Mayor of Attleboro announces run for Bristol County Sheriff

In a statement, Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux has announced a run for Sheriff of Bristol County.

Heroux stated that he feels much more can be done than what has taken place under current Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson.

“I believe that there is a lot of good work and new ideas that can and should be implemented in the Bristol County jail system. I think it is clear that if we don’t have a change in leadership in our jail system, new ideas won’t be implemented and the people of Bristol County won’t benefit from forward thinking leadership.”

Heroux also stated that he believes Hodgson, or any other elected official, shouldn’t be in office for over two decades.

“First, let me start by saying that I do not believe that anyone in an elected executive capacity should stay in that office for 24 years, never mind the 30 years the incumbent Sheriff wants to do. I don’t think that is what our founders intended. When any one person stays in an executive public office for too long, that office adopts the personality, habits, traits and biases of the incumbent. I think this is what our founders wanted to avoid.”

Among Heroux’s goals, should he be elected to the office, is running a safe jail system, measure the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs, reducing reoffending through rehabilitation, and reducing homelessness and unemployment upon release.

Heroux feels that his experience and ideas make him the right person for the job.

“I have experience working in the Philadelphia County jail system, the Massachusetts prison system. I served as a state representative law maker including on the public safety committee, and as mayor of Attleboro overseeing a police department. I also have a master’s in criminology and have been published over 100 times on crime policy. I’m qualified. I was elected to three terms as a state representative and then moved on. I was elected to three terms as mayor of Attleboro, and am now moving on. It is my intention to win this election in 2022, reform the system and then move on. I believe that is what our founders intended. I think that it is clear that many people want a change in leadership in the Bristol County jail system. Many people want a new Sheriff in town.”

Heroux concluded by stating that he “will put safety first, prioritize rehabilitation, be transparent, evaluate programs expanding on what works and reforming what doesn’t, and set inmates up for successful reentry not reoffending and in doing so, save taxpayer money.”