Plymouth County Sheriff's Department

Press Release Archive

Trees and Holiday Trimmings at County Farm
December 5, 2008

PLYMOUTH— Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. has news for county residents as they get ready for the holiday season.

Christmas tree sales at the County Farm are underway.

“Shoppers can visit our petting zoo animals and also take advantage of extended hours for the holiday season, 8am to 8pm,”
Sheriff McDonald said.

Wreaths, kissing balls, poinsettias, amaryllis, and Christmas cactuses are on sale at the farm as well.

Farm proceeds fund rehabilitative and vocational programs for inmates at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility.

Find the farm off Route 3, Exit 5 on Obery Street in Plymouth.

Sheriff’s Department Pitches In for Marshfield Kiwanis Christmas
November 26, 2008

MARSHFIELD- Sheriff McDonald, 50 Plymouth County deputy sheriffs and a hand full of inmates volunteer the day before Thanksgiving unloading Christmas Trees to be sold by the Marshfield Kiwanis Club at the Marshfield Fairgrounds. Club members say they appreciate the annual help from the young, strong crew. The scent from the fresh cut trees was overwhelming.

Click HERE to watch video on YouTube

Christmas Trees Arrive December 3rd
November 20, 2008

PLYMOUTH— Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. has news for county residents as they get ready for the holiday season.

Christmas tree sales at the County Farm begin on Wednesday, December 3.

“I realize some residents may want to get a jump on decorating. Please be aware that wreaths, poinsettias, and Christmas cactuses will arrive at the farm on November 26, the day before Thanksgiving,” the Sheriff said.

Shoppers can visit our petting zoo animals and also take advantage of extended hours for Christmas tree sales, 8am to 8pm starting December 3.

Farm proceeds fund rehabilitative and vocational programs for inmates at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility.

Find the farm off Route 3, Exit 5 on Obery Street in Plymouth.

Largest Class to Date Completes Sheriff’s Academy
November 10, 2008

PLYMOUTH— On Wednesday, November 5th, Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. congratulated 27 residents of Plymouth County for completing his third Citizen Sheriff’s Academy.

Sheriff McDonald thanked the citizens for taking an interest in the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, “I hope you will serve as informal ambassadors around the county; tell your friends and neighbors about the services coming from this department.”

Citizens toured the Plymouth County Correctional Facility and county farm as part of the 8-week course. The group also learned about criminal investigation, community and inmate programs as well as use of force.

At the end of the course, citizens reflecting on the academy noted the passion and commitment of each employee instructor exceeded their expectation.

Look for news of an upcoming Citizen Sheriff’s Academy in the spring.

Plymouth County to Graduate 28 Correction Officers
October 31, 2008

PLYMOUTH—On Halloween, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department will swear-in 28 Correction Officers during a graduation ceremony at Massasoit Community College in Brockton.

After 10 weeks of rigorous physical and classroom training, the newly trained COs are set to enter the ranks of the Plymouth County Correctional Facility.

“From over 400 applicants, we are down to the best of the best. They’ve earned solid jobs in this tight economy doing the toughest job in law enforcement,” Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. noted.

This is the fourth class of Correction Officers to graduate under Sheriff McDonald’s administration.

Senior Drill Instructor Lt. Dwayne Fortes says, “The group had an average confidence level three weeks in, but they put the puzzle together. They are now a unit with the ability to tackle any task in the field of corrections.”

The officers carry their class motto “Dare to Tread Where Others Have Failed” with them inside PCCF on their first day, this Saturday. Like classes before, they will aim to live up to that motto for the rest of their time in Plymouth.

Attendees of the graduation ceremony will hear from Sheriff McDonald, the Honorable Justice Paul C. Dawley and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz at 1:30pm on Friday, October 31st in the Buckley Center at Massasoit Community College in Brockton.

Sheriff Praises Conservation Agreement on Plymouth Co. Farm
October 27, 2008

L to R: Friends of the Farm representative Sam Bartlett, Sheriff McDonald, Plymouth Town Manager Mark Sylvia and Selectman Dick Quintal, Plymouth County Treasurer Tom O’Brien and Plymouth County Commission Chairman Jeffrey Welch at the farm for the conservation agreement ceremony.

PLYMOUTH— As Thanksgiving rolls around in America’s Hometown so does a new reason to give thanks. A 90-acre piece of Plymouth history is forever under conservancy.

The 90-acre parcel of land, known as the Plymouth County Farm and operated by the Sheriff’s Department, has been set aside as a living reminder of Plymouth’s agricultural heritage.

