William R. Keating was elected in 1998 to the post of Norfolk District Attorney. Prior to his election, he served as the State Senator from the Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth District. Senator Keating represented this district as the State Senator from 1985 to 1998. From 1977 to 1984, he served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

District Attorney Bill Keating has worked to strengthen prevention programs in all areas of crime, with a particular focus on diverting juveniles from criminal behavior and reducing the incidence of domestic violence. The prevention network includes school officials, law enforcement officers, youth workers and medical professionals, working together with people of all generations, races and cultural backgrounds in the effort to make our communities safer, more productive and more peaceful places to live.

Under Bill Keating, the Norfolk District Attorney's office has sponsored youth programs in coordination with local community groups, such as DARE, to encourage young people to view their communities in a healthy, positive manner and discourage them from the destructive attitudes and behaviors that could lead to lives of crime. The Norfolk Juvenile Unit works with police and school officials in each city and town in the Norfolk District to identify potential problem areas and develop strategies to work with students individually and collectively to avoid the violence that has, tragically, become all too commonplace in today's society.

As a member of the State Senate, Senator Keating held a number of official positions. From 1996 to 1998, he was the Senate Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He is the former Chairman of the Committee on Taxation and Senate Vice Chairman of the Committee on Criminal Justice. He also served as the former Senate Chairman of the Committee on Public Safety and the Senate Chairman of the Steering and Policy Committee.

Throughout his career, Bill Keating has received state-wide recognition for many of his accomplishments including:

  • Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance Legislative Award
  • Environmental Legislator of the Year
  • Massachusetts Coalition of Police Legislator of the Year (1997)
  • Massachusetts Bar Association Legislator of the Year
  • Massachusetts Police Association Legislator of the Year
  • Mass. Municipal Association Legislator of the Year as recommended by the cities & towns of the Commonwealth
  • MA D.A.R.E. Officers Legislator of the Year
  • Sharon Rotary Club Citizen of the Year
District Attorney Keating was the first recipient of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation Dan H. Fenn, Jr. Award for Political Leadership. His legislative accomplishments resulted in his being named by the Massachusetts Amvets as their recipient of the Pilgrim Award for Leading Legislative Achievement and the Massachusetts Veterans' Agents Distinguished Service Award.

Bill Keating was the principal author of a number of laws addressing the issues of taxes, crime, safety, and business.

In the criminal justice area he wrote the laws:

  • creating drug free school zones
  • trying violent juveniles as adults
  • increasing penalties for so called Designer drugs such as PCP and methamphetamine or ice
  • increasing funds to fight drug abuse
  • toughening drug forfeiture statutes
  • creating minimum sentences for cocaine & crack dealers
In the public safety area he was the chief sponsor of laws that:
  • required smoke detectors in households
  • helped victims of violent crime
  • enhanced school bus safety
  • improved fire safety systems in high rise buildings
  • Courthouse Bond of 1998, improvements to courthouses for the health and safety of court personnel
Born in Norwood, Massachusetts, District Attorney Keating now lives in Sharon with his wife, Tevis, and their two children, Kristen and Patrick. He maintains a membership in a number of state organizations regarding civic and legal concerns. He is currently a member of the Democratic State Committee and a Democratic National Committeeman. He is a member of the Sharon League of Women Voters, Sharon Democratic Town Committee and a number of area Chambers of Commerce.

He is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School (1985). Academic degrees include Boston College Graduate School with a Masters degree in Business Administration (1982) and Boston College (1974-B.A. Political Science, Magna Cum Laude). Senator Keating became a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association upon graduation from Suffolk Law School in 1985. He is a former partner in the law firm of Keating and Fishman in Stoughton, Massachusetts.