ADMINISTRATION OF OATH OF OFFICE TO SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY DANIEL F. CONLEY FANEUIL HALL, BOSTON JANUARY 3, 2003 Lt. Governor Healey, Secretary of State Galvin, Congressman Lynch, Representative O'Flaherty, Reverend Rivers, Reverend Groover, elected officials, distinguished guests, Assistant District Attorneys and staff, friends all, I stand here today thankful to you for sharing this moment with me, grateful for the support you have shown me, and humbled at the responsibility that has been re-confirmed in me today. I also stand before you shocked and amazed that my brother Matt - a police officer whose biggest fear isn't criminals but public speaking - actually stood up here and introduced me. Commissioner Evans, if you knew what kind of personal bravery Matt just demonstrated you'd pin a medal on him right now. Let me also take a minute to recognize and thank my son, Jim, for being a part of this special occasion. As a professional prosecutor who began his career in Suffolk County, I can think of no greater privilege than to be elected Suffolk County District Attorney. After almost a year on the job, I can also tell you that everything I felt that first day - the pride in the Office, the passion for the work, and the weight of responsibility - have in no way diminished. In fact, with each day, they've grown a little stronger as has my own understanding of the job. And it's my vision for the job and the Office that I lead that I'd like to talk about today. There are three benchmarks I've established for my Office: One, the partnerships we build; Two, the high standards of professionalism and performance that we achieve; and Three, the vigor with which we embrace the unique challenge of prosecuting cases and serving victims in Suffolk County who have no one else to fight for them. The first is the partnerships we build and foster. The District Attorney wields enormous power. The nature of the job demands someone who is independent minded. But one of the things I've really come to appreciate over the past year is, while responsibility for the effectiveness and results of the District Attorney's Office begins and ends with me, all success is shared. As District Attorney, I have had the good fortune to work with the best partners for public safety anywhere and I want to begin today by pointing out some of the individuals and agencies with whom we work so closely, with whom we undertake common challenges, and with whom we share successes. Attorney General Tom Reilly gave me some sage advice early on and his leadership, expertise and heart make him a model for prosecutors everywhere. U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan and his office, represented here today by Ted Heinrich, for their close collaboration with my office each and every day. My fellow District Attorneys whose willingness to share their experience has been invaluable to me. Boston's clergy - in particular the Ten Point Coalition and the Black Ministerial Alliance - who from my first day on the job made clear that their overriding concern is for the people we serve. They have been instrumental in so many of the collaborations already in place and in the development of new policy initiatives, including the Victim-Witness Safety Plan. Their advice and counsel make me a better D.A. Congressman Steve Lynch, Mayor Tom Menino (who will be joining us later), Representative O'Flaherty, and so many of my former colleagues on the City Council and on Beacon Hill whose friendship and support over the years have taught me about loyalty and what public service is really all about: helping people. The Massachusetts State Police assigned to my office; the Boston Police Detectives assigned to my office; as well the police in Revere, Chelsea and Winthrop, and so many of the police officers I worked so closely with as a young prosecutor. Each and every one of you has taught me critical lessons about bravery and the dogged pursuit of truth. The shootings this week of two fine officers were a stark reminder that bravery - a rare trait - exists in abundance on the Boston Police force. My predecessors, who developed me as a young prosecutor and who each made unique, individual contributions that moved the Office ever forward and built its reputation for legal acumen and integrity. My own staff of prosecutors, Victim Witness Advocates, Investigators and Support Staff - simply put, you're the best in the business. And finally, I've saved for last someone whose steady, sure, leadership by example and relentless focus on results has earned my ever growing respect for him, his command staff and the department he leads. There is no other agency that my Office works more closely with on a daily basis. I consider him the best Police Commissioner in Boston's history, one of the finest police managers in America, and one who leads one of the most proactive and innovative big city police departments in the country, Paul Evans. You know, when I assumed office in February, violent crime was increasing and some were openly questioning whether the partnerships that were so successful in the 1990's were still effective. As the new District Attorney, I really wanted to come up with something new and dramatic to try and alter the direction in which we were going, but as I listened to more senior and experienced partners in law enforcement and in the community, I saw a different posture and heard a different message. Yes, like me, they had a real sense of urgency. But they also understood through years of practice that success comes from working as a team, sharing information and ideas, and holding each other accountable. It became my goal then, and it remains my goal today, to be the best part of that team that I can be by doing my job to the best of my ability and with an eye toward results. With little fanfare or public proclamation, we collaborated with other agencies in the Unsolved Shooting Project. We collaborated with other law enforcement agencies and community leaders in Boston and in Chelsea to refocus and expand the Safe Neighborhood Initiatives. We contributed some new ideas, like indicting gun offenses within 48 hours to keep dangerous offenders from winding up on the streets again. The success of these projects and initiatives we share with our partners in law enforcement and in the community. All success is shared. And when I look at where we were mid-way through the year - with homicides and shootings ahead of the previous year's pace - and where we ended - with 8 fewer homicides than a year ago, shootings down by 22 percent and Boston the safest it's been in over 30 years - it makes me proud of the success of the team and the contributions my Office made as part of that team. All success is shared. It's also made me hungry for more of this kind of success. I know it's risky to rely too heavily on numbers. One victim of crime is one too many. But this is what this work is really all about - reducing the number of victims we mourn, achieving safer neighborhoods and helping all people to live free of fear. The challenge is how we sustain success, especially in these very difficult