“Residents can expect to see our beef herd on the way to the Cape for a long time to come. Our petting zoo and greenhouse business will continue to thrive year round,” Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. said.

“The brilliance of the agreement,” Sheriff McDonald noted, “is that children visiting our petting zoo today will be able to bring their grandchildren years from now. I thank residents and my fellow Plymouth and county officials for making this happen.”

The farm has experienced a tremendous resurgence as a horticultural center and petting zoo under Sheriff McDonald, while at the same time serving as a vocational program for inmates housed at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility.

County and town officials held a ceremony Friday, October 24th at the farm on Obery Street to memorialize the preservation plan. McDonald plans to create a Citizens Advisory board in the near future to guide endeavors at the farm.

“There are many people concerned with the farm’s future; this committee will ensure town and county residents are represented.”

Harvest Festival 2008
October 04, 2008

PLYMOUTH- 1200 participants made the Harvest Festival at the Plymouth County Farm on October 4, 2008 a great success. Visitors shopped for mums and pumpkins, took hayrides around the 90-acre property, watched a reptile show and observed Mounted Unit and K-9 Unit demonstrations. Kids made pinwheel wind turbines thanks to our Plymouth South High School student partners and had the opportunity to create fingerprint identification kits with Plymouth County Deputies.

Plymouth County Farm to Host Harvest Festival
September 22, 2008

PLYMOUTH— Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. is inviting the public to the first Harvest Festival at the Plymouth County Farm on Saturday, October 4, 2008 from 10am to 2pm.

After tremendous success this spring with the department’s Arbor Day celebration, Sheriff McDonald and staff found a comparable fall celebration would be an appropriate way to show off this gem of a county resource.

“The farm will morph into a sort of pumpkin palooza on October 4th,” Sheriff McDonald explained.

“The day will showcase our mums, pumpkins, petting zoo animals and give families a chance to make memories watching canine and mounted unit demonstrations or just painting a pumpkin to take home.”

Deputies will be on hand to fingerprint children. Tours of the farm will be available as well as free t-shirts for kids while they last. Rainforest Reptiles of Beverly, MA will present a special show at 11am.

There is a new addition to the Petting Zoo this fall; a pair of alpacas has joined the herd of cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, rabbits, and mini horses. Though most of our petting zoo animals appreciate snacks, alpacas Dean and Sammy, are on strict diets.

Special event times:

Rainforest Reptile Show 11am

K-9 Demonstration 1pm

Find the farm off Rt. 3, exit 5 on Obery Street in Plymouth. The farm is open daily 8am to 4pm. There is a rain date of October 11th.

Summer Rain Yields Mighty Mums, Prime Pumpkins
on Plymouth County Farm
August 27, 2008

PLYMOUTH—16,000 hearty chrysanthemums are popping with color at the Plymouth County Farm, Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. has announced.

“We’ve been able to keep prices the same as last year while introducing new size planters, like window box mums,” McDonald said.

Deputy Farm Director, Ted DeCristofaro says it was an awesome growing season and sales are already underway, “all the rain and cool nights made for a nice growing season.”

DeCristofaro also noted the rain has pushed the pumpkins along; pumpkins will be on sale the second week of September.

Asters, kale, and gourds will be for sale in mid-September as well. Farm proceeds fund inmate rehabilitative programs at the Correctional Facility.

You can find the Plymouth County Horticultural Center and Petting Zoo on Obery Street, next to the new Plymouth County Trial Court in Plymouth. The farm is open 8am to 4pm, 7 days a week.

There’s a picnic area for families to have snacks or lunch and our petting zoo animals- pigs, goats, sheep, cows, rabbits, and chickens- always welcome visitors.

Check out more fall farm pictures HERE

PCCF Meets Stringent Standards
Receives Accreditation from American Correctional Association
August 20, 2008

PCCF Superintendent Brian Gillen [center] receives the accreditation certificate along with PCCF’s [L to R] ADS of Operations Stephen Ottino and Director of Program Management Paul Chiano.

PLYMOUTH— It’s a near perfect score for the Plymouth County Correctional Facility. At its annual conference in New Orleans this month, the American Correctional Association awarded accreditation to the Plymouth Jail and House of Correction.

PCCF scored 100 percent on the mandatory portion of ACA’s audit and 99 percent on the non-mandatory. The final point was deducted because standards call for larger cells.

“This is as close to perfect as this facility can get. I am exceeding proud of the entire staff; once again they’ve made me look good, this time on a national level. ACA does not take accreditation lightly,” Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. said.

Superintendent Brian Gillen calls the award validation PCCF is increasing the quality of care and confinement; “Bottom line- inmates and staff feel safe in an accredited facility.”

