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 October 14, 2003
Sheriff’s Office to Distribute Gunlocks
Sheriff Fred Macdonald
announced that the Sheriff’s Office is participating in
Project Childsafe, the nationwide program that will
distribute millions of gunlocks to all fifty states and
to the five U.S. territories.
“Childsafe is funded by a
grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to promote
responsible firearms ownership and storage,” the Sheriff
said.
Beginning on Monday, October
20th, the Sheriff’s Office will be
distributing over 1,000 gunlocks at the following three
locations:
- Franklin County
Sheriff’s Office - Visiting Center
160 Elm
Street, Greenfield
Monday & Friday: 8:00 AM -
4:00 PM
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 8:00
AM - 12:30 PM
-
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office - Civil Process
Division
466 Main Street, Greenfield
Monday - Friday:
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- Franklin County
Sheriff’s Office - Community Corrections Center
The Armory, 8 Prospect Street, Greenfield
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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October 6, 2003
Child ID Program Expanded
For each
of the past three years, the Sheriff’s Office has
offered complimentary child identification and
fingerprinting at the Franklin County Fair. This
year, the parents of over six hundred children attending
the Fair were given an ID packet, which includes photo,
fingerprints and vital information that could be used in
the event that a child is abducted, injured or lost.
Beginning this month, the Sheriff’s ID Program will be
expanded to include on-site visits to schools and
daycare centers. “By going directly to where the
children are, we are better able to ensure that parents
throughout the county have access to this program,”
Sheriff Fred Macdonald said.
The
program will be at the Buckland-Shelburne Elementary
School on October 28th, and at a daycare in
Montague Center on October 7th. School
officials or daycare providers interested in scheduling
to have the ID Program provide an on-site visit should
contact the Sheriff’s Office Community Outreach Officer
Deputy Susan Corey at (413) 774-4014 ext. 141 or
Administrative Assistant Doni Beauregard at (413)
774-4014 ext. 161.
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September 10, 2003
Massachusetts Sheriffs Testify at Senate Oversight
Hearing
Advocate for Role in Homeland Security
Response
Massachusetts Sheriffs stand
ready to contribute to the fight against terrorism and
want a voice in the planning of the Commonwealth’s
response to Homeland Security episodes.
Massachusetts Sheriffs’
Association President and Dukes County Sheriff Michael
A. McCormack and three of his Sheriff colleagues
delivered this message earlier today (9/10/03) at a
Senate Post Audit and Oversight Committee hearing at the
State House in Boston. McCormack and Sheriffs
Thomas M. Hodgson of Bristol County, Joseph F. McDonough
of Plymouth County and Andrea J. Cabral of Suffolk
County suggested sheriffs are uniquely positioned among
local law enforcement agencies to contribute equipment,
staff and communications technology that would extend
the first response effectiveness and impact of local and
state police and increase the efficiency and
effectiveness of an overall State terror response plan.
“People think of us as local
jailers and don’t stop to think of the resources we have
to offer,” says McCormack. “But our deputies and
staffs have the same scope of training and skill in
dealing with large-scale riots and disturbances as
police officers. We have command structures and
equipment to react immediately and expertly to any
emergency or danger inside our facilities. This
skill, training and experience is transferable to terror
episodes occurring outside our facilities and gives us
the qualifications and standing to be part of the
Commonwealth’s effort to develop a sound, effective and
safety-driven plan to respond to Homeland Security
issues.”
Hodgson, McDonough and
Cabral testified how they see their individual
departments contributing to the development and
execution of a state lead terror response plan in their
respective counties. They referenced the
suggestions of their colleagues from across the state
and spoke after Middlesex Sheriff James V. DiPaola
opened the Wednesday hearing as the first panelist.
The Wednesday hearing, held
in the State House Gardiner Auditorium, brought together
the Senate’s Post Audit and Oversight Committee chaired
by Senator Marc R. Pacheco of Taunton with the Senate
Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Public Health,
Senator Richard Moore of Uxbridge and the Senate
Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Public Safety,
Senator Jarrett Barrios of Cambridge. The three
committees are conducting a first of its kind assessment
of readiness, coordination and capability among the
state’s public health institutions, transportation
agencies and local and state law enforcement
organizations to deal with sudden terror episodes or
threats.
Sheriff’s resources vary by
county, but include operating partnerships, such as the
Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council in Greater Boston
that has staff of Norfolk County Sheriff’s Department
working in tandem with 33 area police departments in
providing mutual aid response to large-scale
disturbances or crimes requiring special weapons or
regional response teams. Sheriffs also offer,
according to McCormack, intelligence sharing, deployment
of tactical response teams, training of security
detention personnel, administration of first-aid and CPR
as roles and functions they could execute in a
coordinated response plan. He also noted portable
food preparation, communications coordination, use of
command vehicles and transportation equipment as
resources they could deploy to an external terror
response command site.
