Recently elected to his third term as sheriff of Norfolk County, Michael G. Bellotti continues to emphasize innovation, collaboration and accountability as the keys to running an office that provides a positive force to help solve the public safety problems facing us today.
The sheriff has been a trailblazer in developing an inmate re-entry program that reduces criminal recidivism by preparing inmates for a successful transition back into society. In doing so, the program forces inmates to be accountable to themselves and their communities after their release. The program has been favorably recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice, which recently chose the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office as one of 15 agencies nationwide to receive Second Chance re-entry grants.
Sheriff Bellotti believes in strong inmate programming to address anger management, substance abuse and numerous other behavioral problems that contribute to crime. In addition, he offers vocational training in culinary arts and HVAC. There also is a top-notch GED preparation program, with over 90 percent of its participants having earned their high school equivalency diplomas over the last six years.
A staunch advocate of using the newest technologies to provide the highest degree of safety to the citizens of Norfolk County, Sheriff Bellotti has significantly bolstered the security system at the Norfolk County Correctional Center in Dedham by installing 400 new video surveillance cameras throughout the facility. He also introduced a computerized database system that seamlessly shares inmate information with police departments and other investigatory agencies. Additionally, with the initial help of a Homeland Security grant, he created and administers the Rapid Alert Notification System (RANS), a reverse-911 program that sends community residents alerts about public safety emergencies. Also, the Norfolk County Sheriff's Office offers a unique service allowing residents to sign up to receive email alerts in the event that a Level 3 registered sex offender takes up residence in their neighborhood.
Sheriff Bellotti is proud of the fact that the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office has more correction officers certified by the American Jail Association than any other correctional institution in the nation. In addition, the Norfolk County Correctional Center is one of only 76 institutions throughout the country that has received accreditation from both the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.
The sheriff realizes that public safety reaches beyond the walls of the jail, and he has enthusiastically joined forces with the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (MetroLEC), which provides highly specialized law enforcement services such as K9 teams, a computer crime unit, special weapons and tactics (SWAT), and a crisis negotiating team to 43 southeastern Massachusetts towns. Additionally, Sheriff Bellotti is the Massachusetts statewide coordinator for Project Lifesaver, which rescues people with dementia or autism who wander away from their homes and become lost. The program has saved 39 people and currently serves 102 clients. Sheriff Bellotti also collaborates with Fallon Ambulance to run “Are You OK?” which provides daily well-being inquiries to hundreds of elderly citizens living alone throughout the county. Since Sheriff Bellotti introduced the program in 2001, “Are You OK?” has summoned emergency medical help for more than 80 elderly people enrolled in the free program.
Sherriff Bellotti has authored articles on various criminal justice and correctional issues which have been published in Sheriff and American Jails magazines, the Boston Globe, Boston Herald and Patriot Ledger. He was chosen for the Honorable Maurice H. Richardson Award for Excellence in the Community, the Sons of Italy Social Justice Award and the Project Lifesaver International Recognition Award among others.
The sheriff is a graduate of New England School of Law and Boston College. He lives in Quincy with his wife and three children..
Articles Authored by Sheriff Bellotti
- Sentencing Guidelines Are Not Working And Need To Change (Patriot Ledger)
- Norfolk County's Report Policy Unique (Patriot Ledger)
- The Case Of The Real Estate Market And The Sheriffs (Boston Globe)
- Jails In A Crisis; Time For Summit (Boston Herald)
- Supporting Every Victim, Every Time (Patriot Ledger)
- Locking Into Better Option (Boston Herald)
- Rentry Comes of Age (American Jails)
- After School Programs: The Sky Is The Limit (Sheriff)
- Abuse Of Elderly Shows Need For Collaborative Response (Boston Herald)
- Reintegration Of Offenders Necessary To Corrections (Boston Herald)
- How Norfolk County Aims To Curb Recidivism (Boston Globe)