Also, winning high marks - the department’s commitment to security, recent expansion of the medical department and PCCF’s substance abuse and violence prevention immersion programs.

“ACA recognized our innovation. The association is clearly not seeing these programs from every facility,” Director of Programs Paul Chiano said.

ADS of Operations Stephen Ottino noted it’s gratifying to be recognized by ACA, “All the hard work becomes worth it.”

PCCF will be up for re-accreditation with ACA in 2011.

Sheriff McDonald Announces Fall Citizens Academy
August 4th 2008

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD APPLICATION

PLYMOUTH—Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. is offering a Citizen Sheriff’s Academy to county residents this fall.

The 8-week Academy starts on September 17th. Courses will be held Wednesdays at 6:30pm at Sheriff’s Headquarters.

Highlights of the Academy include: a tour of the Plymouth County Correctional Facility, a visit to the County Farm, a canine demonstration, lessons on criminal law and crime scene investigation.

All residents of Plymouth County, 18 and older, are eligible to participate. Applicants must submit to a background check.

Applications can be picked up at the Communications Center at Sheriff’s Headquarters, 24 Long Pond Road, Plymouth or downloaded at www.pcsdma.org by clicking on LATEST NEWS.

Return applications by September 2nd to:

Public Information Office
24 Long Pond Road
Plymouth, MA 02360
Call 508-830-6264 for more information.

Sheriff Supports Guard And Reserve
July 31st 2008

PLYMOUTH— On Thursday, Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. hosted a brief ceremony and luncheon to recognize department employees for their military service.

Sheriff McDonald signed a statement prepared by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve [ESGR] to affirm his commitment to those department employees and their military duties.

[L to R]: Officer Michael Kelley Bourne Police, County Commissioner Jeff Welch, Medical Officer Kevin Ardini, County Treasurer Tom O’Brien, Lt. Chuck Roth, Sheriff McDonald, Correction Officer Robert Lane, Senior PT Jason Tibbetts, and Correction Officer Thomas Kelley.

ESGR, a Department of Defense organization, has been promoting cooperation and understanding between employers and employees with military commitments since 1972. For more information on ESGR visit www.esgr.org.

Sheriff Completes FBI Leadership Academy
July 14, 2008

Sheriff McDonald stands outside the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. He recently completed the two-week Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar or LEEDS. His fellow classmates were from all over the world. This photograph was taken by Yolanda Willems of the Police Academy of the Netherlands.

Plymouth County Inmate Crew Saves Middleboro $90,000
June 27, 2008

Middleborough Police/Fire Chief Gary Russell barbecues for officers and the inmate work crew after a job well-done.

A handful of Plymouth County inmates were treated to a barbeque June 27th at the Middleborough Police Station.

Middleborough Police and Fire Chief Gary Russell grilled up thanks to the crew for fixing up his historic police station over the past month and a half.

Sheriff Joe McDonald’s Project Labor Officers Frank Caprio and Paul Cheney supervised the inmate crew during project that included painting the exterior of the aging building.

Chief Russell credited the crew for sticking it out during the most recent heat wave, “all the scrapping, priming, and painting, inside and out, the crew saved the town $90,000- no joke.”

And when it did rain—the crew worked in the station’s garage constructing 48 new shutters for the building; complete with the star-shaped cut out that residents have seen for years.

One inmate, on the five-man crew, devoted days to the four columns out front, “It was like doing 12 columns; each column needed three coats of paint.”

The town of Middleborough paid for materials, such as paint, and provided the crew with lunch every day.

Correction Educaton Association "Rocks" Plymouth
May 22, 2008

The Plymouth County Correctional Facility’s team of educators presented five workshops over the course of the conference. L to R: Marie Drysdale, Carol Dignan, Connie Cardillo-Backoff, Nancy Powell, Rena Almeida, Grisella Rosado, and Kathryn Panza. Not pictured: Tara Smith, Kristin Hall, and Meghan Gonsalves.

PLYMOUTH— The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department helped welcome 350 members of the Correction Education Association to town recently for a three-day conference at the Radisson.
The conference committee, which included Sheriff’s Department Education Coordinator Connie Cardillo-Backoff, used historic Plymouth Rock as a theme for the teachers in attendance.

Attendees, forced to imagine the rock as portico renovation is underway, were encouraged to be rocks themselves. The inmates in their classes should be able to turn to the educators to find a strong, solid base for learning.

“It’s a job not recognized enough, and I thank all of you for the outstanding work you do everyday,” Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. noted during the closing breakfast.

