A clear, fair process
Dear Editor:
Over the last few weeks, I’ve had some great conversations with Middlesex County Police Chiefs about the collaboration between law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office. Over the course of my career, I have worked closely with law enforcement partners at homicide scenes, in the courtroom, and developing and implementing training programs. I have a deep respect for our public officials who work tirelessly to keep our community safe.
At the same time, I strongly believe that there is an urgent need to implement a process for investigating officer-involved use of force with independence, transparency, and professional competence. Officer-involved shootings and use of force incidents are fortunately rare in Middlesex County. However, it is of the utmost importance to have a system in place for dealing with these cases when they occur. Currently, there is no such system in place at the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.
The absence of a clear, fair process for investigation became painfully clear during recent cases, such as the shooting in Reading earlier this year as well as the violent arrest of a Harvard student in Cambridge. There are no public protocols or guidelines describing the process, and there is no open communication with the media and the public. I want to change that. I will make sure that the District Attorney’s Office is equipped to deal with cases of officer-involved use of force in a way that promotes transparency and justice.
I’m running in the September 4th Democratic primary election to lead a DA’s office that promotes safety, integrity, and social justice. One of my first acts as DA will be to create a Professional Integrity and Ethics Bureau to ensure ethical prosecutions and to review and investigate claims of misuse of funds or use of force by law enforcement and other public officials. The Bureau will focus on the professional integrity of law enforcement, public officials, and the DA’s Office. Through the Bureau, I will implement a defined protocol for investigating use of force incidents and officer-involved shootings with accountability and transparency. The Bureau will support professional development through the Training Unit, which will develop training programs for both prosecutors and our law enforcement partners.
The same skills that allowed me to develop a successful Conviction Integrity Unit in the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office will serve me well in establishing a Public Integrity Bureau in the Middlesex County DA’s office. Middlesex County needs a District Attorney who is committed to delivering justice with integrity. I look forward to listening to you on the campaign trail and seeing you at the polls on September 4th. I invite you to get in touch with my campaign at 857-529-7081 or to visit www.donna4da.com to learn more about my vision for a bold, progressive leadership in the DA’s office.
Donna Patalano
District Attorney candidate
CITY OF EVERETT HOLDS SUCCESSFUL INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION
Dear Editor,
I want to give a big thanks to everyone who attended the City of Everett’s Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 7th. We welcomed a crowd of over 7,000 people to Glendale Park to enjoy a day of food, activities, entertainment, and a grand finale fireworks show. All of the City workers and volunteers did an amazing job. I know they all appreciated having so many residents come out to join in the fun. It made all of the hard work worth every minute.
For the second year in a row, I was really excited to see fireworks for our Independence Day Celebration. They were pretty spectacular and I am glad we were able to continue this tradition in our community. I am happy that people from all over came and visited Everett and shared in the excitement and celebration of all that Everett is and is becoming.
Community celebrations, such as this one, are one of the reasons why Everett was named one of the top ten places to live in Massachusetts. Everett is a place where we live, work, and celebrate together. Our community is so alive and vibrant. As Mayor, it has always been important for me to make sure that my administration offers a variety of programs, events, and opportunities for our residents and I greatly appreciate that so many people come out to enjoy these programs.
On behalf of all our residents, I would also like to thank all the community organizations that helped sponsor this year’s event, as well as all of our other activities. Without their help we would not be able to provide all that we do for our residents. Thank you to Wheelabrator, Schnitzer, Kelley & Ryan Associates, Stateline Graphics, Paul W. Marks, Everett Bank, The Square Deli, Senior Whole Health, The Collins Family, RCN, Century Bank, KP Law, Honda Cars of Boston, Unibank, Beta Group Inc, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Rocco Funeral Home, Senator Sal DiDomenico, State Representative Joe McGonagle, Everett City Council, Councilor John Hanlon, GerlyAdrien, Restaurant Depot, McKinnon’s, Piantedosi’s, Home Depot, Market Basket, Kayem Foods, xfinity, Stop & Shop.
Mayor Carlo DeMaria