of our resources to county residents. This year, we piloted our first expansion of the Youth Leadership Academy to Franklin, ensuring that youth from all parts of the county have access to this empowering experience. I spoke with 28 select boards and city councils, sharing updates on ways the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office can be a resource to the communities we serve. We re-constituted and updated the Substance Use in Youth Task Force to make sure that we are tackling these issues from multiple community perspectives. We introduced a series of new programs, such as the Norfolk County Heroes Award, that recognizes the good work residents do across the county. We also hosted several family-friendly events, such as our Back-to-School movie night and Holiday Happenings series. Our staff have been volunteering at events across the county, such as community clean ups, food drives, blood drives, COVID-19 vaccination clinics and more. We continue this work because our mission of public safety means doing everything we can to help residents feel comfortable, welcome, and secure in their communities. For 2022, there’s more on the horizon, from the Coffee with the Sheriff tour to reinstating and updating our TRIAD program for senior safety, all while we continue to increase our community service and programming.

We accomplished a great deal in 2021, but my goal is to achieve more in 2022 to serve both those in our care and custody and all the residents of Norfolk County.

Thanks to Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick W. McDermott for sharing this news with Westwood Minute.