Time For Hodgson To Retire
Thomas Hodgson started his career in law enforcement. His site says he is “tough on crime.” Being “tough on crime” is the responsibility of the professionals in our local police departments, not the Bristol County Sheriff.
The Sheriff’s job should be focused on the inmates’ incarceration. The prison should develop programs that can show verifiable progress to identify the strengths and needs of the inmates in areas of housing, medical care (this includes addiction, anger management and mental health issues) and employment opportunity.
If the prison does not focus on those areas, then there is a good chance they will re-offend. It’s nice to have service dogs and a fancy camper, but that money, either obtained by grant or budgeted, should be kept in house.
There are seven active lawsuits against Sheriff Hodgson which can be added to the many that have cost taxpayers’ millions of dollars . In 2019 the Massachusetts Auditor reported that Hodgson failed to transfer over $348,000 to the Massachusetts state treasury that was paid to him from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
He is involved with the Federation for American Immigration Reform, an organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center recognizes as a hate group.
He portrays himself as being tough on crime and was photographed wearing his badge and gun while holding a cup of wine at the Madeira Festival. After being criticized for drinking and carrying a weapon, he claimed that he didn’t break any laws because he was not under the influence after drinking wine, which might have been true, but showed a lack of good judgment.
He was called out for a photograph that adorns the wall of the Bristol County facility and is on his web page, where he is wearing a tie that has a resemblance to a confederate flag. He denied it was connected to the confederacy and continues to display it to this day. Google his Wikipedia page and scroll to the “controversies” section.
Sheriff Hodgson has had a long run and undoubtedly has a very good pension. He should find a pursuit more suited to his temperament, political aspirations and subsidize it with his own funds.
Sheriff Hodgson it is time to move on!
Stephen Oliveira, Assonet
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