The holidays are a time of celebration. We pause to show appreciation for friends, family and loved ones, and to take stock of our shared accomplishments through the year. For the Hampden DA’s Office, 2023 was a year full of opportunities taken, service rewarded and potential realized. Here are some highlights.
As I finish my 2023 term as the agency’s vice president, I’m excited to announce that I have been unanimously elected by my fellow Commonwealth district attorneys to serve as president through 2024. This will be my second time serving as president (the last time was in 2019), and I am honored by the trust granted me by my fellow DAs to represent my colleagues on matters affecting public safety throughout the Commonwealth and advancing our shared commitment to justice, fairness, and integrity.
A true highlight of the evening was the mock trial, in which these future legal minds were allowed to showcase their skills. There was a lot of great talent and potential on display, adding to the pride I feel for this program and its mission. Western Mass News.com covered the event.
The idea is to engage kids in some physical activity and healthy competition and open their eyes to possibilities they might not otherwise have considered. You can see coverage of this year’s event on westernmassnews.com.
Later in the school year, we gave our students a tour of the Hampden County Hall of Justice and treated them to guest speakers who provided a look at each of the offices comprising the criminal justice system, as well as an overview of career opportunities. I enjoy the Adopt-A-Classroom program immensely.
Over 93% of toxicology reports completed in fatal overdoses reveal the presence of a synthetic opioid like fentanyl being present. The widespread presence of these potent and deadly synthetic opioids in the street-level narcotics trade are causing overdoses and deaths on an unprecedented scale. TruNarc’s deployment in Hampden County will enhance the safety of officers and the public.
That’s just a quick glance at what we’ve accomplished together in 2023, and I want to thank you for your ongoing support. We can’t do any of this without participation from the community and the support of our neighbors.
I hope you share in my sense of accomplishment for the past year and look forward with me to all we can do together in 2024. I wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and a very happy new year.
If you wish to support my reelection campaign with a financial donation, you may do so here.
Elected President of the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association
MDAA is an independent state agency whose mission is to support the eleven elected Massachusetts District Attorneys and their staff, including approximately 785 prosecutors and 260 victim witness advocates, while promoting public safety practices and policies on a state-wide basis.As I finish my 2023 term as the agency’s vice president, I’m excited to announce that I have been unanimously elected by my fellow Commonwealth district attorneys to serve as president through 2024. This will be my second time serving as president (the last time was in 2019), and I am honored by the trust granted me by my fellow DAs to represent my colleagues on matters affecting public safety throughout the Commonwealth and advancing our shared commitment to justice, fairness, and integrity.
Unresolved Homicide Unit
My Unresolved Homicide Unit has achieved a number of recent successes in solving some of Hampden County’s most notorious unresolved homicides. The unit relentlessly reviews cases, employing traditional investigative strategies along with advanced technology including forensic genetic genealogy. We will not relent in our pursuit to bring long-awaited justice to grieving families and their lost loved ones as we seek to hold perpetrators responsible for their crimes.Youth Advisory Board
The Youth Advisory Board is a group of local high schoolers meets with my office on a regular basis to discuss the issues they face and explore research-backed strategies for prevention. I enjoy working with these young people very much—it’s inspiring to see them tackle challenges head-on and take responsibility for exploring solutions. Those are marks of true leadership, and I feel energized and inspired by our collaboration.Emerging Adult Court of Hope (EACH)
The EACH Court is a program I created that helps high-risk young adults break the cycle of crime and incarceration by intervening and guiding them onto a path to a sustainable career. In November, we celebrated two more graduates from the program, both of whom report being happy, well-adjusted, making money, working on buying houses and working on their careers. The program is poised to keep growing in 2024, and I’m looking forward to sharing more success stories in a year’s time.Safe Unit
My Office’s Strategic Action Enforcement Unit, established in 2021, continues to focus on known individuals engaged in violent activity. The unit is comprised of law enforcement from the Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations, Hampden Sheriff’s Department, Massachusetts National Guard, and Holyoke, West Springfield, East Longmeadow, Chicopee, Springfield and Southampton Police Departments. The SAFE Unit continues to conduct high level and successful investigations resulting in large amounts illegal narcotics and illegally possessed firearms being seized, along with very dangerous individuals being arrested and held to account for serious crimes.Drug Forfeiture Grants to Local Nonprofits
I was proud to present grants to local community organizations funded by money seized by law enforcement from drug arrests. The total amount of grant money awarded was $62,000, and grant recipients included the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club and the New North Citizens Council. This program benefits organizations working hard to build up our communities; we literally transform harm to good. Here’s a link to a MassLive article about this program.Future Lawyers of Springfield
Last year, I partnered with Western New England University School of Law to create the Future Lawyers of Springfield, an organization working to diversify the region’s legal community through youth mentorship. Earlier this year, the Future Lawyers held their Inaugural Mock Trial and End of Year Celebration at Western New England University. The event brought students together for a celebration and to rub shoulders with professionals from the legal, political and educational communities.A true highlight of the evening was the mock trial, in which these future legal minds were allowed to showcase their skills. There was a lot of great talent and potential on display, adding to the pride I feel for this program and its mission. Western Mass News.com covered the event.
Hoop Up Springfield Tournament and Job Fair
Our 7th Annual Hoop Up Springfield basketball tournament and summer job fair was a great success—and a lot of fun. We had about 100 kids from all over the Springfield region join us at American International College for a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, with local employers on hand to talk about summer employment opportunities and representatives from American International College providing information and guiding the kids on campus tours.The idea is to engage kids in some physical activity and healthy competition and open their eyes to possibilities they might not otherwise have considered. You can see coverage of this year’s event on westernmassnews.com.
Adopt a Classroom Program
Every year, I “adopt” a class, and this year I was happy to join the 8th graders at Wilbraham Middle School for a series of events. We kicked things off with a visit and address from yours truly, along with a donation of school supplies. That was followed by another visit to provide a civics lesson and run an interactive trial reenactment.Later in the school year, we gave our students a tour of the Hampden County Hall of Justice and treated them to guest speakers who provided a look at each of the offices comprising the criminal justice system, as well as an overview of career opportunities. I enjoy the Adopt-A-Classroom program immensely.
TruNarc Donated By MA National Guard
We are deeply grateful to the Massachusetts National Guard for their donation this year of TruNarc, a handheld drug analyzer that allows my narcotics task force to field test suspected narcotics on site.Over 93% of toxicology reports completed in fatal overdoses reveal the presence of a synthetic opioid like fentanyl being present. The widespread presence of these potent and deadly synthetic opioids in the street-level narcotics trade are causing overdoses and deaths on an unprecedented scale. TruNarc’s deployment in Hampden County will enhance the safety of officers and the public.
That’s just a quick glance at what we’ve accomplished together in 2023, and I want to thank you for your ongoing support. We can’t do any of this without participation from the community and the support of our neighbors.
I hope you share in my sense of accomplishment for the past year and look forward with me to all we can do together in 2024. I wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and a very happy new year.
If you wish to support my reelection campaign with a financial donation, you may do so here.