About Paul
Paul was raised in Attleboro. His parents are retired pharmacists and small business owners. He spent many summers and days after school working in his parents' drug stores, where from a very young age he learned the hard work, service and the challenges and rewards of small business ownership.
Paul was elected Sheriff in 2022 and was sworn in as Sheriff in January 2023. Prior to being Sheriff, Paul was:
Paul holds a:
An avid reader and traveler, Paul has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, and been to many countries including North Korea, China, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. He has been a full instructor in Jeet Kune Do and a full instructor in Kali since 1999, and has been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 1993. Paul was nominated by his Harvard classmates for the RFK Award for Excellence in Public Service for his work with seniors, mentoring youth, and advocating for prison reform.
Paul lives in Attleboro with his dog Sashi.
Paul was elected Sheriff in 2022 and was sworn in as Sheriff in January 2023. Prior to being Sheriff, Paul was:
- elected to three terms as Mayor of Attleboro from 2018 until 2022,
- elected to three terms as a State Representative from 2013 until 2017,
- worked in the Massachusetts Department of Correction from 2008-2009,
- worked in the Philadelphia Prison System from 2006-2008,
- worked at the Institute for Defense and Disarmament Studies from 2004-2005,
- worked in Saudi Arabia in 2003, and
- worked with children at the Attleboro YMCA from 1996-2003.
Paul holds a:
- Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard University School of Government,
- Master’s in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania,
- Masters in International Relations from the London School of Economics,
- Bachelor’s in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Southern California.
An avid reader and traveler, Paul has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, and been to many countries including North Korea, China, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. He has been a full instructor in Jeet Kune Do and a full instructor in Kali since 1999, and has been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 1993. Paul was nominated by his Harvard classmates for the RFK Award for Excellence in Public Service for his work with seniors, mentoring youth, and advocating for prison reform.
Paul lives in Attleboro with his dog Sashi.
Sheriff
2023-Present
Electoral History
- On 6 September 2022, won the Democratic primary on September 6 with 41.8% of the vote, while the other two candidates received 33.5% and 24.7%.
- On 8 November 2022, elected with 50.9% of the vote.
In continuing with my practice as Mayor and State Representative, I post the work I do on Facebook on a daily basis. Some of the highlights include, but are not limited to:
- Improving work conditions for employees by increasing pay, offering stipends to employees who volunteer for specialty units, modifying policies, hiring more COs to decrease forced overtime, having regular communication with the staff, and merit-based promotional opportunities
- Creating a Post-Release Unit to address the pillars of prisoner reentry:
- Housing to reduce homelessness upon release
- Employment through education and skills training
- Healthcare including drug addiction treatment and mental health treatment
- Creating a training academy built from the closed ICE detention center
- Decreasing the rate of inmate suicide
- Putting air conditioning in the housing units, a benefit to the employees and inmates
- Working on closing the Ash Street jail
- Eliminating patronage positions and units that didn’t have anything to do with running a jail
- Improving the website by listing the organization chart with contact information for each unit making this jail transparent and accessible
Mayor
2018-2022
Electoral History
In continuing with my practice as a State Representative, I post the work I do on Facebook on a daily basis. Some of the highlights include, but are not limited to:
- On 19 September 2017, came in first in a three-way preliminary with 47% of the vote.
- On 7 November 2017, elected with 54% of the vote.
- On 5 November 2019, re-elected with 67% of the vote.
- On 21 September 2021, came in first in a three-way preliminary with 66% of the vote.
- On 2 November 2021, re-elected with 66% of the vote.
In continuing with my practice as a State Representative, I post the work I do on Facebook on a daily basis. Some of the highlights include, but are not limited to:
- proposing a balanced budget in all five years with no layoffs or cuts to city services
- increasing the city stabilization fund from $2.9 million to $7 million, including creating a $1 million special education stabilization fund
- increasing the OPEB contribution from $35,000 per year to $100,000 per
- overseeing the completion of a new $250 million high school on time and slightly under budget
- installing gunshot detection systems at all 9 public schools
- replacing roofs at Brennan and Wamsutta middle schools, which leaked for 20 years
- replacing the gym floors at Hill Roberts and Hyman Fine elementary schools
- navigating the Coronavirus Pandemic creating policies for city government to keep the public and staff safe, with no layoffs during the pandemic
- tripling the police training budget for topics including duty to intervene, implicit bias awareness, de-escalation training, and mental health awareness
- creating a cybercrime unit in the police department
- creating a traffic unit in the police department
- purchasing body cameras for police officers
- purchasing riot gear for police for the first time in city history
- purchasing a second set of turnout gear for every firefighter for the first time in city history
- passing ordinances addressing products harmful to the environment such as banning single use plastic bags, plastic and Styrofoam takeaway cups and containers, and banning the intentional releasing of balloons, banning pesticides that kill bees, banning plastic straw distribution, banning lightbulbs that contain mercury
- making all city buildings wind powered
- creating a new policy to purchase hybrid vehicles where possible, including the police fleet
- had energy saving LED lights installed in all city streetlights, and the largest most energy consuming city buildings
- passing an ordinance to solve the Beagle Club Road parking problem that has plagues the city for decades
- reviving the Attleboro Commission on Disabilities
- reviving the Attleboro Commission on Human Rights
- reviving the Attleboro Committee on Substance Abuse Prevention
- purchasing Highland Country Club and turning it into Highland Park, a public recreational area
- replacing miles of old and leaking watermains - Read St, Deanville Rd, Franklin St, Steere St, with Bishop St and Lindsay St planned next
- adding or repairing miles of new sidewalks - Read St, Mendon Rd, Brown St, Maple St, Park St, Dean St, Foley St, Kendall Ave, Newport Ave, May St, Thacher St in three locations, Rathbun Willard Dr
- passing an ordinance to improve traffic problems through place permanent speed humps in some areas
- hiring an Economic Development Director to improve business in Attleboro
- working with a nonprofit to create the Attleboro Reentry Center for ex-offenders
- cracking down on motorists who leave pets in cars in extreme heat or extreme cold
- making City Hall pet friendly
Click here to see pictures of Paul during tenure as mayor
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
2013-2017
Electoral History
I was the State Representative for the Second Bristol District. Much of my work as a State Rep was advancing evidence-based government. This involves moving away from isolated examples of stories; correlation and pre-test/post-test examples as data; and moving to a more empirical approach.