Franklin County Sheriff Fred
Macdonald echoed the remarks of his fellow Sheriffs.
“As public safety officials, we have an obligation to
provide for any and all contingencies. When it
comes to Homeland Security, collaboration among law
enforcement agencies is of the utmost importance.”
The resources that the Franklin Sheriff’s Office
could provide in the event of a terrorist threat
include: a seven-member Tactical Response Team trained
in disturbance control; night vision surveillance;
portable radio communications; transportation vehicles,
and; portable food services. In addition, the
Sheriff’s Office has ninety staff members certified in
CPR/first aid and twenty staff members who are certified
First Responders. The Sheriff’s Office also maintains
training and reaction plans for dealing with
insurrections, bomb threats, external demonstrations,
escapes, loss of utilities, staff job actions;
chemical/biological contamination, severe weather,
prison overcrowding and large-scale prisoner transfers.
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September
10, 2003
Sheriff Offers Self-Defense
Training for Women
The Franklin County
Sheriff’s Office is offering a 15-hour course teaching
no-nonsense, practical techniques of defense through its
R.A.D. Program (Rape Aggression Defense), the largest
women’s self-defense system in the country.
All students receive a lifetime return and
practice policy.
This course is offered free of charge.
According to Sheriff Fred Macdonald, R.A.D. is one of
many Community Outreach Programs administered by the
Sheriff’s Office.
“This program recognizes the safety risks women
face and gives them the ability to defend themselves if
attacked,” the Sheriff said.
Under the direction of
Community Outreach Deputy Sue Corey, two officers who
are certified R.A.D. instructors conduct the training
session.
The course covers five
nights:
September 18, 24 and 25
October 1 and 2
5:00 – 8:00
PM each night
Congregational Church, Turners Falls,
MA
For further information or
to register, contact Lt. Susan Corey or Doni Beauregard
at the Sheriff’s Office:
(413) 774-4014.
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September
1, 2003
Sheriff's Office to Offer Free Fingerprint Kits
Sheriff Fred Macdonald has
announced that the Sheriff's Office will again offer
free picture and fingerprinting for children at the
Franklin County Fair.
"Last year we provided
identification packets to over 600 children," the
Sheriff said.
The ID packets include a
current photo, fingerprints and important information
that would help authorities to recover a child who has
been lost or abducted.
"We don't like to think
about our children being lost or hurt. But the
reality is that the potential is there. As
Sheriff, I want to give parents the tools to assist law
enforcement in the event that a child is in harm's way,"
the Sheriff said.
The Sheriff's Office will be
staffing a booth at the fairgrounds beginning Thursday
from 4 to 10 PM, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10
AM to 10 PM.
"I strongly urge all parents
to stop by and take advantage of this opportunity,"
Macdonald said.
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July
17, 2003
Sheriff Releases Statistics on Community Corrections
Sheriff Fred Macdonald
released the Community Corrections Center statistics for
the fiscal year July 1, 2002 through May 31, 2003.
Community Corrections Centers were established in
thirteen counties under the jurisdiction of the
Sheriffs’ Offices in 1998.
The objective of the centers is to provide a
treatment-based alternative sanction for offenders who
could otherwise face incarceration.
“The offenders referred to our Center receive
intensive treatment and strict supervision,” the Sheriff
said.
Last year, the Center
in Franklin County had an average monthly census of 150
clients.
During its three years of operation, total monthly
referrals receiving drug screening, treatment, or
electronic monitoring exceeded 338 clients. “When
compared to the Jail population, which averages 170
prisoners, 338 community-based offenders is significant.
At one point last year, our Jail census peaked at
185.
Between the Jail, House of Correction and Community
Corrections Center, there were 523 offenders under some
form of Sheriff’s Office supervision,” the Sheriff said.
Offenders are sentenced or
“assigned” to the Center directly from the court.
“Level II” offenders receive drug screening only.
“Level III” offenders receive drug screening and
are required to participate in mandatory treatment and
community service programs.
“Level IV”, the strictest level, requires drug
screening, program participation and electronic
monitoring.
“Level IV participants wear an ankle bracelet which
transmits a signal to a main computer.
Deputies assigned to the Center are notified by
pager if the offender deviates from his or her approved
itinerary,” the Sheriff said.
“When an offender
violates, it is the teamwork between the Sheriff’s
Office and the Probation Department that ensures prompt
action to bring clients back into compliance,” said
Laura Waskiewicz, Director of the Center.
As soon as an offender violates, a Sheriff’s
deputy notifies the probation officer responsible for
that offender.
Depending upon the severity of the violation, the
chief probation officer may issue a warrant and, with
the assistance of the Sheriff’s Office or local police,
the offender is arrested.
“This supervision is provided 24 hours, seven
days per week.
Our response to any violation of the rules is
swift and certain,” said Ms. Waskiewicz.
“The combination of a strong treatment
component with a firm response to rules violation has
made the Center successful.
