WORCESTER COUNTY SHERIFF Evangelidis inaugurated for second term

SHREWSBURY --- After a modest inaugural for his first go round, Sheriff Lewis G. Evangelidis picked up the pomp for the second go round, held at the Jay Performing Arts Center at Saint John's High School.

Beginning with the Sheriff's Department Color Guard with bagpipes, Evangelidis' inauguration was a celebration of the department and an opportunity for the 28th High Sheriff of Worcester County to thank his staff, his family and his constituents.

"I love being Sheriff," Evangelidis said. "If I never had any other job but Sheriff, I would be happy."

Prior to administering the oach of office, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, praised Evangelidis. "There is a lot of transition in government," she said. "It's important to mark the moment, and celebrate the individuals who are serving."

Polito recalled her time in the state House of Representatives, where she worked with Evangelidis for eight years.

"I knew then that Lew had that fire to make a difference," she said. "You have helped Worcester County to become a stronger and better community. Thank you."

Polito observed that Evangelidis had touched inmates' lives in a way that had not previously been done, and that by doing so, he is showing how to reduce the rate of recidivism.

"He goes above and beyond, with the senior picnic and the winter coat drive," Polito said.

"I am here with so much gratitude to share this special night with you," Evangelidis said. "Tonight is really a night to say thank you: to my family, to the department and to all of you. You're the ones who got me here."

Evangelidis praised the men and women of the Worcester County Sheriff's Department. "If we do our job, then you are safer."

Within the department, Evangelidis shared how he revised the promotional process to one based on merit, and how he refuses to accept campaign contributions from staff and their spouses to avoid the appearance of impropriety, consolidated jobs and removed the Sheriff's name from all department vehicles.

"We've invested in education, doubled down on substance abuse and anger management and modernized our healthcare to save $1 million," he said.

Evangelidis highlighted the organic farm on the jail property, which produced 700 pounds of food per day in the summer, which was used to feed both the inmates and supply community food pantries, as well as the work release program, which allows qualified prisoners the opportunity to work in the community.

"We've saved 7 million of tax payer dollars and given people dignity," he said. "And we have reached over 270,000 middle and high school students in the county with our Face to Face program."

Evangelidis said that the mission for his second term will be a continuation of the first.

"Addiction needs to be at the forefront of everything we do," he said. "We are also going to lobby for more equitable budgeting as we have the oldest facility and the lowest budget."

Evangelidis said that there are two building projects planned for the jail property. The first will be an intake facility, where prisoners will go for their first days in order to become acclimated to prison life, and the second is a warehouse that will be converted to education space.

"These are the first new buildings up there in years," he said.