Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins assumes leadership as President of the Massachusetts Sheriff's Association (MSA). Together with newly-elected Vice President, Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi, the duo aims to confront the challenges faced by criminal and social justice sectors in contemporary society.
As announced on this Wednesday by the Massachusetts Suffolk County Sheriff's Department, Tompkins and Cocchi were chosen by their fellow county sheriffs to lead the MSA, with the former reclaiming a position he held back in 2015, while Cocchi joins the leadership for the first time.
Upon accepting his new responsibility, Sheriff Tompkins acknowledged the significance of the current climate. He stated, "I believe that we are at a critical inflection point in the relationship between criminal justice and social justice."
Sheriff Cocchi echoes this sentiment, expressing his eagerness to serve as vice president and advocate for enlightened and effective corrections that impacts the lives of the justice-involved population substantially. Cocchi further underscores the necessity of standing against the bad actions of the few, stating that "right now, more than ever, law enforcement officials need to step up and not just do the right thing, but speak on behalf of what is is right."
Established 35 years ago, the Massachusetts Sheriff's Association comprises all 14 duly-elected county sheriffs, with a mission to advance programs and services that attend to behavioral health, substance use, women's issues, LGBTQI-specific programming, and more. As leaders of the MSA, Tompkins and Cocchi must not only listen closely to the concerns of their jurisdictions, but also effectively engage with constituents and strategic partners in order to take concrete steps towards change.
In his acceptance speech, Tompkins articulated his optimism for the future, stating, "As we enter the New Year, I am profoundly optimistic about the better days to come."