“You make your sheriffs and administrators look good by sending these inmates back into the community with new knowledge and skills.”

Reverend Jeffrey Lamont Brown of the Union Baptist Church in Cambridge echoed Sheriff McDonald’s sentiment, teachers “help knit communities back together.”

Educators from New England, the Canadian Maritimes, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania were in attendance.

Citizens Complete Sheriff's Academy
May 16, 2008

PLYMOUTH— On Tuesday, May 13th, Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. thanked and congratulated 20 residents from across Plymouth County for completing his second Citizen Sheriff’s Academy.

“I hope you have a better understanding of this department’s resources and how those resources supplement public safety officials in your communities,” Sheriff McDonald said.

The 10-week course included a stop inside a place the public hears little about, the Plymouth County Correctional Facility.

“If you don’t hear about the jail again, you can rest assure the correction officers are doing exemplary work,” Sheriff McDonald noted.

The group also participated in the County Farm’s Arbor Day celebration; learned about use of force, tactical response, crisis negotiation and the Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

County Farm Welcomes Spring With Arbor Day Event
April 08, 2008

PLYMOUTH—Every April the greenhouses at the Plymouth County Farm bloom and the petting zoo animals head to their paddocks on Obery Street for the season.

This year is no different with spring flower sales starting on April 26th, but the farm is starting a new tradition that day according to Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr.

That Saturday, in recognition of Arbor Day, the Sheriff’s Department is inviting the public to see more than plants and animals.

K-9 and Mounted Unit demonstrations are planned; walking tours of the farm will be available along with information on 4H, wind power, and bat houses.

According to Sheriff McDonald, “There will be a chance for families to see a sheep get sheared and our deputies will volunteer their time to make fingerprint kits for children.”

Children will get a free t-shirt and the first 250 adults can bring home a free blue spruce sapling to plant in honor of Arbor Day. The events run from 10am to 3pm with a rain date of May 2nd. Exact event times will be available online soon at www.pcsdma.org.

All plant sale proceeds fund inmate rehabilitative programs at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility.

Starting April 26th, the farm will be open 7 days a week from 9am to 3pm, after Memorial Day the farm will stay open until 5pm.

Find the farm off Rt. 3, exit 5 on Obery Street in Plymouth. The entrance is just prior to the Registry of Deeds and new Plymouth Trial Court.

Notification System Expands To Southeastern Mass.
April 3, 2008

[L to R]: Dukes County Sheriff Michael McCormack, Barnstable Sheriff James Cumming and Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald after signing onto the Communicator Expansion agreement.

PLYMOUTH— Thanks to a $660,000 Homeland Security grant the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department is lending its emergency notification expertise to 96 communities in Southeastern Massachusetts. This effort links those towns of their county sheriffs.

Plymouth County and neighboring Bristol, Norfolk, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties have entered into an agreement that gives them all access to the Communicator ‘Reverse 9-11’ system.

It’s a system residents in Plymouth County have been introduced to since its inception four years ago. When officials determine an event requires residential or business notification; the Communicator’s mapping technology places automated telephone calls to a target audience.

“From fires, to missing persons, to traffic tie-ups and water main breaks; this system has reached large and small numbers of residents effectively time after time,” according to Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr.

This ‘Reverse 9-11’ technology is something the sheriff departments in Southeastern Massachusetts are currently getting familiar with and as a result residents of Bristol, Norfolk, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties can expect to start receiving notifications in the near future.

Plymouth County’s Field Services Director James Muscato and Communicator Administrator Nicole Callahan have been instrumental in implementing the notification system throughout Plymouth County.

Sheriff McDonald said he is thrilled his county has paved the way for the project. “Jim and Nikki hit the nail on the head every time; part of the reason for Plymouth County’s success is their knowledge of the Communicator technology and knowing which type of events require mass notification.”

The process sends local officials to their county Sheriff’s office; from there the sheriff makes sure the event meets notification criteria, then creates and sends the message at a rate of 1,000 calls every 15 minutes.

With this grant, the sheriffs can utilize the other department’s phone lines to increase the rate at which people are notified of an event.

By entering into the agreement, counties will see significant cost savings. Individual communities will also save taxpayer dollars by eliminating the need for the towns to purchase their own systems.

Hanover Signs Triad Agreement
March 28, 2008

[L to R]: On March 27th, District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz, Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr.’s representative Deputy Liisa Budge-Johnson, Hanover Elderly Services Director Robyn Mitton, Hanover Fire Chief Ken Blanchard, and Hanover Police Chief Paul Hayes gather to sign the TRIAD Agreement.

