John J. Buckley (sheriff)

Buckley graduated from Malden High School and went on to earn a business degree at Boston College. He left the business world to attend Saint John's Seminary, which he left after two years when he changed his mind about becoming a priest. Buckley then worked as a publishers representative until he entered politics.^[1][2]

In 1964, Buckley switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party when he joined Elliot Richardson's campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. In 1966, Buckley was the Republican nominee for Massachusetts State Auditor.^[2] He lost to incumbent Democrat Thaddeus M. Buczko 57% to 42%.

Buckley was appointed sheriff on April 10, 1970, by governor Francis W. Sargent following the death of Howard W. Fitzpatrick.^[3][4] He defeated John F. Dever, Jr. in a special election to complete Fitzpatrick's term.^[5] He was elected to a full term in 1974, defeating Walter J. Sullivan 51% to 49%.^[6]

During his tenure, Buckley gained national attention for his stands against the death penalty, support for vocational training and rehabilitation programs for inmates, support for gun control laws, and the elimination of violence on prime-time television.^[3][4] A liberal Republican, Buckley was known for his progressive approach to corrections. During his first year in office, Buckley posed as an inmate for two days in an out-of-state prison, eliminated censorship of inmate mail, allowed inmates to use the sheriff's house on the grounds of the Middlesex House of Correction for conjugal visits, and sued his own office to eliminate the law that allowed juveniles to be jailed with adult criminals. He also took a stance against county government, which he called "a patronage ridden system" and "an anachronism".^[4]