Speaker 1: It's Nightside with Dan Ray ONU BZY, Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2: All right, welcome back everybody, as we are head into
Speaker 2: our nine o'clock hour, and tonight we're going to spend
Speaker 2: an hour talking with two sheriffs here in Massachusetts. We
Speaker 2: have only fourteen sheriffs in Massachusetts, and we have two
Speaker 2: of them with us tonight. Delighted to welcome Norfolk County
Speaker 2: Sheriff Patrick McDermott, Sheriff McDermott, welcome back to Nightside. How
Speaker 2: are you.
Speaker 3: I'm doing great, Dan, Thanks for having me on tonight,
Speaker 3: appreciate it.
Speaker 2: You're very welcome in joining us from the other side
Speaker 2: of Massachusetts, from the western side, from Berkshire County Sheriff
Speaker 2: Thomas Bowler, Sheriff Bowler, welcome to Nightside.
Speaker 4: Thanks Dan. Great, great to be on and thank you
Speaker 4: for having us.
Speaker 2: Have I got that name? McDermott's an easy one for
Speaker 2: you know?
Speaker 3: For me?
Speaker 2: Is it bowler? A bowler? Want to make sure that
Speaker 2: I did it correctly?
Speaker 4: It right with Bowler?
Speaker 2: Bowler? All right, all right, now you've been a sheriff
Speaker 2: out there for about fourteen fifteen years, as I understand it, right.
Speaker 4: Yes, it's twenty eleven.
Speaker 2: So you come from a law enforcement background. You worked
Speaker 2: as a police detective.
Speaker 4: Yep. I started my career as a police officer in
Speaker 4: nineteen eighty five, and I was signed to detective Brull
Speaker 4: in the latter part of eighty eight and eighty nine,
Speaker 4: and then ran for sheriff at the PD for twenty
Speaker 4: five years and ran for sheriff in twenty ten.
Speaker 2: All right, and Sheriff McDermott, you had a little bit
Speaker 2: of a political pedigree, I would say from what the
Speaker 2: research I've done, so both of you have come to
Speaker 2: a very important office, but sort of by a different path,
Speaker 2: correct Sheriff McDermott.
Speaker 3: Yeah, So I started right after law school. I was
Speaker 3: a prosecutor at the Suffer County District Attorney's Office at
Speaker 3: the Boston Municipal Court, and then became a city councilor
Speaker 3: in Quincy and then ran to Norfolk County Register of
Speaker 3: Probate and served for eighteen years running the probate and
Speaker 3: family court before the opportunity presented itself to run for
Speaker 3: sheriff in Norfolk County and I've served there now for
Speaker 3: in my fifth year as sheriff and going along with.
Speaker 2: Stride, and you're also the president of the Sheriff's Association
Speaker 2: here in Massachusetts.
Speaker 3: Correct, correct, Yeah, we get elected, we kind of share
Speaker 3: the position over a couple of years. It's forth to
Speaker 3: only fourteen of us, so it goes back and forth
Speaker 3: for a time. But the president serves two years as
Speaker 3: the leader of our fourteen sheriff's offices, advocating for the
Speaker 3: office of sheriff, whether it's at the legislature or out
Speaker 3: in the community or with our friends like yourself and
Speaker 3: the press.
Speaker 2: Okay, so let's let's talk again. You're in a county
Speaker 2: that is very much more of an urban county, urban
Speaker 2: and suburban county. Norfolk County. Sheriff Bowler is in a
Speaker 2: county that's I don't think it's fair to call it
Speaker 2: rural sheriff, but I certainly it's not a highly urban
Speaker 2: Berkshire County. How would you how would you want us
Speaker 2: to describe your county?
Speaker 4: Well, I'd say Berkshire County. If you really look at
Speaker 4: the state of Massachusetts, there's thirty towns and two cities
Speaker 4: in Berkshire County, and going north to south from we
Speaker 4: cover from from the Vermont line to the Connecticut line.
Speaker 4: It's a good of the state, yes, but it was
Speaker 4: only we only have a population about one hundred and
Speaker 4: forty three to one hundred and forty five thousand here
Speaker 4: in Berkshire.
Speaker 2: County, Okay, and Sheriff McDermott, I'm guessing that your population
Speaker 2: is a multiple of that.
Speaker 3: So yeah, Norfolk County kind of surrounds, you know where
Speaker 3: we're abutted by Worcester County, Middlesex County, and Suffolk County
Speaker 3: to the north and east I guess of US or west,
Speaker 3: and then to the south of US is Plymouth County
Speaker 3: well as Bristol County, so we're kind of locked in
Speaker 3: the middle. But Norfolk County is considered kind of a
Speaker 3: medium sized county in Massachusetts. We have about seven hundred
Speaker 3: and sixty thousand residents in this county, so it's definitely different.