HANOVER—Hanover and Plymouth County Officials have formed a TRIAD to protect the town’s seniors.

The TRIAD Agreement brings together law enforcement, support/protective services and seniors to prevent elders from falling victim to crime.

Hanover’s TRIAD will be headed up by a four-member S.A.L.T. Council of seniors James Moran, Nancy Tucker, Betty Ingles, and Susan Chapman.

The four will set the TRIAD agenda by determining risks posed to Hanover seniors and will address those risks using their new law enforcement links. S.A.L.T. stands for Seniors And Law Enforcement Together.

BCI Bunny Brightens Easter For Children In Hospital
March 24, 2008

BROCKTON- Deputy Bill Rovelto leads BCI Bunny down the corridor at Signature Healthcare. BCI Bunny is not under arrest, he just needed a little help maneuvering to make sure he got a chance to stop and visit each child.

PLYMOUTH—Bureau of Criminal Investigation Deputy Mark Shubert dressed as BCI Bunny on the Friday before Easter to visit children receiving care at Signature Healthcare in Brockton.

Shubert and other members of Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr.’s BCI Unit made their third annual trip to see local kids who are unfortunately spending the Easter holiday in the hospital.

BCI Bunny, Deputies Rovelto, Briggs and Burton brought stuffed toys, crayons and coloring books for the children.

The Easter visit is part of a national movement to get Sheriff Departments interacting with children. For more information on The Easter Bunny Foundation, log onto www.theeasterbunny.com.

Inmate Work Crew Saves Hingham $160.000
March 21, 2008

PLYMOUTH— Last week, a Plymouth County Project Labor work crew finished a 2-and-a-half month project inside the Hingham Recreation Center.

Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr.’s Project Labor crew—made up of correction officers and inmates—painted floor to ceiling with Hingham’s red, black and white. The crew painted the game room, the hallways, the gymnasium, the locker rooms, and several work-out rooms.

It was a substantial job according to Officer Paul Cheney, “The ceiling in the gymnasium soaked up four coats of paint.”

Cheney and town officials are done tallying the cost savings. The labor provided by the work crew saved the town of Hingham $160,000.

Hingham Recreation Director Kathy Clarkeson said last week, “I love Project Labor.”

Clarkeson thanked the crew for being so thorough and can’t wait to get them back in the future. In her office you can see what the walls around the center used to look like, off-white and dingy.

Cheney says the crew was able to see residents enjoy the spruced-up space.

Sheriff Gets $1,000 Grant From Local Wal-Mart
March 4, 2008

PLYMOUTH- Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. receives a $1,000 matching fund grant from a manager at the Plymouth WAL-MART. The funds will be used for inmate rehabilitative programs.

Work Crew Saves Duxbury $21K
Februrary 4, 2008

L to R: Duxbury Council on Aging Director Joanne Moore, Correction Officer Frank Caprio, and Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. tour the senior center to see the new interior paint job. Caprio supervised a crew of inmate workers in the January painting project. The town of Duxbury saved approximately $21,000 by using the Sheriff’s Project Labor Program.

Plymouth Sheriff Wishes Seniors "OK" Winter
January 28, 2008

Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. wants to remind residents of the department’s free “Are You OK?” telephone-based program.

Participants—generally seniors or disabled residents—receive daily automated calls at a pre-determined time to make sure they are OK.

Sheriff McDonald believes it’s important for everyone to have a so-called big brother. “With the winter months upon us, I want to make sure every resident of the county has someone to check on them.”

Communications Officer Carol Schneider administers the free program; she says the seniors are the boss. “If they want a call one day a week or 7 days- we accommodate them. If they spend the summer in Kingston and the winter in Brockton we’re able to make the call year-round. Vacations? No problem. Just call the office and let us know you’ll be out of town.”

If attempts to reach a participant are unsuccessful a contact is notified or local police are sent to the home to conduct a well-being check.

One participant recently wrote, “Having this call come early in the morning, every morning just like clockwork is like feeling like a kid again with a security blanket under your arm.”

To enroll, call 508-830-6256 and request an application or download the RUOK Application online at www.pcsdma.org and return it to: RUOK, 24 Long Pond Road, Plymouth, MA 02360.

County Farm Greenhouses Open Year Round
January 28, 2008

The Plymouth County Farm on Obery Street is now open year-round!

This winter we are adding two new greenhouses and are now offering Hawaiian Volcano Plants [pictured here] and other houseplants for sale. Staying open year-round provides greater rehabilitation opportunities for inmates. Current hours 7 am - 3 pm.

For news releases from 2007, contact the Public Information Office at
508-830-6264/6293