FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 12, 2015

CONTACT: Peter Van Delft
(617) 704-6682

Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins was recently sworn back into service by United States Senator Elizabeth Warren.

In a special ceremony, Senator Warren delivered the oath of office to Sheriff Tompkins, who will continue serving the Suffolk County communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop as he has since January of 2013.

Officially elected to the position on November 4th, 2014, Sheriff Tompkins had been an appointee of then–Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick who selected Tompkins to fill the vacancy left by his predecessor Andrea Cabral, who was tapped to serve as the state’s Secretary of Public Safety and Security.

As the Sheriff of Suffolk County, Tompkins manages all operations at the Suffolk County House of Correction, the Nashua Street Jail and the Civil Process Division. In addition to providing care, custody and rehabilitative support for inmates and pre–trial detainees, Tompkins also oversees a management, security and administrative staff of over 1,000.

Marking his first two years at the Department’s helm with a keen focus on reducing recidivism through enhanced educational and vocational programming, addiction recovery and mental health services, and efforts to expand addiction recovery and mental health services in the communities of Suffolk County and beyond, Sheriff Tompkins hinted at an even more comprehensive agenda moving forward.

“I am thrilled to have the great honor of being sworn–in by my friend, Senator Warren, and I am eager to continue my work in corrections and public safety for the citizens of Suffolk County,” said Sheriff Tompkins. “Our focus has been on reducing recidivism by addressing the whole individual with respect to teaching employable skills, tending to mental and physical health on things like addiction recovery and past abuse, and job placement and continued recovery on the outside once they leave our custody.”

“But, our work is far from finished,” Sheriff Tompkins continued. “There is still much to do, not only within the Department, but with respect to stemming the tide of incarceration by addressing the issues that lead many through our doors in the first place. We also have to provide increased services for those who have been in the system to ensure that they have the greatest chance for success once they return to society. As I said, we still have more to do on these and other issues, but I am grateful for the opportunity to continue working on them from this office.”