Speaker 2: So that's good size county, that's sure. Okay. So first
Speaker 2: question is what are the are the commonalities that and
Speaker 2: both of you can answer this in any order that
Speaker 2: you like. What are the commonalities do you think that
Speaker 2: each of your counties are dealing with in terms of
Speaker 2: prison population, crime, you know, problems at the top of
Speaker 2: the list that each of you are dealing with again,
Speaker 2: different circumstances geographically, perhaps different circumstances, different situations demographically, but
Speaker 2: what are the commonalities? Is it all? Is it always
Speaker 2: going to be drugs that's going to be the driving
Speaker 2: force for your clientele?
Speaker 3: Well, I could probably say Dan Sheriff McDermott here that
Speaker 3: you know, the there's commonalities across all of our county,
Speaker 3: throughout the Commonwealth, and certainly sheriffs have a predominant as
Speaker 3: a primary role of care and custody of inmates justice
Speaker 3: involved individuals that are serving up to two and a
Speaker 3: half years in the House of Correction or awaiting pre trial.
Speaker 3: But when it comes to offenders that are in our
Speaker 3: respective jurisdiction, one of the challenges of many, but the
Speaker 3: biggest one is the fact that we do have on average,
Speaker 3: you know, sixty five seventy percent of our individuals and
Speaker 3: custody or having a diagnosable substance use or mental health disorder.
Speaker 3: I think that's something that is significantly different than it
Speaker 3: was about twenty thirty years ago, you know, when crime
Speaker 3: was still crime. But I think the population that we're
Speaker 3: serving is a little bit more complex than it was
Speaker 3: back in the day, but across the board, across the commonwealth,
Speaker 3: that's a big challenge for sheriffs as well as members
Speaker 3: of the Department of Corrections who are challenged with, you know,
Speaker 3: the care and custod of these men and women who
Speaker 3: are largely going through a lot of a lot of
Speaker 3: significant trauma and problems which caused the criminal behavior in
Speaker 3: the first place. It gets them jammed up into the
Speaker 3: criminal justice system.
Speaker 2: Sure ball of similar situation out there are a little
Speaker 2: different in any respect, No, it's.
Speaker 4: About the same. We have. You know, about eighty five
Speaker 4: percent of of our justice involved individuals are you know,
Speaker 4: have a substitute disorder. Probably about seventy four percent are
Speaker 4: dealing with mental health challenges as well. You know, we
Speaker 4: deal with the individuals that we deal with. We find
Speaker 4: that and keep in mind in not everybody that comes
Speaker 4: to our facilities at the direction of the courts are
Speaker 4: all bad people. They've just made some bad choices and so,
Speaker 4: but we deal with we have people with a lack
Speaker 4: of education, the mental health challenges, medical challenge. We have
Speaker 4: seen the chronic disease or sickness or is skyrocketed from
Speaker 4: even when I started fourteen years ago. People that are
Speaker 4: coming to our facilities. Are are you know, more sick
Speaker 4: than they were years ago. So that presents a big,
Speaker 4: big challenge economically or financially for our office, in a
Speaker 4: strain in our medical medical health departments as well.
Speaker 2: I should also mention, if I'm not mistaken, that this
Speaker 2: is a period this week of awareness. Mental health awareness
Speaker 2: is this month actually, and also this week we observed
Speaker 2: National Correction Officers Week. Next week is National Police Week,
Speaker 2: and of course later on this month we deal with
Speaker 2: Memorial Day and remembering those who who have served in uniform.
Speaker 2: And you know, we we forget sometimes the sacrifices that
Speaker 2: people make, both from the military but also from the
Speaker 2: law enforcement division. So that's why we're talking today. We
Speaker 2: have two sheriffs, the president of the Massachusetts Sheriff Association,
Speaker 2: Sheriff Patrick McDermott in Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Bowler. If
Speaker 2: you'd like to join and ask questions, you're welcome to
Speaker 2: join the conversation six one, seven, two, four ten thirty
Speaker 2: six seven nine three one ten thirty entertain calls. Again,
Speaker 2: I ask you to just keep it pretty much on topic.
Speaker 2: When I get back, I want to talk about a
Speaker 2: little bit about the challenges that you have in terms
Speaker 2: of the clientele. What percentage of the people who you're
Speaker 2: dealing with do you think really are looking to get
Speaker 2: their lives straightened out and get back on the straight
Speaker 2: and narrow, and what percentage cheff giving up whole? And
Speaker 2: how do you deal with and do you do you
Speaker 2: recognize that differences those differences amongst your population. We're back
Speaker 2: on Nightside. My name is Dan Ray. We're talking about
Speaker 2: crime and punishment. Really, crime and incarceration would be the
Speaker 2: way to talk about this hour tonight. Feel free to
Speaker 2: join us back on Nightside right after.
Speaker 1: This It's Night Side with Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2: With me are two sheriffs from Massachusetts, Norfolk County Sheriff
Speaker 2: Patrick McDermott and Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Boehler. And we
Speaker 2: will get to phone calls, and we have phone calls waiting,
Speaker 2: so I want to get to them fairly quickly. But
Speaker 2: I'd just like to finish up with a hot topic,
Speaker 2: and that is cooperating with the federal government. Federal government
Speaker 2: has changed. I know both of you are democratic officials.
