Page 12 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, July 3, 2026 MSO hosts law enforcement partners for a special Frederick Douglass Project for Justice event Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian and law enforcement partners stood outside the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction in Billerica following June’s Frederick Douglass Project for Justice event. Special to The Advocate L aw enforcement members from across Middlesex County recently visited the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) for an opportunity to meet with incarcerated individuals and learn about innovative treatment programs and services being offered at the jail and house of correction. The June 4, 2026, gathering was organized by Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian as part of a unique session of the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice, which has been running in Middlesex County since October 2024. The goal of the Frederick Douglass Project is to bring community members into jails and prisons to build bridges and understanding between incarcerated individuals and those on the outside through meaningful dialogue. The MSO had previously held two successful special sessions open to law enforcement and clergy as part of National Faith & Blue Week, but this was the first session just specifically for law enforcement. Frederick Douglass Project Founder & President Marc Howard personally joined the event, facilitating the opening and closing dialogues around the small group conversations. Before sitting with inside participants, law enforcement partners toured Billerica’s Middlesex Jail & House of Correction, learning about the MSO’s Family Support Services Unit (FSSU), Housing Unit for Military Veterans (HUMV), emerging adult unit — known as People Achieving Change Together (P.A.C.T.) — and educational initiatives. “It was an eye-opening experience to participate in the Frederick Douglass Project - seeing firsthand how well the house of correction is run and the incredible programs in place to help those housed there succeed once released,” said Sherborn Police Chief Thomas Galvin. “The time spent meeting and learning about the individuals in the program humanizes them as we often only see them on their worst day. The conversations I had with one individual showed a person with a strong PROJECT| SEE PAGE 24
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