NEW SINCE SIX
CIARA:
OUR NEW NORMAL OF SOCIAL
DISTANCING IS FORCING OUR LOCAL
LEADERS TO FIND NEW
WAYS TO GOVERN.
TONIGHT - SENATOR ED MARKEY AND
HAMPDEN COUNTY SHERIFF NICK
COCCHI HELD A PUBLIC
DISCUSSION VIA LIVESTREAM.
22NEWS REPORTER KRISTINA
D'AMOURS JOIN US LIVE.
KRISTINA - COVID-19 DOMINATED
THIS DISCUSSION. KRISTINA:
DURING THEIR LIVESTREAM - THEY
GAVE DETAILS ON HOW THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE
SYSTEM IS ADJUSTING TO THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
SENATOR MARKEY AND HAMPDEN
COUNTY SHERIFF NICK COCCHI
DICUSSED THE
PROGAMS IMPLENTED TO HELP COMBAT
CHALLENGES OF COVID-19.
A FOCAL POINT OF THE
CONVERSATION WAS ON THE RECOVERY
HOME CREATED BY THE
HAMPDEN COUNTY SHERRIF'S
DEPARTMENT'S FOR FRONTLINE
WORKERS
DIAGONOSED WITH THE VIRUS.
THE 84-ROOM HOME HAS BEEN
HOUSING ESSENTIAL WORKERS SUCH
AS NURSES AND
FIREFIGHTERS.
SHERIFF COCCHI SAID TWO PEOPLE
RECENTLY RECOVERED AND HAVE BEEN
RELEASED, AND ARE EXPECTING MORE
PEOPLE TO COME IN TONIGHT.
HE SAID THAT THE ROOMS ARE ALSO
OPEN TO THE FAMILY OF THE
ESSENTIAL WORKER IF THEY HAVE
BEEN INFECTED.
SHERIFF NICK COCCHI, HAMPDEN
COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
"IT'S REALLY ABOUT TAKING PEOPLE
GIVE THEM A PLACE
TO RECOVER, NOT AT HOME WHERE
THEY CAN INFECT THEIR LOVED
ONES, AND COME HERE, LET US TAKE
CARE OF YOU, YOU TAKE CARE OF SO
MANY OTHERS, LET US NURSE YOU
BACK TO HEALTH, RECOVER, AND
THEN GET BACK ON THE FRONTLINE."
SHERIFF COCCHI SAID HE WANTS
OTHER STATES TO KNOW THERE IS A
HUGE RESPONSIBILITY IN CARING
FOR THE INMATES IN IT'S
FACILITY.
HE REPORTS THAT THERE ARE STILL
ZERO POSITIVE CASES OF COVID-19
AMONGST
THE 940 INMATES.
COCCHI SAYS THAT THE COUNTRY
CANNOT FORGET THAT THE OPIOD
CRISIS IS STILL
AN ISSUE, AND THAT IT IS STILL
DANGEROUS FOR RELEASED INMATES.
HE SAYS A PLAN NEEDS TO BE
IMPLEMENTED.
SHERIFF NICK COCCHI, HAMPDEN
COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
"ANYOBODY WHO IS INCARCERATED
THE KEY
TO THEIR SUCCESS IS A RELEASE
PLAN, A DISCHARGE PLAN THAT
ENGAGES THEM INTO
SUPPORT AGENCIES, PLUGGING THEM
INTO A HOME ENVIROMENT, HOME
PLAN, EPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY, AND WHEN YOU DON'T
HAVE A PLAN, WE HAVE SET THOSE
MEN AND WOMEN
UP FOR EXTREME FAILURE."
SENATOR MARKEY SAID HE HOPES THE
HAMPDEN COUNTRY SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT'S COVID-19 RESPONSE
PROGRAMS COULD BE USED AS A
NATIONAL
MODEL TO OTHER FACILITES IN THE
US.
KRISTINA:
YOU CAN FIND OUT WHAT CHANGES
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS
MADE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 ON