Speaker 2: How can can either or both of you explain how
Speaker 2: this system should work when you have someone in custody
Speaker 2: that the federal government wants to to get in contact
Speaker 2: with or take custody off. I'm sure you're not putting
Speaker 2: up roadblocks, but what did the Feds have to do
Speaker 2: and what are they not doing that is that's causing
Speaker 2: a lot of the controversies.
Speaker 3: Well, you know, this has been something that we've dealt with.
Speaker 3: You know, with the change of administration comes with change
Speaker 3: of policies or more aggressive policies, as we've seen in
Speaker 3: Massachusetts in terms of the ramp up towards ICE and
Speaker 3: you know, we're working towards you know, you know, illegal immigration.
Speaker 3: So the Massachusetts Sheriffs are kind of on the forefront
Speaker 3: of this. You know, we've been having discussions with ICE
Speaker 3: and with with with folks in the federal government about
Speaker 3: the difference with Massachusetts law. And you know, the Massachusetts
Speaker 3: Sheriffs pointed out that the Supreme Judicial Court in twenty
Speaker 3: seventeen ruled that it is unlawful for the state and
Speaker 3: local law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts to detain anybody solely
Speaker 3: on the basis of the US immigrations and a Customs
Speaker 3: enforcement detainer beyond the time that that individual would otherwise
Speaker 3: be entitled to be released from our custody. So if
Speaker 3: an individual is coming up on release, we do have
Speaker 3: ongoing discussions with ICE. When an ICE attention comes in,
Speaker 3: we do notify that the ICE representatives they come in.
Speaker 3: They will often interview the people that are in our custody,
Speaker 3: but it's the ICE obligation to make sure that they're
Speaker 3: in the facility. When those individuals are preparing to be released,
Speaker 3: we're not allowed to hold on to them any longer
Speaker 3: than they ought to be. So it really is somewhat
Speaker 3: in the past that's been a big disconnect with ICE.
Speaker 3: We've had documentation in the Norfolk Sheriff's Office where ICE
Speaker 3: has been contacted and specifically we have been told we're
Speaker 3: not coming to get the individual. So the head that
Speaker 3: are disconnect in the past think that because of the
Speaker 3: more ramped up, you know, efforts by ICE, there's a
Speaker 3: lot more activity going on within our local jail system
Speaker 3: and the Massachusetts sheriffs will uphold the law. That is
Speaker 3: our obligation, and we will make sure we're upholding Massachusetts law,
Speaker 3: and we are happy to cooperate and work with ICE,
Speaker 3: but we will not violate the oaths of office we
Speaker 3: took to uphold the Massachusetts laws.
Speaker 2: Now, sheriffmcdermott, I believe I recognize your voice. You recently
Speaker 2: went to Washington, as I understand, and actually met with
Speaker 2: the new Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the new head
Speaker 2: of the FBI, Cash Ptel. Correct.
Speaker 3: Correct, And you know I said, you know, with all
Speaker 3: the politics that surrounds yeah, you know, the Trump administration
Speaker 3: and Massachusetts being kind of a targeted state, and there
Speaker 3: are targeted states relative to those that don't necessarily see
Speaker 3: IDI with the new administration, my attitude and as sheriffs,
Speaker 3: and I think sure if Fola would share this with me,
Speaker 3: And you know, we're both members of national organizations of
Speaker 3: sheriffs from across the county the country. You know, when
Speaker 3: you take the oath of office as a sheriff and
Speaker 3: you put a badge on your chest, politics really kind
Speaker 3: of goes by a little bit of a wayside. We
Speaker 3: actually just look towards public safety issues. So my obligation,
Speaker 3: you know, as a president of the Massachusetts Sheriff as
Speaker 3: just the sheriff, you know, I need to be in
Speaker 3: the arena if I'm going to do battle. But I
Speaker 3: needed to see to I with Attorney General BONDI with
Speaker 3: the FBI Director Cash Bettel. I've met with Secretary of
Speaker 3: Education Lynda McMahon on some of the problems with grants.
Speaker 3: So we need to be as as Teddy Roosevelt talked
Speaker 3: about the man in the arena, if you're going to
Speaker 3: at least have of debates and articulate and argument, you've
Speaker 3: got to be where you know the debate is, and
Speaker 3: that's going to be in Washington, d C. And I
Speaker 3: intend to spend a lot of time down there just
Speaker 3: kind of educating Washington bureaucrats about what we're doing in Massachusetts,
Speaker 3: on all the great things we're doing, but also letting
Speaker 3: them know that we're just not going to be necessarily
Speaker 3: bullied by statements by federal officials about how we should
Speaker 3: handle things in Massachusetts.
