Press Release - December 17, 2002
Office of the Commissioner of Probation

SUFFOLK COUNTY PROBATION OFFICERS TEAM UP
WITH BOSTON POLICE TO ENSURE PEACEFUL HOLIDAY
FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE

          Probation Officers from three local district courts recently teamed up with the Boston Police Department’s Youth Violence Strike Force and fanned out across parts of Suffolk County during a three-day warrant sweep, dubbed “Silent Night.” “Silent Night” is an annual collaborative effort which teams Probation Officers with Boston police officers to apprehend the most violent of offenders on the streets of Boston.

          Twenty-one offenders were taken into custody. At least one of the offenders had a ten-page record chronicling various assault offenses.

          “Because of this effort, there will be some women and children who will have a more peaceful holiday. Our goal was to get these violent offenders off the street. These are people who not only assault their intimate partners, they also have records that indicate that they have a history of violent and aggressive behavior toward others,” said Bernie Fitzgerald, Chief Probation Officer of Dorchester District Court, one of the district court probation departments that participated.

          Probation Officers from West Roxbury and Roxbury District Court Probation Departments also participated in the sweep. The Probation squad was coordinated by Fitzgerald, Dorchester District Probation Officer Thomas Todd, West Roxbury District Chief Probation Officer Anthony Owens, and Roxbury District Acting Chief Probation Officer Nilda Rios. The Youth Violence Strike Force was led by Sgt. Kelley O’Connell, Sgt. John Dabin and Lt. Kevin Foley, who serves as commander of the special unit.

          “Silent Night,” which traditionally is a one-day, early morning sweep that targets domestic violence offenders with outstanding warrants, was extended to three days. The Probation Officers and police officers visited 60 addresses. The sweep concentrated on Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan.

          The Massachusetts Probation Service is a department of the Massachusetts Trial Court. There are 12 Superior Court, 70 District Court and 12 Probate and Family Court probation offices throughout the Commonwealth. Probation’s Juvenile Court system includes 11 divisions which represent every county in the state. The Office of the Commissioner of Probation (OCP) serves as the central administrative office for the state Probation service and the Office of Community Corrections which operates 23 Community Corrections Centers throughout the state.