Donna Buckley
BUZZARDS BAY – With ending Barnstable County’s agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, getting the department’s patrol boat out of the water, and looking to jumpstart new positions, it’s been a busy first month for new sheriff Donna Buckley.
She says that she hasn’t lost sight of her initial campaign promises of focusing on mental health for inmates and reducing repeat offenders, including specialized training for staff.
“We’re hoping to have a cadre of trainers that can train both our staff and make them available to people in the community, and better equip us to deal with the kind inmates coming to Barnstable County Correctional Facility,” said Buckley.
She added that the trained experts could also help provide resources for family members of those incarcerated.
The changes are part of Buckley’s efforts to have the department focus more on treatment and corrections rather than “policing.”
“The patrol unit has been disbanded. We no longer have Barnstable County Sheriff Office employees out in Barnstable County on patrol,” said Buckley.
“That gives us the opportunity to focus on our transition and focus on inmate programs and services.”
As for the boat, Buckley said that it is out of the water and they are in discussions on what to do with it.
As an asset of the county purchased by the municipality, she said that however it is dealt with must benefit or maintain value for the region’s residents.
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