Speaker 2: How do you balance that off with US versus Arizona
Speaker 2: the twenty eleven decision, which basically said that federal immigration
Speaker 2: law preempts the immigration law nationally. That was the case
Speaker 2: where the governor of Arizona, Republican governor Governor Brewer, decided
Speaker 2: she wanted to have stricter immigration enforcement than was being
Speaker 2: utilized by the Obama administration back in twenty ten, and
Speaker 2: Supreme Court basically ruled, hey, the FED set immigration law,
Speaker 2: their word was preempted. Now, I don't know how you
Speaker 2: reconcile that decision with the Lun decision. Is it kind
Speaker 2: of puts I think Massachusetts sheriffs in a difficult, awkward position.
Speaker 2: Or am I misreading one or both of those cases.
Speaker 3: The Arizona case was twenty twelve. I believe with the
Speaker 3: Supreme Court ruling says states cannot enforce federal law, we
Speaker 3: we won't be enforcing federal law. Lun just simply your
Speaker 3: firms that we can't do ICE enforcement outside of what
Speaker 3: and then we get into the weeds with a formal
Speaker 3: contract with ICE, which is under this much know as
Speaker 3: the two eighty seven gen contract. And there is always,
Speaker 3: as you know, Dan, and you know, as both of
Speaker 3: us are lawyers, you know, there's there's consistently conflicts of
Speaker 3: law that come up, and there's usually those particular matters
Speaker 3: that that settle things a little bit differently in states.
Speaker 3: By states, you'll oftentimes have different outlooks as to how
Speaker 3: laws can be enforced. And you know, we've never had
Speaker 3: Arizona come down in the twenty twelve case, and it
Speaker 3: was discussed in the twenty seventeen case in Lun. But
Speaker 3: that's the case as far as we're concerned in Massachusetts
Speaker 3: that we are obligated to follow.
Speaker 2: So you you follow Lun is what I'm hearing you say. Correct, correct,
Speaker 2: But you know as well as I do that in
Speaker 2: recent memory, going back to fifty seven in Arkansas with
Speaker 2: Governor Farbas and President Eisenhower, those cases involved desegregation cases
Speaker 2: where Arkansas and eventually Alabama two were forced rightfully so
Speaker 2: to integrate their school systems. They said that they had
Speaker 2: state laws in their states which we were in conflict
Speaker 2: with the federal law, and the federal law tends to prevail.
Speaker 2: It's going to be interesting to see how how this
Speaker 2: all works out. You guys are in a tough spot,
Speaker 2: no question about it, and they don't envy your position.
Speaker 2: But both of you, I think understand the circumstances and
Speaker 2: the concern that people have with people who are here illegally,
Speaker 2: who have committed some pretty serious crimes. I got to
Speaker 2: take a break, Sheriff Buller. We're going to get your
Speaker 2: take on that as well.
Speaker 4: Well.
Speaker 2: We'll get to phone calls along the way as well.
Speaker 2: We'll got a quick news break here at the bottom
Speaker 2: of the hour. We the only line open right now.
Speaker 2: We get two lines at six, one, seven, two, five, four,
Speaker 2: ten thirty. I'm going to ask everyone when you do call,
Speaker 2: please be polite. Ask whatever questions you want, but again,
Speaker 2: don't need to make speeches, just just simple direct questions
Speaker 2: and they will give you direct These these two gentlemen,
Speaker 2: I think are very capable of giving direct answers as
Speaker 2: you've just seen. We'll be back on Night's Side right
Speaker 2: after this.
Speaker 1: It's Night Side with Dan Ray on w B Boston's
Speaker 1: news radio.
Speaker 2: Welcome back everyone. We're talking with the two Massachusetts sheriff's
Speaker 2: tonight in Norfolk County, Patrick McDermott, Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas
Speaker 2: Bohler Shreff Bowler.
Speaker 5: You didn't get a chance to comment on how you
Speaker 5: deal with immigration issues, and certainly in the context of
Speaker 5: yous versus Arizona and the lung lung decision, which seemed
Speaker 5: to me to be have some inherent contradictions between the
Speaker 5: two of them.
Speaker 2: Do you want to comment on what the status is
Speaker 2: out in Berkshire County?
Speaker 4: Sure, I go along with what Sheriff McDermott has stated earlier,
Speaker 4: we have always worked with ICE in the past. We've
Speaker 4: had incidents as well where we've notified ICE on certain
Speaker 4: individuals that they've had detainers on and we basically put
Speaker 4: the onus back onto ICE whether they want to pick
Speaker 4: these individuals pick them up or not. We have had
Speaker 4: in the past where they never showed up. Recently, obviously
Speaker 4: with this new administration, they seem to be following up
Speaker 4: on a lot of the individuals that we call them on.
Speaker 4: And of course we don't have a lot up here
Speaker 4: in Berkshire County, but we've had a couple here and there.
Speaker 4: But basically what Patrick mcdervis, we follow the law and
Speaker 4: we work with our law enforcement partners in this, and
Speaker 4: I think it's very important that we continue to have
Speaker 4: a good positive dialogue and relationship with them when it
Speaker 4: comes to the public safety issues with this. You know,
Speaker 4: we will not hold anybody on just a detainer. The
Speaker 4: only way we would hold somebody if there is a
Speaker 4: judicial warrant UH or a judicial warrant from signed by
Speaker 4: a federal judge that would allow us to keep somebody
Speaker 4: beyond their detainer. But as far as the detainers go,
Speaker 4: we notify ICE as we always do, and put the
Speaker 4: onus back on them whether they show up for the
Speaker 4: release or not.
