The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department has recently broadened the reach of its public affairs television program, Common Ground, extending it to Chelsea. Developed by the Sheriff’s Department’s External Affairs Division, Common Ground serves to enhance public understanding of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department’s operations and initiatives while fulfilling Sheriff Andrea J. Cabral’s pledge to bring greater transparency to the Department’s work. The program functions as a key vehicle for advancing Sheriff Cabral’s public mission of promoting safety and preventing crime throughout the community. The show debuted on June 1, 2006 in a thirty-minute time slot on Boston Neighborhood Network, with Sheriff Andrea J. Cabral welcoming State Representative of the 5th Suffolk District Marie St. Fleur as the inaugural guest. Over time, the program has featured co-hosting by Steve Tompkins, the Department’s Chief of External Affairs and Communications, alongside an array of notable guests representing Suffolk County’s diverse leadership and institutions. These have included Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis; Boston Public Schools Superintendent Carolyn Johnson; various city and state officials representing Chelsea, Winthrop, Revere and Boston; staff from community organizations and institutions throughout Suffolk County; and numerous members of the Sheriff’s Department’s custody and non-custody personnel. In response to growing demand, Common Ground has undergone significant expansion, moving to a full hour-long format to provide expanded coverage of the Sheriff’s Department’s initiatives and countywide matters. To better serve all residents across Suffolk County, the Department has now extended the program’s availability to include Chelsea and Winthrop. Robert D. Bradley, Executive Director of Chelsea Community Cable, believes that combining Sheriff Cabral’s important public safety initiatives with Chelsea’s engaged audience will generate meaningful positive results. “Chelsea Community Cable is the local Public Access Channel for residents of Chelsea,” Bradley stated. “It is watched very closely by approximately seven to eight thousand subscribers. Common Ground will be extremely helpful and educational to the viewers in Chelsea, informing them about how their County Sheriff’s office operates. I am sure Common Ground will provide an outstanding service to Chelsea.” Viewers can tune in to Common Ground on Chelsea Community Cable Channels 3 and 16 on Mondays from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
