NORTHAMPTON — In the old courtroom at the Hampshire County Superior Court, Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan took the oath of office Wednesday for the fourth time after being reelected to the position.

As in the previous two elections for the position, Sullivan ran unopposed in 2022, thus easily securing another four-year term. Thirty-one assistant district attorneys were sworn in as well, with most of them sworn in at the Hampshire County court, and the rest being sworn in at Franklin County Superior Court in Greenfield.

In his acceptance speech, Sullivan thanked the assistant district attorneys and victim advocates for their commitment to justice, as well as local and state police for their service. The Northwestern District Attorney’s Office serves Franklin and Hampshire counties, plus Athol.

“Each of you works your heart out for our office and the people we serve,” Sullivan said. “Not because of glory or recognition, for which there is very little, but out of a passion for justice and compassion for others.”

Referencing Robert F. Kennedy, who wrote that every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves and every community gets the law enforcement it insists on, Sullivan stated that partnering and working together with the entire community is essential to address issues of crime. He spoke about his pledge to turn the DA’s office into a “People’s Law Office,” serving as a voice for the voiceless for those who are abused and face injustice.

“Engaged citizens must play a central role in addressing the social ills and problems of crime by partnering with law enforcement,” he said. “Without true community engagement, law enforcement and a prosecutor’s office cannot begin to address the complex problems of crime in our community.”

Sullivan gave several examples of programs created during his terms in office that are meant to fulfill this goal, such as the Anti-Crime Task Force to address drug trafficking and violent crime, and the Western Massachusetts Veterans Treatment Court, working with veterans who become involved with the justice system and who are struggling with mental health or substance disorders.

In an interview following his acceptance speech, Sullivan said he would focus efforts combating many of the root causes of crime in the district in his new term.

“We want to redouble our efforts when it comes to substance use disorders, to improve our recovery and treatment services,” Sullivan said. “One of the things we’re going to double down on as well is the number of domestic violence cases in our district. It still hasn’t gone down and it’s something we really need to address.”

Sullivan’s speech was preceded by an invocation made by the Rev. Andrea Ayvazian, an associate pastor at the Alden Baptist Church, and followed by a rendition of “America the Beautiful” sung by Dana Warren, a student at Hampshire Regional High School.

Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.

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