Speaker 2: So what I'm hearing you saying, if I'm incorrect, please
Speaker 2: correct me that during the the Biden years, if you will,
Speaker 2: the attitude of ICE seems to be a little bit different.
Speaker 2: You know, we have a deputy director, Tom Lyons from
Speaker 2: todd Lyons excuse me, Tom Lyons the Sun from from
Speaker 2: the Boston area, and they're a little bit more aggressive.
Speaker 2: It sounds to me like they're moving more quickly. When
Speaker 2: you notify that you have someone in your custody for
Speaker 2: whom they have a detainer, you're not going to hold
Speaker 2: them for three weeks or two weeks or a week
Speaker 2: for that matter. But it sounds to me like the
Speaker 2: Trump administration's ICE are a little more aggressive in terms
Speaker 2: of moving quickly then the the Biden administration was. Is
Speaker 2: what I'm hearing you say. If I'm missing that, please
Speaker 2: correct me.
Speaker 4: Well, it's not so much. The Biden administration was also
Speaker 4: even prior to the Biden administration, So it just seems
Speaker 4: with this new administration that that things have obviously ramped
Speaker 4: up a little bit. But we still we still follow
Speaker 4: you know, we follow our law here. If it's a detainer,
Speaker 4: which is just a simple request from an ICE agent
Speaker 4: to hold somebody, we do not have the authority to
Speaker 4: do that. So we put the onus back on ICE.
Speaker 4: If we notify them the individual could be getting released,
Speaker 4: either either from court or from our facility, then we
Speaker 4: notify them with ample time so that they can arrive
Speaker 4: and then you know, take that person to custody.
Speaker 2: Right. So it sounds to me what I'm hearing you're
Speaker 2: saying if I'm wrong here, please, I don't want to
Speaker 2: put words in your mouth. Is that ICE at this
Speaker 2: point will move as quickly as they can, depending upon
Speaker 2: the individual, depending upon their their availability of personnel, with
Speaker 2: a little bit more alacrity than you were seeing with
Speaker 2: the ICE that was functioning under the Binding administration. That's
Speaker 2: I'm just trying to make I'm trying to understand that
Speaker 2: to be really honest with you, because if it's changed
Speaker 2: a little bit, it's a change. You're following the same
Speaker 2: pattern and procedure, and ICE is being a little more
Speaker 2: responsive under this administration or under this administration of ICE. Correct, fair, okay, am,
Speaker 2: i We're on the same page. I just want to
Speaker 2: make sure we're on the same page. I don't want
Speaker 2: to put words in anyone's mouth misleads you. I want
Speaker 2: to understand it better because, frankly, it's one of the
Speaker 2: advantages of doing a show like this is I can
Speaker 2: talk to and my listeners can hear from folks who
Speaker 2: are in positions of authority, like both you, Sheriff McDermot
Speaker 2: and Sheriff Bowler. Which Bowler, which is really important for
Speaker 2: us to hear. Let's get to some phone calls if
Speaker 2: if you gentlemen are ready, I'm gonna go to Jason,
Speaker 2: Jason and Walt Walthy. Jason, you were first tonight with
Speaker 2: the two Massachusetts sheriffs, Patrick McDermott of Norfolk County and
Speaker 2: Thomas Bohler of Berkshire County.
Speaker 6: Go right ahead, Jason, Yes, thank you for taking out call,
Speaker 6: and thank you John Man for being on the show tonight.
Speaker 6: I got a question. I'm futuntly. Unfortunately, I have a
Speaker 6: history of being a guest in your houses, not particularly well.
Speaker 2: Well put, Jason, Jason, well put nicely put go right ahead.
Speaker 3: Now.
Speaker 6: No, not specifically Norfolk or Baksha, but in Atlanta. Full
Speaker 6: Thin County, copp County in bear Rica. But I know
Speaker 6: it's a difference. In Joja, we don't have no tablets.
Speaker 6: But when I came to bear Rica, when I was
Speaker 6: a guest in bear Rica a few times for free,
Speaker 6: they got tablets. I'm like, what's the state wasting money
Speaker 6: on the tablets? All these inmates walking around listening to music.
Speaker 6: So when I was against in Capp County, I was
Speaker 6: able to complete a semester at a graduate degree. I
Speaker 6: was able to contact my professors, the Senema, teast books,
Speaker 6: the Sendema my curriculum, and I was able to complete
Speaker 6: a semester. So I spent most of my time fixing
Speaker 6: my credit writing creditors. So I was just very focused.
Speaker 6: I didn't I didn't want to become a part of that.
Speaker 6: I was in there because I made a bad decision.