Our primary goal, as always, is public safety,”
Macdonald said.
Toward that end, the mandatory drug and alcohol
screening is the most important aspect of supervising
offenders in the community.
During the last fiscal year, the Center
performed a grand total of 3,925 drug screens from urine
samples and a total of 638 alcohol screens. Of the drug tests performed, 420 were positive.
“When they test positive, we
notify their probation officer, so that corrective
action may be taken,” the Sheriff said.
Corrective action may include moving the offender
to a higher security level, termination from the program
and incarceration for violation of the terms of
probation.
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July
11, 2003
One Step Closer to New County Jail
Sheriff Fred Macdonald
announced today that the Sheriff’s Office and the state
Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) have
selected Springfield-based Fontaine Brothers as the
general contractor for the Franklin County Jail
Replacement Project.
Fontaine’s proposal met all the essential
elements of the bid and came in 2.7 million dollars
under DCAM’s earlier construction cost estimate.
“Initiating capital construction is a slow and
frustrating process, but this is the kind of good news
worth waiting for,” Sheriff Macdonald said.
Now that the contractor has
been selected, the next step in the process is for DCAM
to formally award the contract and establish a
construction start date. Earlier this year, an announcement by DCAM that the project
would be delayed for a second time in one year prompted
a forceful protest by Franklin County legislators led by
Senate President pro tem Stan Rosenberg. Senator
Rosenberg organized a meeting between all the
legislators who represent Franklin County and members of
Governor Romney’s staff.
“I believe that the meeting was successful and I
thank both the legislators and the Governor for sitting
down and discussing how to get this project underway,”
the Sheriff said.
Initial funding for the
antiquated 19th century facility was part of
a prison bond bill signed by Governor Weld in 1996.
There is currently 32 million dollars allocated
for the project.
The replacement facility was put out to bid in
June 2002, but was delayed for a year due to the state
bond cap (the amount of money that can be spent annually
on capital projects).
The project was put back out to bid in March of
this year.
The Sheriff says that the need for a new facility in
Franklin County cannot be overestimated:
“The size of the cells in the current facility
fail to meet constitutional standards; the electrical
and plumbing systems do not meet code; there is no
secondary egress in the event of fire; prisoners cannot
be classified properly due to lack of appropriate inmate
housing; and the lack of automated locking systems make
the facility expensive to staff due to the number of
posts required for each shift.”
According to the Macdonald,
a new facility will enhance the ability of the Sheriff’s
Office to assist local and state police.
“Currently we provide lock-up services to the
state police and to Franklin County towns,” the Sheriff
said. Under
state law, the county jail may be used as a lock-up for
police departments who do not have lock-ups in their
stations.
Recently, Sheriff Macdonald filed legislation that would
expand the use of the jail by allowing police officers
to detain persons placed into protective custody.
“Franklin County is unique,” the Sheriff said.
“We have to work together to deliver the best
possible services to the citizens. I am thankful to the legislators and to the Franklin County
Chiefs of Police and Selectmen’s Associations for their
letters of support in getting this project back on
track.”
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June
1, 2003
New Jail Officially
Out to Bid
Sheriff Fred Macdonald
announced today that the state has officially opened the
bid process for the replacement of the Franklin County
Jail and House of Correction. The official bidding
process began on March 12th. A "pre-bid conference" was
held by DCAM at the jail on March 28th. The purpose of
the conference was to provide contractors with an
opportunity to do a site examination prior to submitting
their bid. The closing date for bids was April 24th.
"We've waited an awfully
long time," the Sheriff said. When first running for
office in 1992, Macdonald made replacement of the
outdated Elm Street facility a top priority of his
administration. " A new facility will not only bring
work opportunities to the construction trades during a
tough economic period, but it will also provide a model
facility that will serve the public safety needs of
Franklin County for decades," the Sheriff said.
The new facility will be
located adjacent to the existing jail at 160 Elm Street.
It will be comprised of four inmate "pods" with a total
of 144 cells, as well as administrative and support
space. Based on the "design-build" construction method,
the facility should be ready for occupancy within 18 to
24 months of groundbreaking. Although the bid is
official, the Sheriff said he will rest easier when the
first shovel goes into the ground. "We've been through
studies, tough budget years, bond cap limitations,
reviews and delays. Getting this project underway is a
victory for the citizens of our region," the Sheriff
said. " I can only say that this was a team effort.
Without the unwavering support of our legislators,
Senator Stan Rosenberg, former Representative John
Merrigan, and Representatives Steve Kulik and Shawn
Kelly, we probably would not be celebrating this
achievement. I am sincerely grateful to them for keeping
their eyes on this project and I know that our new
Representative Chris Donelan will be there to see this
project to completion," said Macdonald.
The Sheriff's Office will
host a forum for members of the press to view the
blueprints of the new facility to receive more in-depth
information about the project.
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