'Stark difference': How Hodgson and Heroux view the role of Bristol County Sheriff

DARTMOUTH — The Bristol County Sheriff's candidates don't seem to agree on very much, though they do concur that they misrepresent each other.

Incumbent Republican Thomas M. Hodgson, 67, said there is "a stark difference between us" leading into a recent debate hosted by Marcus Ferro and Chris McCarthy on WBSM's Southcoast Tonight.

The 25-year incumbent said Democratic opponent Paul Heroux has no law enforcement and very little corrections experience, and has "hopped from one political job to the next to the next."

Heroux, 46, said Hodgson has been in office too long, and that it's time for a change.

The current Attleboro mayor said, "I don't believe in a mayor for life and I don't believe in a sheriff for life."

Heroux added that if one person stays in power too long, the organization they lead starts to adopt their personality. "I'm not going to be a sheriff for life. I'm going to go in, make the system better and then move on." He also said he had more experience in corrections than Hodgson had when he was appointed to the post 25 years ago.

Hodgson, however, has portrayed his lengthy time in office as a strength, saying it's given him the needed experience for a complex job. He said Heroux sees everything through a "political lens," and asked if Heroux would object to his 25 years of service if the position wasn't elective.

Bristol County Sheriff's race: Candidates debate whether they're debating; looks like they're on

Heroux worked in Philadelphia prison system

Heroux, who grew up in Attleboro, was first elected mayor in 2017. He served as a state representative from 2012 to 2016 before running for mayor in 2017.

From 2006 to 2008 Heroux worked in the Philadelphia prison system as assistant to Commissioner Leon A. King, according to his resume. From 2008 to 2009, he worked for the Massachusetts Department of Correction as director of research and planning as a gubernatorial appointee under the Patrick Administration.

Question 1: Should millionaires pay higher taxes? Here's how the money would be spent

Heroux has a bachelor's degree in psychology and neuroscience from the University of Southern California, a master's degree in criminology from the University of Pennsylvania, a master's degree in international relations from the London School of Economics, and a master's of public administration from the Harvard School of Government, according to his resume.

Hodgson appointed sheriff in 1997

Hodgson became sheriff of Bristol County in 1997 when he was appointed by Gov. Bill Weld. He had been on the New Bedford City Council. Hodgson has since been re-elected four times, according to his resume.

Hodgson began his law enforcement career in Ocean City, Maryland, in the 1970s as a police officer on uniformed patrol, according to his resume.

Hodgson said he worked his way up the ladder, being promoted to sergeant, lieutenant and detective, and held leadership roles in various divisions of the department, including special operations, undercover narcotics and hostage negotiation.

Question 2: Should more dental insurance premium money be spent on care? What to consider

He said he moved to Massachusetts and entered the private sector in the 1980s, holding several positions in sales, marketing, home improvement and finance before going back to law enforcement at the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office as the head of Internal Affairs and Special Investigations under Sheriff David Nelson in the early 1990s.

Hodgson has been a controversial figure at times during his tenure.

Hodgson attracted national headlines in 2017 when he offered to send immigrant detainees to the border with Mexico to help build former President Donald Trump's proposed border wall.

Question 3: MA retailers can't sell people liquor without in-state ID, Question 3 changes that, more

The state Attorney General, following an investigation, found that Hodgson violated immigrant detainees' civil rights through use of excessive force during a violent incident at the Bristol County House of Correction that occurred on May 1, 2020.

The Department of Homeland Security then ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement to terminate its contract with the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office and transfer any remaining detainees to another facility in May 2021.

Hodgson has stated regarding the incident, "The elite BCSO correctional professionals quelled the violent attack in 90 seconds, regaining control of the facility with non-lethal means, including muzzled canines and flash bangs. This operation was by-the-book, quick and clean, resulting in no serious injury to any detainees."

Hodgson has also expressed in the past the view that jail is not a "country club," and that measures should be taken to minimize its financial burden to taxpayers. He has in the past advocated a $5 per day fee for inmates.

Suicide rate in Bristol County jails

The suicide rate in Bristol County jails has also drawn criticism, including a recent suicide at the Ash Street Jail, as well as an attempted suicide.

Adam Howe, who was being held for his mother's murder in the Ash Street Jail, committed suicide on Oct. 2. The Public's Radio reported that a woman being held at Ash Street attempted suicide that same day.

According to a 2018 report by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting, 16 inmates had killed themselves in the jails located in North Dartmouth and New Bedford during the preceding 12 years. The jails at the time held 13 percent of the state's county inmates, but accounted for more than 25% of county jail suicides, according to the report.

Asked for comment on Howe's suicide, Heroux stated, "This is a tragic situation of an inmate who is clearly mentally ill who was in the custody of Sheriff Hodgson. This is another example of mismanagement. It is clear that Hodgson has failed again to keep the people in his custody safe as our jail has the worst rate of inmate suicide in the state under Hodgson.

