Probation Facility Is A Boon to Central Massachusetts

From left to right are Massahusetts Probation Commissioner John J. O'Brien (in tan coat with red spotted tie; Senator Harriett L. Chandler, State Representative Harold Naughton Jr., First Deputy Commissioner Elizabeth Tavares, Deputy Commissioner and Academy Training Manager Steve Bocko, Deputy Commissioner and Manager of the Electronic Monitoring Program Paul Lucci, and Deputy Commissioner Frances Wall.

In the photo are State Representative Harold Naughton, Jr.(blue tie), State Senator Harriet L. Chandler and Electronic Monitoring Program Manager Mike Jacobs who is explaining how offenders are tracked by Electronic Monitoring Bracelet.

State Representative Harold P. Naughton, Jr., D-Worcester, and State Senator Harriette L. Chandler toured the Massachusetts Probation Service Training Academy, a training facility and the Central Massachusetts site of the agency’s Electronic Monitoring Program, to view the state-of-the-art center which has expanded to a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation.

“State Representative Naughton and State Senator Chandler really championed this initiative which demonstrates the great partnership between Probation and the community,” said Steve Bocko, Deputy Commissioner of Probation and Training Manager for the Academy.

Naughton represents the 12th Worcester District which includes the communities of Boylston; Clinton; Northborough; precinct two of the town of Sterling and precinct two of the town of Lancaster. Chandler serves the First Worcester District which includes Berlin; Boylston; Clinton-precincts three and four; Northborough-- precincts one, two, and four; Paxton; Princeton; and West Boylston.

The 29,130-square-foot Probation facility, which houses administrative offices and a training center, relies on the services of local businesses and vendors. The Academy is also expected to draw hundreds of state and federal employees for mandated training designed to enhance public safety. The facility, which was vacant before the Massachusetts Probation Service opened its training academy five years ago, now houses three classrooms, a state-of-the-art computer lab, seven individual offices for training staff members, and a gymnasium. The Academy also features one of the three electronic monitoring centers in the state. The other two are located in Boston and Springfield.

“I am pleased to join Commissioner O’Brien and Representative Naughton in highlighting the importance of this facility to both the town of Clinton and the Commonwealth,” said State Senator Chandler.

State Representative Naughton remarked, “The importance of comprehensive and current training for community probationers cannot be overemphasized.”

Bocko, Deputy Commissioner of Probation and Training Manager, said of the facility, “The people of Clinton have given a warm welcome to the Academy and its staff. And, I know that local gas stations, stores and restaurants have seen a significant uptick in business due to the hundreds of Probation Officers who come to Clinton for training.”

He added, “One of the biggest reasons we chose Clinton as the site for the Academy is because it has a centralized location that is accessible to Probation Officers from across the state. The building was in an abandoned condition back in 2003. The National Guard
entered into a licensing agreement with the Massachusetts Trial Court. This has allowed us to save taxpayer dollars that used to be spent on renting space to train the officers.”

Paul Lucci, Deputy Commissioner of Probation and Manager of the statewide Electronic Monitoring (ELMO) Program, is excited about the expansion of the ELMO Program in Central Massachusetts and the opportunities it provides to the region and Probation. While the activity of offenders on the bracelet will be monitored at the center, offenders –ordered on the bracelet—will not set foot on the property.

“Our Program started in Boston and Springfield with a little over 100 offenders monitored on the bracelet. There are now 1,600 offenders on the bracelet. This increase necessitated the opening of another center. This one is centrally-located and open 24 hours a day and seven days a week,” Lucci said.

The Probation employees in Clinton will monitor the activities of offenders on the electronic bracelet across the state during the day until 4:30 p.m. Probation employees will track offenders in Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Worcester counties. After 4:30 p.m., Probation employees will monitor the whereabouts of offenders on the bracelet in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties.

The Clinton Academy, a former National Guard Armory which opened in 1914, offers more than 75 training workshops for Probation Officers and Probation support staff each year.

In addition, nearly 3,000 state and federal employees were enrolled in training programs this past year. These groups have included state court officers, community service coordinators, Office of Community Corrections staff, Court Interpreters, Judges, Federal Probation Officers, NAGE 5000, the Massachusetts Parole Board, Department of Revenue, and Department of Social Services personnel.

The broad spectrum of training topics presented at the academy have included “Search & Seizure Issues for Probation Officers,” “Adolescent Firefighters,” “First Aid & CPR,” “Basic Management Principles,” and Motivational Interviewing for Substance Abusers.”

“State Representative Naughton stated, “This first-rate facility educates and trains Probation Officers in line with the best interests of public safety and reduction of crime.”