Overview
The Dukes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) was established as an independent state agency on August 6, 2009 by Chapter 61 of the Acts of 2009, An Act Transferring County Sheriffs to the Commonwealth. This act transferred to the Commonwealth, except where specified, all functions, duties, and responsibilities of DCSO, including assets, liabilities, debt, and potential litigation. This legislation made the Dukes County Sheriff an employee of the Commonwealth; however, the Sheriff remained an elected official and retained administrative and operational control of DCSO.
DCSO operates the Dukes County Jail and House of Correction, located at 149 Main Street in Edgartown. This location was opened in 1873 for the care and custody of people who are sentenced or awaiting trial. It consists of one building and has the operational capacity to house 50 inmates. As of December 31, 2018, DCSO housed 14 people and had 46 employees. DCSO also operates a Civil Process Division and a Communications Center, located at 9 Flight Path in Vineyard Haven. According to DCSO’s website,
The communications center is a regional central dispatch for all of the towns located within the county of Dukes County. These include Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Gosnold, [Naushon Island], Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury. The departments include Local & State Police, Fire, Harbor Masters, Shellfish, Ambulances, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s), Trustees of Reservations, Animal Control, Search & Rescue, Menemsha Coast Guard, Civil Defense, Environmental Police, Local & State Highway, Town Water & Town Parks departments, (Lifeguards).
In addition, DCSO provides jail services to all the municipal police departments on Martha’s Vineyard.
According to DCSO’s mission statement,
The Dukes County Sheriff’s Office, will consistently strive to improve the quality of life in our community. We pledge and commit to work together with local and state agencies through our specialized services. Our commitment includes the operation of a safe, secure rehabilitative correctional facility and a regionalized communications center. Our beliefs will never be compromised in the pursuit to uphold the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Constitution of the United States of America.
The Dukes County Sheriff’s Office Is Committed To The Following Core Beliefs:
We shall achieve this end through strict adherence to certain unalienable beliefs, among these are; INTEGRITY, PROFESSIONALISM & RESPECT.
For its operations, DCSO received state appropriations of $2,886,788 in fiscal year 2017, $2,944,524 in fiscal year 2018, and $2,973,969 in fiscal year 2019.
| Date published: | September 17, 2019 |
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