Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office Superintendent to Lead National Commission on Inmate Health

Office Superintendent Peter Perroncello, who manages jail operations for Sheriff Michael G. Bellotti, has been chosen to lead the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) Accreditation Committee.

“We’re fortunate to have Peter Perroncello working for us here in Norfolk County. He is recognized as a national leader and expert in the field of corrections,” Sheriff Bellotti said.

Perroncello was appointed by NCCHC Chairman Carl Bell to lead the panel that reviews audits of more than 450 jails and detention centers nationwide that are seeking health care accreditation. “This is one of the most humbling experiences in my career,” Perroncello said. “It will be a great challenge to deal with America’s incarcerated public health care issues.”

A former president of the American Jail Association, Perroncello began his career in corrections with the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) in 1976 as a part-time correction officer. He moved up through the ranks and eventually left Norfolk County to become a superintendent with the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office before returning to the NCSO in 2007 as superintendent of jail operations.

Perroncello holds a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University and a master’s degree from Arizona State University.

Perroncello noted that the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office health care system has been accredited by the NCCHC since 1989, and the NCSO complex in Dedham was chosen as the Correctional Facility of the Year in 1996.

“Inmates often have a history of not paying proper attention to their health care needs. Consequently, correctional facilities can be places where illnesses spread very fast,” Sheriff Bellotti said. “It is imperative that inmate health care issues be addressed properly before they return to our communities.

“The selection of Perroncello to lead this national panel is not only a tribute to him, but to all the NCSO employees, who work together as a team,” Sheriff Bellotti said.

-Press Release contributed by the office of Sheriff Bellotti.