FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  CONTACT:    Jack Buckley  

October 22, 2010                                                                              781- 389-2835                  

Massachusetts Law Enforcement Leaders Praise Coakley’s

Record and Vision on Keeping People Safe and Preventing Crime

BOSTON – Citing her twenty-five of experience as a prosecutor, District Attorney, and Attorney General, and her efforts to support law enforcement, protect victims and keep people safe, the Massachusetts Municipal Police Coalition (MMPC) endorsed Martha Coakley today for re-election as Attorney General.

 “I’m proud to have the support of the MMPC, but I’m also inspired by their work each and every day to keep our cities and communities safe,” said AG Coakley.  “As a prosecutor, your first job is to protect the people of the Commonwealth. And this race is about choosing an Attorney General who best stand up for consumers, taxpayers, and families during these difficult economic times.  As your Attorney General, I will continue to work with the MMPC and law enforcement leaders from across the state to protect you and your families, and I will never back down.”

            “As District Attorney and Attorney General, Martha Coakley has been an ally and a friend to law enforcement, because she understands that by working together we can keep our communities safe for our children and our families,” said MMPC President Harold MacGilvray. “AG Coakley’s 25 years of experience  protecting the people of Massachusetts is unmatched and we strongly support her re-election, so she can continue her work supporting victims, protecting our children online and in their neighborhoods, and preventing crime across the state.

            To date, Coakley also earned the support of a wide range of law enforcement groups and leaders, including District Attorneys, police officers, and advocates for child safety.

As a federal prosecutor, an Assistant District Attorney, Middlesex District Attorney, and now as Attorney General, Coakley has an unmatched record in this race of protecting our kids and communities. As a prosecutor for the Middlesex DA’s Office, Martha has personally and successfully prosecuted dozens of violent criminals in Massachusetts. As Chief of the Middlesex DA’s child abuse unit, Martha oversaw the prosecution of hundreds of predators who harmed children.

Martha Coakley is the only candidate in this race who has prioritized victim support and public safety challenges such as cyber crime, senior safety, neighborhood safety, and child protection.  Her opponent has remained virtually silent on these critical issues throughout the past two months. Coakley’s wide-ranging endorsements today are reflective of her 25-year commitment to making the Commonwealth a safer place and her record of not just prosecuting crime, but working in collaboration with all involved to prevent future tragedies. 

As Attorney General, Martha has been a national leader in working to protect people online.  As part of her Cyber Crime Initiative, Coakley revolutionized the tools available to prosecutors for fighting crime in the 21st century, ensuring that Massachusetts is on the forefront of public safety challenges. Her office trains local and state law enforcement officers in how to handle cyber crimes, with specialized trainings on topics such as digital evidence, cyber-bullying, and others. She also opened a state of the art computer forensics laboratory that assists with criminal cases from across the Commonwealth.

In 2008, Coakley led a two-year effort with MySpace and Attorneys General across the country to develop a plan to make social networking sites safer for children. She also successfully took on Craigslist by calling on the site to take down its adult services section to better protect victims of human trafficking.

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