Ashland Officials Attend District Attorney’s Annual Breakfast

On Tuesday, September 26, 2017, Ashland Police Chief Craig Davis and Ashland Public Schools Superintendent Jim Adams joined more than 115 school superintendents, police chiefs, fire chiefs and elected officials from Middlesex County to attend the annual Middlesex District Attorney Marian’s Superintendents and Chiefs Breakfast, held at UTEC in Lowell.
The breakfast is designed to bring staff from the district attorney’s office together with educators, law enforcement and community leaders to collaborate on students’ safety, juvenile justice and crime prevention strategies.
“The Superintendents and Chiefs Breakfast presents an important opportunity for bringing together educators, police and fire chiefs as well as legislators to discuss innovative initiatives to intervene with children before they become involved in the justice system,” District Attorney Ryan said. “Partnerships like Project CARE, which works to provide mental health services to children who experience trauma, as well as our juvenile diversion program, which offers an alternative to prosecution, are examples of the proactive measures that the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and Middlesex County educators are implementing to keep students safe and healthy.”
During the event, District Attorney Ryan discussed the work of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office in encouraging students to make safe and healthy decisions, addressing topics like opioid and substance misuse and its impacts on children and adolescents. Additionally, she shared information about the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office’s Juvenile Diversion program, which is designed to work with first-time juvenile offenders as an alternative to prosecution. District Attorney Ryan also spoke about educational initiatives like the Cut-it-Out program, a training for cosmetology students, including those at vocational high schools, that educates future aestheticians to recognize the signs of domestic abuse.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for community partners to join together and discuss vital jail diversion programs and student safety initiatives,” Chief Davis said. “I thank District Attorney Ryan for hosting another successful event this year and look forward to continuing to work with the District Attorney’s Office on these strategies.”