Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department Bids Farewell to Summer Enrichment Program Participants

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Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department Bids Farewell to Summer Enrichment Program Participants

Last month, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department celebrated the accomplishments of 19 Suffolk County Students enrolled in the Department’s Summer Enrichment Program (SEP). After having them spend the prior seven weeks as interns here with us at the Department, we are so proud to congratulate them on their well-deserved accomplishments. Witnessing their growth as they were immersed in the field of law enforcement, we are confident their experience with us will only bolster their success well into the future. From everyone at the Department, we want to offer best wishes to all of our graduates for their upcoming school year and continued academic and professional success.

sep-graduation-photo-3Now in its third year, the Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) was created by Sheriff Tompkins in the summer of 2014 as a means of not only providing summer employment to Suffolk County teens, but also to give those interested in a career in law enforcement the opportunity to learn about the many branches of law enforcement and criminal justice through job shadowing, weekly presentations by members of law enforcement and the criminal justice community, roundtable discussions, law enforcement-related field trips, and educational tours.

Gathering at the Nashua Street Jail, participants and staff reflected on their summer journey through the criminal justice system, including meetings with Boston Mayor Martin Walsh and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker as well as with representatives from Dorchester District Court, the Boston Police Department, the Boston Fire Department, MassHousing, the Massachusetts State Police, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the United States Marshals, Charlestown District Court, Boston City Hall, and others.

“I want to congratulate each and every member of the Summer Enrichment Program Class of 2016,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins. “We greatly enjoyed having you here in our organization to learn about the Department and other law enforcement, criminal justice and public agencies, and it is our hope that these experiences will help to guide you not only into your careers after college, but through your lives as positive, civically engaged citizens.”

In their time in the Summer Enrichment Program, participants took part in an ongoing speaker series and embarked on multiple field trips, while rotating through different work sites within the Department’s facilities.

SEP participant Zachary McDowall of Dorchester referenced the work site experience, saying, “One thing that surprised me was how no job could really be boring. Even working in the front lobby proved to be interesting.”

Reflecting upon her experience in the program, Megan Nguyen of Revere said, It really surprised me to see that the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department has such a significant amount of reentry, rehabilitative, and educational programs available to the detainees and inmates. The complexity and efforts devoted into these programs are astounding. The Sheriff’s Department follows a philosophy to correct rather than punish those incarcerated, which has successfully helped to decrease recidivism rates and makes this Sheriff’s Department a leading model for others nationwide.”

Robert Caldorelli of Revere elaborated on what was for him one of the memorable moments of the program, stating that, “My favorite visit was definitely the South Bay House of Correction. I really enjoyed it because I had never been inside of a correctional institution before, and it proved to be an experience I’ll never forget.”

To learn more about the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department Summer Enrichment Program, visit: www.scsdma.org or contact Nadia Lovinsky at (617) 704 6656 or nlovinsky@scsdma.org.