Speaker 6: But anyway, come to bear Ricords, they got tablets. Even
Speaker 6: Souftfolk got tablets. I don't know if you guys got
Speaker 6: tablets in Norfolk and Baksher, But I'm like, instead of
Speaker 6: spending money those kinds of things, why not start up
Speaker 6: programs to help these inmates. Granted there's a lot of
Speaker 6: programs drug rehabs, a meetings. But most of these inmates
Speaker 6: they come out, they don't got no financial litistry, they
Speaker 6: ain't got no education. They could get a ged years granted,
Speaker 6: but when they come out, they're gonna make me my wage?
Speaker 6: How do they gonna support their lives? So don't they
Speaker 6: don't end up in the same lifestyle that got me
Speaker 6: in that place to begin with. Right, So I offered
Speaker 6: to go in there and teach these people because I
Speaker 6: made by decisions. But now I run my own self
Speaker 6: a multi million dollar real estate company, and I've been
Speaker 6: not guessing you guys h households or hotels for freeing
Speaker 6: multiple occasions, I'll say more than fifteen times. But I
Speaker 6: changed my life around.
Speaker 2: Right Jason, Jason, congratulations, congratulations for what you have done.
Speaker 2: Let me get one of both of the sheriffs to
Speaker 2: respond to your suggestions, which to me are pretty solid.
Speaker 2: And I'm so happy you listen to Night Side. Uh
Speaker 2: You're You're a credit to my audience. Thank you for
Speaker 2: for succeeding.
Speaker 6: I want to I just want to one more, one
Speaker 6: more thing, five seconds, five seconds. I volunteer to go
Speaker 6: to bear Rica to offer my services how to teach
Speaker 6: them financial real esty, how to put their life together,
Speaker 6: to connect their dats, to change and mindset. You know what,
Speaker 6: it told me, you have a criminal rate. I don't
Speaker 6: got no failing these, but it told me you're not
Speaker 6: welcome coming in here and offer your services. So how
Speaker 6: can I somebody who been in their shoes come and
Speaker 6: help because creditbility is not dead. Most of the people
Speaker 6: that go before this inmates, they don't have no credit buility,
Speaker 6: never been in jail. They don't know how it's like
Speaker 6: to be an inmate. Them stuff. I've been in the shoes,
Speaker 6: so I have the credibility to tell them what it's
Speaker 6: like to become an eMate, to become my self employed
Speaker 6: and employee and put your life together.
Speaker 2: That's my question, Jason, Jason hold On, I want to
Speaker 2: hear from the sheriffs, and I'm going to make a
Speaker 2: suggestion if you don't mind, go ahead. Whoever wants to
Speaker 2: take this first, Sheriff Bowl or Sheriff mcjermalth.
Speaker 4: Sure again, this is Sheriff Bowler Jason. First of all,
Speaker 4: congratulations and turning your life around. You know, we do
Speaker 4: use tablets for a variety of things. We also use
Speaker 4: tablets are using our educational programs that we have at
Speaker 4: our facility. But you talk about the financial literacy, and
Speaker 4: I also agree with you that some of the best
Speaker 4: mentors are those who've experienerience these uh these challenges like
Speaker 4: yourself in the past, and we utilize those mentors in
Speaker 4: our Second Street Second Chance program, that's our re entry program,
Speaker 4: and those of those we utilize those individuals to help
Speaker 4: guide and instruct those who have gone through this in
Speaker 4: the past to help others so that they can find
Speaker 4: that straight and that straight and positive pathway to success.
Speaker 4: But inside, you know, inside our facility, we use the
Speaker 4: tablets for all sorts of educational programs. We have financial
Speaker 4: literacy individuals that come in and explain things to our
Speaker 4: to our individuals, our justice uh uh involved individuals. So
Speaker 4: there's a lot of programs and things we do to
Speaker 4: create the resources, to give the resources inside our facility.
Speaker 4: But then we enhance that even more out when they
Speaker 4: when they're released through our re entry programs and we
Speaker 4: guide these and navigate these individuals through all the challenges
Speaker 4: that they'll face. Educational we set up with educational programs
Speaker 4: like yourself where you went back to school. We do housing,
Speaker 4: we do employment, we do financial literacy programs, educational programs
Speaker 4: with our Berkshire Community College that's up here in Pittsfield.
Speaker 4: So we do have those programs available. It's unfortunate that
Speaker 4: maybe on the state side that they don't. But that's
Speaker 4: the beauty of being the House of Corrections, so and
Speaker 4: being community oriented and involved in our community that we
Speaker 4: have those resources, we're able to provide those resources to
Speaker 4: our individuals.
Speaker 2: Jeff mc dumott.
Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, we Masters of Sheriff's across the board
Speaker 3: are leading the corrections industry nationally in terms of programming
Speaker 3: and how we address corrections in the twenty first century.
Speaker 3: And it really starts with a very simple phrase of
Speaker 3: re entry begins on day one. You know, when people
Speaker 3: come into our facilities in the House of Correction, we're
Speaker 3: immediately getting involved with who they are, what they're where
Speaker 3: they are, what keeped them into the prison system in
Speaker 3: the first place. And a lot of times it's based
Speaker 3: upon education and Jason, congratulations, we make sure that people
Speaker 3: get an education while they're incarcerated at the very basics
Speaker 3: their ged I know, in Norfork County we had partnerships
Speaker 3: with Boston College, Massassonia Community College, Mite. You can get
Speaker 3: educational credits in MIT at the Norfolk County House of Correction.
