News Flash

March 10, 2026 

Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office Highlights Cost‑Effective Training Excellence as Staff Earn National

 Behavioral Health Certification with the American Correctional Association

Barnstable, MA — The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) recently demonstrated exemplary multidisciplinary collaboration, strong operational knowledge, and a clear commitment to improving conditions of confinement and behavioral health services.  

We are pleased to announce that selected correctional facility staff have successfully earned the Correctional Behavioral Health Certification (CBHC) after completing the American Correctional Association’s (ACA) nationally recognized training. This achievement reflects the agency’s ongoing commitment to operational efficiency, risk reduction, and adherence to nationally accepted correctional and behavioral health standards. Attendance and participation by medical, mental health, security, and administrative leadership further attested to the agency’s participatory leadership and management approach to improving operational and behavioral health care outcomes.

The CBHC is the nation’s first standardized behavioral health certification designed specifically for correctional professionals working with individuals experiencing mental illness and behavioral health crisis. Developed by leading correctional and mental health experts, the program is uniquely multidisciplinary in its approach and aligns with ACA standards and nationally accepted best practices for behavioral health care in secure settings

Why This Matters

Reduced Liability and Risk Exposure — Staff trained in behavioral health best practices are better equipped to recognize warning signs, respond appropriately to crises, and prevent incidents that can lead to costly litigation, medical emergencies, or external oversight.

Improved Operational Efficiency — Enhanced staff competency reduces disruptions, improves housing stability, and supports safer day‑to‑day operations, lowering resource strain and overtime demands.

Alignment with Accreditation and Compliance Standards — CBHC training strengthens the facility’s position during audits, inspections, and accreditation reviews, reinforcing compliance with nationally accepted standards.

Better Outcomes for Individuals Returning to the Community — Because most individuals in custody will return to their communities, staff trained in behavioral health principles are better prepared to support stabilization, reduce recidivism, and contribute to long‑term public safety.

“This certification reinforces our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, safety, and compliance,” said Sheriff Donna Buckley.  “Investing in high‑quality, cost‑effective training ensures our staff are equipped to manage complex behavioral health needs safely and effectively, which ultimately protects our workforce, those in our care, and the community.”

Staff members who earned the Correctional Behavioral Health Certification included representatives from custody, supervision, medical, mental health, and executive leadership functions. They underscore the agency’s multidisciplinary approach. Certified personnel include Susan Bergquist, Scott P. Bishop, Tabitha Cardeiro, Jaime Childs, Jeffrey Ciampa, Christopher Cochran, Dezmen Duarte, Elizabeth Egan, Rebecca Fernandes, Shelley Hart, Rebecca Hudson, Rosalina Johnson, Stacey McClarren, Diana Molloy, Maryanne Murphy, Michael Poulin, Micki Quinn, John Varao, and Jason Vermette. As part of this class, Bristol County Sheriff’s Office staff members Jordan Sandel and Felicia Carvalho also received certification.

By earning this certification, they demonstrated validated proficiency in nationally expected practices and reinforced the facility’s commitment to safe operations, quality care, and continuous improvement.   “I thoroughly enjoyed working with Sheriff Buckley and the professional team at the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office” said ACA Executive Director Robert Green.    

We commend the newly certified staff for their dedication to professional excellence and for strengthening the agency’s investment in safe, compliant, and effective correctional operations.

WE ARE THE BCSOStaff Profile

On Oct 28, Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica with Category 5 intensity. About 45 people died and thousands lost homes from floods, mudslides and fierce winds.

The Weather Channel called Melissa the strongest hurricane to hit landfall in the island’s history. The devastation has impacted the Jamaican diaspora worldwide. Here at the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office, several staff members have Jamaican roots. Three of them, Deputy Stephelene Walker, Deputy Nicole Neath and Paul Lindo, a nurse in our medical department, organized a relief effort.

They collected enough donations from staff to fill three barrels with food, clothing, shoes, and other essentials — still necessary months after the storm. The port infrastructure was so badly damaged, it’s taken this long to get the donations shipped.

Now that the barrels are ready to go, Paul, Stephelene and Nicole will fly to the Westmoreland, St. James and Trelawny Parishes to hand out care packages. Neath’s aunt lost her roof, and she and her child are still living with relatives. Stephelene, a former police officer in Jamaica, comes from Trelawny Parish, which was particularly hard hit.

The Barnstable County Corrections Officers Union (BCCOU) purchased first class plane tickets for the trio.

Stephelene called the donations “a great blessing.”

National Good Samaritan Day is the perfect time to recognize Deputy Walker, Deputy Neath and Paul Lindo.

February 27, 2026

Barnstable County Sheriff’s Response to the Inspector General’s Preliminary Review of Sheriffs’ Budgets and Expenditures

As recognized by the Office of Inspector General’s preliminary report that was released Friday, for years the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office’s annual budget appropriations (or General Appropriations Act - GAA) have not reflected the true cost of operating the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office. As further acknowledged by the preliminary report, it has been the historic practice for the Legislature to use the supplemental budget process to fully fund the Sheriffs’ offices.   

That's why we welcome this report and any improvements that can be made to the funding formula to correct this long-standing structural deficit.

We agree with the Inspector General’s statement: “Sheriffs should be provided with a reasonable budget in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) to meet their mandate and then held accountable to operate within that constraint.” Supplemental funding can then be used as it was intended, to address unforeseen circumstances – like a snowstorm.

While we agree with many of the recommended reforms — giving us a realistic budget at the beginning of each fiscal year chief among them — it does not fall within the purvey of the Legislative Mandate for the Inspector General to direct the Legislature to assign specific roles and responsibilities to the sheriffs’ offices.

Barnstable County Sheriff Donna D. Buckly believes the report demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of the elected office of sheriff, which is to represent the public safety needs of our specific communities. In Barnstable, our office has existed for 334 years, and our roles are foundational parts of the public safety structure. Public safety depends upon many agencies working together to be responsive to our community. As elected officials, sheriffs must have flexibility and autonomy, within reason and within our budgets, to be responsive to the specific needs of our communities. 

The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office understands and respects the Legislature’s responsibility to ensure fiscal transparency and accountability. We share that commitment to responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.  

Overall, we are grateful for this report. The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office sees it as a positive step toward a sensible solution.