Bristol County Sheriff Marks Three Years Without Inmate Suicide

DARTMOUTH (WBSM) — Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux says it has now been three years to the day since an inmate committed suicide in a county facility.

“This is a milestone in the humane treatment and improved care that inmates received while at the (Bristol County Sheriff’s Office),” Heroux said in a release.

The last inmate suicide at a BCSO facility was on January 5, 2023 – about 36 hours after Heroux took office. A 41-year-old being held on drug charges hanged himself inside of the Bristol County House of Correction in Dartmouth.

“The inmate was awaiting trial and placed in our custody by request from another county jail due to the high-profile nature of the alleged crime, who was in our custody for three days prior to taking his own life,” Heroux said.

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A History of Inmate Suicides at Bristol County Jail

According to Heroux, there were between one and four suicides per year from 1998 until 2023.

“The BCSO had the highest rate of suicide in the state, and was three times the national average,” he said. “When campaigning for sheriff in 2022, I pledged to address this issue.”

Expert Recommendations and Policy Overhaul

In his first month as sheriff, Heroux contracted with Lindsay Hayes, a nationally-recognized expert on reducing inmate suicide. Hayes reviewed the BCSO’s policies and procedures and issued 24 specific recommendations to reduce the rate of inmate suicide. All 24 recommendations were then implemented, including measures to make bunks more suicide-resistant.

READ MORE: The Complete Hayes Report on Bristol County Inmate Suicide Prevention

“Some suggestions are still in progress; for example, hiring more staff or making inmate cells more suicide resistant, which is being done one housing unit at a time,” Heroux said. “BCSO staff, including contract staff, have adopted the report recommendations and have been instrumental in reducing the rate of inmate suicide.”

Heroux Say Progress Doesn’t Mean the Problem Is Solved

“This announcement is intended to serve as a notice of progress in reducing the rate; this is not ‘Mission Accomplished’ or claim that we eliminated inmate suicide or that there will never be an inmate suicide again, despite our improved policies and practices,” Heroux said. “There is no correctional facility anywhere that can claim to eliminate or stop inmate suicide.”