Statement of Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian Regarding President Biden’s Executive Order on Policing

Over the past 16 months, I have been honored to work closely with the Biden Administration to address critical issues related to police and corrections reform.  The President and his team actively engaged top law enforcement executives and a wide range of community stakeholders while crafting this executive order, and the result was a unity that represented the goals of this order better than any document could alone.

Today, I was proud to be at the White House as the President signed an executive order that mirrors much of the work we have done here in Massachusetts and Middlesex County, particularly around front-end diversion, re-entry, officer wellness, and anti-bias training.  Massachusetts law enforcement agencies have been leaders in identifying and implementing best practices because we have long committed ourselves to the open, honest dialogue necessary to build trust and effectively serve our communities.

I thank the Biden Administration for the opportunity to provide input, and applaud them for demonstrating their commitment to investing in officer recruitment, officer wellness, and diversionary programs. I look forward to working with them, my fellow law enforcement leaders, and community partners as we continue to better our noble profession and enhance public trust.

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