Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins delivered the opening remarks at a recent Boston College symposium about Race, Sports and Politics. The event gathered civic leaders, scholars, athletes, and students to reflect on Boston’s complicated relationship with race and sports. As a Boston College alum and public servant, Sheriff Tompkins offered a unique perspective rooted in both personal experience and professional insight.

Another round of Choice Officers has joined the program! Back in March, twenty-one selected Suffolk County House of Correction and Jail officers completed a comprehensive three-day training at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department Correction Officer Training Center, earning their certification as the newest class of Choice Program Officers. These Choice-ready officers are set to begin Suffolk County public school visitations, bringing with them age-specific lessons on public safety, personal responsibility, digital literacy, emergency planning, and the like — topics increasingly critical to the well-being of today’s youth.

On May 2nd, twenty-five officer candidates were officially sworn in as officers of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department at Casa Lucia. This significant ceremony marked the conclusion of their rigorous twelve-week journey through our Correction Officer Training Academy (COTA) as Class 25-01.

Each year in May, National Correctional Officers and Employees Week give us the opportunity to pause, reflect, and celebrate the exceptional work of the staff who keep our facilities secure, running smoothly, and our population safe. From the House of Correction to the Suffolk County Jail and the Training Academy, every single employee, custody and non-custody alike, is an essential contributor to our Department.