Speaker 3: Those tablets provide enormous opportunity for us to share resources
Speaker 3: with those people that are incarcerated so that they can
Speaker 3: be a step above when they get ready to go
Speaker 3: out into the community. And shaff Bohler and I both
Speaker 3: as well as many of the shriff's around the commonwealth,
Speaker 3: we believe that there needs to be a continuum of care,
Speaker 3: not just that starts in day one of incarceration, but
Speaker 3: continues post incarceration. That's why Seriff Fola has his program,
Speaker 3: the Second Street Program, and in North Fork County we
Speaker 3: call it the Hope Center. And when people come out
Speaker 3: of they're introduced with rehiny specialists within seventy two hours,
Speaker 3: and they're immediately hooked up with people on the outside
Speaker 3: that can help them reintegrate into the community, because that's
Speaker 3: what it comes down to, a better chance for them,
Speaker 3: but also a great chance for the community to be
Speaker 3: a safer place for them as well as the community members.
Speaker 2: Sheriff McDermand, I don't want to put you on the
Speaker 2: spot here, but would do you think it would be
Speaker 2: at all helpful if Jason wanted to leave his number
Speaker 2: with my producer that maybe someone from the Sheriff's Association
Speaker 2: could call him and see if he could perhaps, I
Speaker 2: don't know, do some work within the system which would
Speaker 2: help some other inmates, or is that something that would
Speaker 2: be beyond where you would be able to go.
Speaker 3: That would be fantastic because, as Sheriff Foller said, and
Speaker 3: I agree with them, because I have at least two,
Speaker 3: maybe three instructors in the Norfolk Sheriff's Office who are
Speaker 3: formally incarcerated individuals. I agree with Jason. They can talk
Speaker 3: with the people on the inside. They will as much
Speaker 3: as I want them to listen to me. They'd much
Speaker 3: rather hear from Jason and his success stories because that.
Speaker 2: Would be good. He let's do this, Jason, would you
Speaker 2: be willing to leave your phone number and someone from
Speaker 2: Sheriff McDermott's office, he is the president of the Sheriff's Association,
Speaker 2: try to work something out with you where maybe you
Speaker 2: could help people again. Whatever deal you work out, that's
Speaker 2: between you and them. So you want to leave your
Speaker 2: phone number with my producer and he will give it
Speaker 2: to Sheriff McDermott and hopefully someone will get in touch
Speaker 2: with you before the week is out. Is that? Okay? Yes?
Speaker 3: Sure?
Speaker 6: And one more last thing right the programs. That's great,
Speaker 6: but the thing is though, right, just like being in jail,
Speaker 6: you may have a case work up, but he got
Speaker 6: out of out of inmates, right, you may see him
Speaker 6: once a month, the same thing that happens when this
Speaker 6: inmates ruler.
Speaker 2: Jason. Let me do this because I'm Jason, I'm way
Speaker 2: past my time, and I got a bunch of other
Speaker 2: commercials and calls I got to get to. I would
Speaker 2: really appreciate it. Leave your phone number with Rob, my producer.
Speaker 2: He will pass that number on to Sheriff McDermott and
Speaker 2: I'm sure Share mcdermmer will follow through and they'll have
Speaker 2: someone get leave a daytime phone number so they can
Speaker 2: reach it during the day, and let's see what they
Speaker 2: work out. No promise is made in advance, but you
Speaker 2: never know. It might lead to something that's beneficial to you,
Speaker 2: to inmates and to the Sheriff's department.
Speaker 6: Okay, I thank you so much.
Speaker 2: Hang on, give Rob that number. Gentlemen. I'm we passed
Speaker 2: my break here, so I got to take a quick
Speaker 2: commercial break. Try to get a couple more phone calls in.
Speaker 2: I thought that was an interesting phone call, and I
Speaker 2: think it's just one of those opportunities that you got
Speaker 2: to feel your way through. Sheriff mcderbith, thanks for being
Speaker 2: open to the suggestion. I appreciate it very much. We'll
Speaker 2: take a quick quick break and we will get you
Speaker 2: that phone number from Rob when we finished at ten
Speaker 2: o'clock back on night side right after this.
Speaker 1: You're on night Side with Dan Ray on waz Boston's
Speaker 1: news radio.
Speaker 2: All right, we're tight on time. I'm going to go
Speaker 2: to Caitlin Is in Quincy. Caitlin, you're next on Nightside.
Speaker 2: I know you've waited a long time.
Speaker 7: Go right ahead, Hi, I'm looking to talk with the
Speaker 7: sheriffs about the affordable camps that they have for kids
Speaker 7: across the state. I'm looking to see who's eligible. I'm wondering,
Speaker 7: what's it like. Is it like dare from when I
Speaker 7: was a kid? Insight on programming? How to sign up?
