Tarr Named Legislator of the Year Honored for Police Support

tarr-nepba-event-2

Boston- State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) was named a Legislator of the Year on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 by the New England Police Benevolent Association (NEPBA) for his work on a wide range of criminal justice issues, ranging from effectively penalizing repeat violent offenders, to addressing the ongoing opiate abuse crisis facing Massachusetts.

In presenting the award to Tarr, Association President Martin Conway said “This award is given in recognition for your steadfast support of Law Enforcement Officers and their families here in the Commonwealth. It also recognizes the success you have had in the passage of bills directly related to NEPBA members and their families”. Conway presented the award at a ceremony in Marlborough that was attended by police officers, deputy sheriffs, correctional officers, and emergency dispatch personnel from throughout Massachusetts and New England.

That ceremony featured a keynote address by Governor Charlie Baker, who spoke compellingly about the importance of the work done by those in law enforcement, and the support for them that resonates every day in his travels to cities and towns throughout the state. Receiving awards, along with Tarr, were state Representatives James Dwyer (D-Woburn), Timothy Whelan (R-Barnstable), and Senator Jennifer Flannagan (D-Leominster), all of whom Baker said have the ability to work with their colleagues to achieve results regardless of political party affiliation.

On receiving the award, Tarr said “I am humbled to receive this recognition from a group of people who dedicate themselves so passionately to keeping all of us safe. They face danger, remain vigilant, and make the necessary sacrifices so that the rest of us can pursue without fear the things that are important in our own lives. We can never thank them enough, and they deserve our respect and support, things they continue to earn each day in our communities”.

The New England Police Benevolent Association is an incorporated, non-profit, labor relations support organization that offers legal and labor related assistance to roughly 4,000 law enforcement professionals and their support staff in Massachusetts and New England.