WATERTOWN, Mass.—On Mon., Nov. 7, Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian of Middlesex County will be the speaker at the dinner meeting of the St. James Armenian Church Men’s Club. The topic will be “Criminal Justice in Era of Political Reform.”
After 14 years on Beacon Hill representing the 10th Middlesex District, Koutoujian was appointed Middlesex sheriff on Jan. 14 by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. And Koutoujian hit the ground running, using his experience in the law and public sector to implement multiple new programs and policies affecting both employees and inmates alike.
He created inmate vocational courses in janitorial services and print shop design, adding more possibilities for the men in his custody to gain essential job skills and become productive citizens upon release. He instituted progressive new policies designed to increase camaraderie among the hard-working men and women of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office and to increase public confidence in the historic department. He also implemented a policy that prevents employees from donating to the sheriff’s political campaign and mandated campaign finance education classes for all employees.
As a state representative elected in 1996, Koutoujian held several leadership positions, including chairman of the Joint Committee on Financial Services, chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Health, and chairman of the Commission to End Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. He was instrumental in crafting the historic universal health insurance reform law, the statewide workplace smoking ban, and new school nutrition guidelines. A staunch public safety advocate, Koutoujian also led efforts for victim’s rights and suicide prevention.
A lawyer by trade, Koutoujian served as a Middlesex County prosecutor before being elected to the Massachusetts Legislature. He has worked as an adjunct professor of criminal law, criminal procedure, and legal ethics at the Massachusetts School of Law in Andover, and taught a course on American government at Bentley University in Waltham. He is a frequent guest lecturer at the Harvard School of Public Health, the Boston University School of Public Health, and Northeastern University.
Koutoujian is a graduate of Bridgewater State University and the New England School of Law. He also earned a master’s in public affairs from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
He is a lifelong resident of Waltham, where he is active in the community. He serves on the Boards of several local organizations, including the West Suburban Samaritans, the Waltham and Newton Boys & Girls Clubs, REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, and the Newton Community Service Center.
In the spring of 2011, Koutoujian’s community service work and devotion to heritage earned him the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor. This national award is given annually to outstanding American citizens from all walks of life who have distinguished themselves through significant contributions to this country and who embody the patriotic values of our nation.
The social hour starts with mezza at 6:15 p.m., followed by a complete losh kebab and kheyma dinner at 7 p.m., for $12 per person. The dinner meeting will be at the St. James Armenian Church Charles Mosesian Cultural and Youth Center, Keljik Hall, 465 Mt. Auburn St. in Watertown. Ladies are welcome.
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