The work of Dukes County Sheriff Office’s (DSCO) Special Operations Unit has earned Island resident and Dukes County Sheriff Bob Ogden the 2024 Innovation of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association.
The achievement was awarded to Sheriff Ogden at the Great Hall in Boston on Tuesday at the association’s inaugural Law Enforcement and Corrections Award Ceremony.
Ogden earned the award for his part in launching an array of new technologies and operations, including a new unmanned aerial-systems unit and a mobile transport unit.
“These special operations programs have proven essential in enhancing community safety and ensuring more efficient law enforcement responses, ultimately fostering a safer environment for residents and visitors,” Sheriff Ogden is quoted in a press release from Tuesday. “These advancements and partnerships with our local policing community have paid dividends in public safety, filling gaps with Island-wide services only a regional entity can perform, and clearly defining the Dukes County Sheriff’s Office’s importance and necessity outside the perceived historically correctional role.
“We are honored to accept MSA’s Innovation of the Year Award, and are grateful for the opportunity to make our community a safer place,” Ogden added.
The unmanned aerial systems unit could help with ground response teams, and deploy for large fires and search and rescue missions. The mobile unit provides critical traffic assistance during high call volumes, supports police by transporting detainees from points of arrest, and aids in conducting investigations on the go.
The Special Operations Unit is responsible for internal safety inside the house of correction, investigating drug activity, tactical operations, and emergency management.
