Three New Chief Probation Officers Named

Susan Reed, Ayer District Court Probation Officer

Carol Silvia, Fall River District Court Chief Probation Officer

Stephen Allsopp, Middlesex County Juvenile Court Probation Officer

Acting Commissioner Ronald P. Corbett Jr. has appointed three new Chief Probation Officers to the Ayer District, Fall River District, and Middlesex County Juvenile court departments.

The appointments include Susan G. Reed to Ayer District Court, Carol Silvia to Fall River District Court, and Stephen Allsopp to the Middlesex County Juvenile Court.

Corbett said of the appointment of the new chiefs, “A Chief Probation Officer is a key part of the management team in each court. Ms. Reed, Ms. Silvia, and Mr. Allsopp are shining examples of the talent that exists in the Massachusetts Probation Service.”

The appointment of the chiefs featured a thorough selection process which included the submission of an operational assessment by the candidates as well as an interview with a panel including judges and probation officials.

Reed began her career as a probation officer at Ayer District Court in 1989. In 1996, she moved to Milford District Court and returned to Ayer in 2000 as a Probation Officer.

A Lowell native, Reed earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in criminal justice at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell in 1984 and 2002 respectively. She holds memberships in the New England Association of Drug Courts and the National Association of Drug Courts.

She said of her newly acquired position as Chief Probation Officer, “I am tremendously pleased and honored. I feel very fortunate to be working with extremely hard working and dedicated employees in our probation department. With public safety my top priority, I look forward to serving the Ayer community and surrounding towns as the Chief Probation Officer.”

Silvia, the new Fall River District Court Chief Probation Officer, will begin her duties on April 4th. Born and raised in Fall River, Silvia served as acting Chief Probation Officer at Wrentham District Court prior to her appointment.

She began her career as a Fall River District Court Probation Officer in 1982 and moved to Taunton District Court in 1993. Silvia was appointed to Assistant Chief Probation Officer for Taunton District in 1999.

Silvia earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Bridgewater State University in 1973 and a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling at Assumption College in 1997. She is a member of the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) and the New England Council on Crime and Delinquency (NECCD).

Of her new appointment, Silvia said, "I am honored to have been chosen for the position as Chief Probation Officer for the Fall River District Court. I look forward to working with an excellent staff, meeting the challenges and goals of our future Probation system."

Stephen L. Allsopp, recently appointed Chief Probation Officer of the Middlesex Juvenile Court, began his probation career as an intern and volunteer in 1978 at Middlesex Juvenile Court while a student at Northeastern University.

After earning a degree in Criminal Justice in 1980, Allsopp was hired as a Probation Officer at Cambridge District Court that year. He was promoted to Assistant Chief Probation Officer at Middlesex Juvenile Court in 1998 and First Assistant in 2005.

Allsopp said of his new position, “I started my probation career as an intern and today, I am very humble and honored to serve as the Chief Probation Officer at Middlesex Juvenile. It has been a very rewarding career and I look forward to continued growth in the Middlesex Juvenile Court Probation Department.”

Dates for the Swearing-In ceremonies for Chief Probation Officers Reed, Silvia, and Allsopp will be set in the near future.