Was Howe's jail observation adequate?: Critics say suicide could have been prevented

"The principal job of the sheriff is to keep the public safe, and to keep the inmates in the sheriff's custody safe. As heinous as the accused's crime is, the job of the sheriff is to make sure that everyone is brought to justice when awaiting trial or serves a sentence when convicted of a crime.

"Despite his self-promoting rhetoric, people are not safe under Sheriff Hodgson. It is time for change. That's why I'm running."

Heroux also issued a release, outlining steps that should be taken to reduce suicides, while adding that, "Suicides in jails and prisons are an unfortunate fact, but they are preventable."

Hodgson has responded, "Only a professional politician like Paul Heroux would attempt to capitalize on a tragic death. It is unfortunate Mr. Heroux put politics ahead of facts. This prisoner was cleared for custody by health care professionals at Cape Cod Hospital. Additionally, the Sheriff's Office was not notified that the prisoner 1) was ordered by a judge to a secure mental health facility; and 2) was turned down admission to the secure mental health facility.

"Under my leadership, the Bristol County correctional facility has received back-to-back 100% scores on national accreditation inspections from the American Corrections Association and also holds national accreditation by the National Commission on Corrections Health Care. We strive every day to keep the public and inmates safe.  That’s why I have received every police endorsement.

Hodgson questions Heroux's experience

"Mr. Heroux doesn’t have the qualifications or the experience to run the correctional facilities. He over inflates his resume. The people of Bristol County want a Sheriff who will put public safety first, not a professional politician who uses tragedies to score political points." Hodgson has also said that the Bristol County Sheriff's Office is already following the steps outlined in Heroux's release.

He said during the WBSM debate, "We've been doing these things for years. In fact, we've gone beyond that." Hodgson said the person running his office's medical unit has been studying suicides for decades and was working on an invention that would notify officers when somebody was about to commit suicide.

Heroux said Hodgson wasn't taking all the measures noted on his list release. One of them, he said, is to seek an independent review of practices in the Bristol County Sheriff's Office. "Which you have not done."

Heroux said he would also make such a review public.

He added that it would be worth more than the American Corrections Association accreditation, which he said was a "pay-to-play" accreditation. Hodgson countered that by that logic, Heroux's diplomas are discredited because he paid to go the respective schools to obtain them.

Heroux said Hodgson blamed other institutions, like Cape Cod Hospital in the Howe suicide, for shortcomings. "He blames everyone else. He never takes responsibility. Not just for this, but for anything, across the board."

Heroux added, "You're failing at your basic job of keeping people safe. You can't even keep the people under your custody safe."

How they view the sheriff's role

The candidates also differ about the sheriff's role, which was highlighted in the debate.

Hodgson said of Heroux, "He said it's not a law enforcement job. Look at the definition, go to the dictionary. It says the sheriff is the number one law enforcement official in the county."

Heroux said, "In 2017 the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court said that the sheriff is not a police officer. The job of a sheriff is corrections in Massachusetts."

Heroux said the position's main job is to run the county jail. He said the sheriff's office can be involved in law enforcement, but probably shouldn't be in the manner practiced by local, state and federal law enforcement.

He disputed Hodgson's claims he's keeping people safe, adding there was no independent review that would verify such a claim.

"I've talked to other sheriffs in Massachusetts and they say, 'This guy is a cowboy. He's out on a limb, doing things that are not necessary because we have local, state and federal law enforcement.'"

Question 4: Do we keep the law that gives access to driver's licenses to all residents?

The Sheriff's Office can and should work with law enforcement in certain regards, Heroux said, but added Hodgson's descriptions of his law enforcement role were overstated and deflected attention from problems.

Hodgson said Heroux's view on the law enforcement question was one of the reasons Heroux had no police endorsements. Hodgson has received such endorsements, he said, including from the state police. His other endorsements include from the Rehoboth Police Supervisory Union, the Taunton Police Supervisory Personnel Association, and the Taunton Police Patrolmen's Association.

Hodgson added the Sheriff's Office had a law enforcement role throughout Bristol County, including on task forces, and was involved in communities where deputies have been utilized.

Hodgson said during the recent debate, "My job is to protect the citizens of our county. That's why we have the senior programs. That's why we have a cutting edge — we just got a $750,000 grant (for a) juvenile program to prevent kids from walking through the front door of the jail. That has everything to do with public safety."

Heroux countered that Hodgson has failed to monitor his own program's effectiveness, as well as their effect on recidivism.

Hodgson said there is no way to measure recidivism consistently without costly resources.

Heroux also accused Hodgson of hypocrisy and distorting his record, adding, "Your pattern is the same as Donald Trump, who you are a super supporter of. You're trying to distance yourself from him right now but you were an ultra Donald Trump supporter. I've got multiple pictures of you, head to toe, wearing Trump garb."

Hodgson countered, "Do you have pictures of me when I was down with the Obama Administration in Washington? Do you have those pictures, too? I don't care what president's down there. If they're willing to help me protect the people of my county by creating policies, by listening to what my people need in my county, in my neighborhoods, I'll be there every time."

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 'Stark difference' in Bristol County Sheriff's candidates