fiscal times. One solution should be clear - by staying true to the partnerships that have worked, seeking out new partners and constantly searching for new areas to improve performance. Let us meet the challenges together; and together contribute to solving the problems. The second benchmark is attaining the highest standards of professionalism and performance. In tight fiscal times especially, we reach those high standards through increased accountability and better training. You know, this past year, our homicide conviction rate rose to 93 percent, up from 66 percent in the year 2000. That's a testament to a lot of things, including outstanding work between our Homicide Unit and Boston and State Police Homicide investigators. But it's also a testament to strong leadership and training. David Meier, the Chief of my Homicide Unit, is one of the finest prosecutors anywhere and a strong team leader. He's fostered a culture in his unit where standards are set high, knowledge is shared and the latest rules and techniques are imparted. David and his more experienced prosecutors go out of their way to critique the performance of those with less experience. Training can be costly. In the past, prosecutors were sent to outside conferences for training, but only when the budget allowed. I believe that, in good fiscal times or bad, the first place you look for help is to yourself. In the past, both because of limited budgets and the enormous case loads that Suffolk County prosecutors carry, there was a feeling that it was next to impossible to find time to undertake consistent training. I take an opposite view. I believe that it's precisely because of the large caseloads we carry, the diversity of the people we represent, and the complexity of the cases we handle that ongoing, formalized training is critical. That's why I am creating an Executive level position that, for the first time ever in Suffolk County, will oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive, ongoing program to train Assistant District Attorneys. It can't be done entirely alone. But Suffolk County is home to some of the best law schools anywhere, some of whom have already expressed interest in partnering with our Office to assist in the development of our curriculum. Ultimately, I expect these efforts to not only create a climate that nurtures legal talent and makes our Office an even more desirable place to work, but produces better, more effective prosecutors to serve the people of Suffolk County. As prosecutors, our goal isn't simply to win cases, but to achieve justice. I believe people have a right to know that their District Attorney's Office is one that insists on fair and ethical behavior, zealously advocates for the rights of victims, but also respects the rights of the accused. And this brings me to the third benchmark, the zeal with which we embrace the unique challenge of prosecuting cases and serving victims in Suffolk County who often have no one else to fight for them. As an Assistant District Attorney, as a City Councilor who represented one of the most diverse districts in Boston, and now as District Attorney, serving victims of violent crime and fighting for safe neighborhoods is a true calling for me. I've gotten to know Suffolk County in a way most people never do. Lengthy involvement in the criminal justice system can leave some people cynical and jaded. But in the midst of the hundreds of cases I've handled involving victims who had suffered terrible crime and cruelty - men like Arthur Austin and Tom Fulchino who were victims of clergy sexual abuse and who personify courage - I have witnessed countless acts of kindness, forgiveness and profound grace. In communities that sometimes feel besieged by violent crime, I've met firsthand with parents and residents and clergy who fight relentlessly for the safety and sanctity of their children and neighborhoods against tremendous odds. Today I say to all of you: let us rededicate ourselves to the fight against the needless loss of life; the terrible loss of youthful potential through drugs; and the cynicism that causes people to shake their heads but still think it's inevitable and that little can be done. Together, we need to change these attitudes. Every person whose life is snuffed out on our streets was loved by someone. Every person taken from us by violence - every one, regardless of their personal stories - whether white, black, Latino or Asian - had parents who wished them a better life, or a spouse who loved them, or children who needed them, or friends who miss them. Every victim - whatever life choices they made - deserved a better fate. How do we convey the worth of each and every life, as something more than a number: Homicide #27 of 2002? Part of the solution is for me to use the bully pulpit of my office in the same way our clergy literally use the pulpit of their churches to give dignity and value and perspective to lives cut short, regardless of the circumstance. But beyond words, this is why the question of programs and initiatives and resources is so critical - because we spend far too much time looking back on lives that end in tragedy, instead of recognizing the warning signs early and preventing them. I believe that regardless of where people live or who they are, that our right to live in peace and safety are paramount. I also believe that regardless of the circumstances of a person's life or childhood, people who commit heinous crimes, who terrorize or violate someone's civil rights or peace and safety should be held accountable. As your District Attorney, I will fight to bring them to justice! But I refuse to accept that prison cells or graves are inevitable destinations for so many people so young. And I am committed, not just in words but through my actions, to creating as much opportunity as possible to improve outcomes and treat every person with the full measure of dignity and respect they deserve. From my first day on the job, I've tried to bring as many people together as I could so that the success enjoyed in the 1990's could be sustained. From expanded Safe Neighborhood Initiatives to Rapid Gun Indictments; from our proposed legislation to eliminate the statute of limitations for rape and rape of a child, to our plan to improve support and services for victims and witnesses of violent crime, I've tried to demonstrate that my only interest is in results and that I'll work with anyone who believes, as I do, that every person in every neighborhood of Suffolk County has a right to live free of fear. These are the things that motivate me and that I want to define my time as District Attorney - the partnerships we foster; the high standards of excellence and integrity we bring to the job; and the passion with which we serve the most vulnerable among us. To be successful, I can't do it alone. I am extending an invitation to all of you to work with me, share your energy and ideas to better serve victims and to keep our children, our neighborhoods and every resident safe. And I look forward to sharing with you, and all the people of Suffolk County, the success that comes from such noble effort. Thank you.