What Your Sheriff’s Department Really Does and Why It Matters

By Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger

I’m grateful for the opportunity to begin a monthly column in the Valley Patriot and to speak directly with the people of Essex County.

If I’ve learned anything during my time as Sheriff, it’s this: most people don’t really know what a Sheriff’s Department does. Many assume our work begins and ends with jail operations. The truth is far broader — and far more hopeful.

At the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, public safety is our core mission. But we believe the safest communities are built not just by incarceration, but by rehabilitation, treatment, accountability, and successful re-entry. Every day, our staff works to ensure that when people come into our correctional facilities, they leave with the tools, supports, and opportunities they need to succeed and not return.

That approach is working.

In 2025, Essex County achieved the lowest recidivism rate of any county in Massachusetts. Just 13.5% of individuals released from our facilities were reincarcerated within one year. That number matters — not just because it’s the lowest in the state, but because Massachusetts already has the lowest incarceration rate in the nation. Essex County is leading the way in proving that smart, humane corrections improve public safety.

Equally important, we are doing this while being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. Our cost per inmate is the lowest of all 14 Massachusetts counties, while achieving the best outcomes. Our budget is lean and purposeful. We have expanded programs while practicing fiscal discipline — something we are proud of.

How are we doing it? By rethinking what a modern Sheriff’s Department should be.

Our community-based Supporting Transitions and Re-Entry (STAR) Program in Lawrence and Lynn is a perfect example. Every week, an average of 165 people walk through our doors seeking help. These are individuals seeking treatment, employment assistance, education, and stability instead of being arrested, processed through court, and placed in a jail cell. That is prevention in its purest form. It reduces crime, saves money, and keeps families intact.

Our work in substance use treatment has also become a national model. Our Medication Assisted Treatment program — one of the first of its kind in the country — now helps more than 220 participants each day manage opioid use disorder. Sheriffs from across the United States have visited Essex County to learn how we built these programs and how they can replicate them in their own communities.

We are also focused on what happens during incarceration. Education, job training, mental health care, and medical services are not add-ons — they are essential. We are investing in enhanced medical and mental health services, including planning for a new infirmary to meet the complex needs of today’s incarcerated population. Just as importantly, we invest in our employees through training, wellness initiatives, and professional development because a healthy, supported workforce is critical to public safety.

Transparency matters to me. That is why I welcome this monthly column. Our Department’s 2025 Annual Report details much of this work and is available at our website www.essexsheriffma.org.

I want you to understand what your Sheriff’s Department does, how we measure success, and why our work affects every city and town in Essex County.

Public safety is not just about who we hold accountable. It’s about who we help succeed.

Thank you for your trust, your support, and the opportunity to serve. I look forward to continuing this conversation with you each month.