Overview
The Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) was established as an independent state agency on July 1, 2000, when Berkshire County was abolished as a form of government by Sections 1 and 12 of Chapter 34B of the Massachusetts General Laws. Under this legislation, the Sheriff became an employee of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts but remained an elected official and retained administrative and operational control of the office.
According to BCSO’s website, the agency’s primary mission is “to protect the public from criminal offenders by operating a safe, secure and progressive correctional facility while committing to crime prevention awareness in the community.”
BCSO is responsible for operating the Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction and the Regional 911 Dispatch Center, both located in Pittsfield. According to BCSO’s website, the Regional 911 Dispatch Center “provides fire, police and ambulance emergency and non-emergency communications for twenty-six cities and towns.” BCSO also has a Civil Process Division in Pittsfield that executes court orders and serves legal documents.
In addition, BCSO offers educational and vocational training programs to prepare inmates for life after incarceration. Courses and training opportunities include, but are not limited to, adult basic education, education counseling, computer literacy, life skills, and creative writing. BCSO also offers a Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program, a Community Service Program, and a Work Release Program.
There were approximately 210 employees at BCSO as of December 31, 2017. During the audit period, BCSO had an average of 225 inmates, with a housing capacity of 539 inmates. For its operations, BCSO received state appropriations of $17,738,932 in fiscal year 2016, $17,724,658 in fiscal year 2017, and $17,813,281 in fiscal year 2018.
| Date published: | December 12, 2018 |
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