Speaker 2: Okay, Shreff Bullet, you want to take this one for us?
Speaker 4: The which camps are those for the for youth camps?
Speaker 7: Yeah, the youth camps, the sheriff's camps across the state.
Speaker 7: I've heard of some neighbors kids going. I just like
Speaker 7: similar information. I'll what to expect and how to get
Speaker 7: my kids involved.
Speaker 3: So maybe Dan, because Caitlin's from Quinsy, we'll go to
Speaker 3: the home ahead We've got, you know, in Norfolk County,
Speaker 3: we've got our Youth Leadership Academy that is a popular
Speaker 3: summer youth leadership camp that is for kids from ages
Speaker 3: ten to fourteen. That's going to be that's currently being
Speaker 3: offered from June sixteenth through August fifteenth, and that's right
Speaker 3: our Branch Republic Safety Complex. Great opportunity for kids to
Speaker 3: get together to challenge themselves on leadership skills as well
Speaker 3: as good team building and creative goal setting and allows
Speaker 3: people to even take to take a little risk on
Speaker 3: going up on our ropes course. We've had twenty thousand
Speaker 3: kids go through that camp who have consistently come out
Speaker 3: loving every minute of it, making vifelong friends. And that's
Speaker 3: in brain Tree. Norfolk County also has a Medway Youth
Speaker 3: Leadership Academy, So anybody interested can go to our website
Speaker 3: Norfolk Sheriff dot Com go to our Youth Leadership Camp
Speaker 3: page get all the information you can register your kids,
Speaker 3: and it's very affordable and we're happy, but we also
Speaker 3: don't want any kid left out, and we try to
Speaker 3: make spots available, so we don't want finances to hold
Speaker 3: you back either.
Speaker 2: All right, sounds great, DABLET hope that helps.
Speaker 3: Thanks, dam You're welcome.
Speaker 2: All right, I'm going to try. We only have a
Speaker 2: little bit more than a minute and a half left
Speaker 2: if I'm reading it correctly, Mike and Newton, can you
Speaker 2: do something with this in a real brief period of time.
Speaker 2: You've only been on a few minutes, so I'm not
Speaker 2: I'm not guilty asking you to be quick, go right ahead.
Speaker 3: No, wait'll be really quick.
Speaker 4: Well up in their facility?
Speaker 3: Are they going to uh be treated?
Speaker 2: We're not going to the read case. Simple, simple as that. Mike.
Speaker 2: It's it's out of bounds. I'll rule it irrelevant. I'm
Speaker 2: sorry about that, gentlemen. Thank you very much for you.
Speaker 2: I run a tight ship, guys. I want you to
Speaker 2: know that.
Speaker 3: Okay, Mike, we definitely know that. Dad.
Speaker 2: Uh First of all, Sheriff McDermott, I do hope that
Speaker 2: you get an opportunity to have someone on your staff
Speaker 2: get in touch with Jason. He sounded to me the
Speaker 2: real deal, and it sounds like he's just dying to
Speaker 2: give back. So thank you for your time tonight. Thank
Speaker 2: you for dealing with some tough questions. Sure if Buller
Speaker 2: never had a chance to deal with you before, but
Speaker 2: you have impressed me. Both of you have impressed me.
Speaker 2: I thank you both for your time tonight, and uh
Speaker 2: and I thank you again on behalf of all my
Speaker 2: listeners for what you do every day, every day. Thank
Speaker 2: you both so much.
Speaker 4: Thanks for having us Dan.
Speaker 3: I appreciate it, great pleasure.
Speaker 2: Welcome, gentlemen, we'll talk again. Okay, thanks very much. All Right,
Speaker 2: we are done for now. When we get back, we're
Speaker 2: going to talk about Donald Trump. He met today with
Speaker 2: the Prime Minister of Canada, the new guy, Mark Carney.
Speaker 2: It was interesting and we are going to have some
Speaker 2: fun with this. I actually think, uh, and you may
Speaker 2: agree or disagree with me, but I actually think that
Speaker 2: Donald Trump is having a ball trolling people over Alcatraz
Speaker 2: and Canada. And then he may be a little more
Speaker 2: sophisticated on Canada than we're giving him credit for. We
Speaker 2: will see. So what we'll do is we'll take a
Speaker 2: quick break here. Well, thank you again, Our guest Norfolk
Speaker 2: County Sheriff Patrick McDermott and Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Bohler,
Speaker 2: and the callers Mike and Newton. I just hope you
Speaker 2: understand the read cases not something either of them are
Speaker 2: dealing with directly, and I just did not want to
Speaker 2: put anybody on the spot unnecessarily. I appreciate your effort,
Speaker 2: but I had to issue that ruling irrelevant in the
Speaker 2: court of public opinion, at least in terms of tonight's
Speaker 2: subject at hand. We'll take a break. Here comes the
Speaker 2: ten o'clock news. The Red Sox are losing six' to
Speaker 2: one to those Pesky Texas. Rangers coming back On night's.
Speaker 2: Side