Some of my successes included:
Virtually every day, I posted on my public Facebook page, and I sent out weekly emails to almost everyone who submits their email address through the home page of this website. My weekly email included my voting record in the House and in Committees, projects I've worked on the past week and media links.
- In September, 2012, I won the Democratic primary with 78% of the vote.
- In November, 2012, I won the general election with 58% of the vote.
- In November, 2014, I won re-election with 61% of the vote.
- In 2016, I was uncontested and re-elected to my third and final term; I ran for Mayor in 2017.
I was the State Representative for the Second Bristol District. Much of my work as a State Rep was advancing evidence-based government. This involves moving away from isolated examples of stories; correlation and pre-test/post-test examples as data; and moving to a more empirical approach.
Some of my successes included:
- creating a $38 million school grant program for school internet infrastructure
- getting over $150,000 allocated for homeless children
- co-sponsoring the transgender public accommodation bill, which is now law
- co-sponsoring the ban on LBTGQ conversion therapy bill, which is now law
- raising awareness about the need to measure the effect/outcome prison and jail programs have on reducing recidivism
- exceptional constituent service work
Virtually every day, I posted on my public Facebook page, and I sent out weekly emails to almost everyone who submits their email address through the home page of this website. My weekly email included my voting record in the House and in Committees, projects I've worked on the past week and media links.
Click here to see pictures of Paul during his time at the Massachusetts State House
Consulting EXPERIENCE
2010-2017
Video of Paul talking about jail and prison policy
Consultant
I worked with agencies to measure if programs and services that taxpayers pay for, which public agencies offer are effective (or not). I also did cost-benefit analyses on programs. While in elected office, I did not get paid for my consulting.
Writer
As an unpaid hobby, I used to write for the Huffington Post. I enjoy writing about various public policy issues including crime policy, mental health, and international affairs. This sometimes results in my guest appearance on TV or radio stations all over the US and as far away as in Russia and Australia. I used to be a regular guest on RT International discussing the Middle East.
I worked with agencies to measure if programs and services that taxpayers pay for, which public agencies offer are effective (or not). I also did cost-benefit analyses on programs. While in elected office, I did not get paid for my consulting.
Writer
As an unpaid hobby, I used to write for the Huffington Post. I enjoy writing about various public policy issues including crime policy, mental health, and international affairs. This sometimes results in my guest appearance on TV or radio stations all over the US and as far away as in Russia and Australia. I used to be a regular guest on RT International discussing the Middle East.
Corrections EXPERIENCE
2006-2009
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In 2008, I worked at the Massachusetts Department of Correction as Director of Research and Planning from 2008-2009.
From 2006 to 2008, I worked for the Philadelphia Prison System in the Executive Office as Assistant to the Commissioner, Leon A King.
Balancing the need to advocate for effective ex-offender re-entry planning and recognizing that there are some very dangerous people in prison, I successfully reinforced the idea that there is no one-size-fits all approach to service delivery. This is not only about tax dollars, but also about public safety and quality of life for citizens. I have given presentations in community groups and in professional conferences on what works in corrections and criminal justice; on properly measuring crime reduction strategies and on prisoner reentry. And I have written extensively on incarceration, terrorism, prison overcrowding, sex offenders, illegal drugs, gun crimes, and more.
I earned a Master of Science degree in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania, where I had the honor to study crime policy under Laurie O. Robinson and Lawrence W. Sherman. There, I received the "Leadership in Criminology Award."
From 2006 to 2008, I worked for the Philadelphia Prison System in the Executive Office as Assistant to the Commissioner, Leon A King.
Balancing the need to advocate for effective ex-offender re-entry planning and recognizing that there are some very dangerous people in prison, I successfully reinforced the idea that there is no one-size-fits all approach to service delivery. This is not only about tax dollars, but also about public safety and quality of life for citizens. I have given presentations in community groups and in professional conferences on what works in corrections and criminal justice; on properly measuring crime reduction strategies and on prisoner reentry. And I have written extensively on incarceration, terrorism, prison overcrowding, sex offenders, illegal drugs, gun crimes, and more.
I earned a Master of Science degree in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania, where I had the honor to study crime policy under Laurie O. Robinson and Lawrence W. Sherman. There, I received the "Leadership in Criminology Award."
Pictures of Paul's Criminal Justice Background
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
2003-2006
With fifteen of the nineteen 9-11 hijackers being from Saudi Arabia, I decided to travel to that country in 2003 and worked in the human resources division at Al Rajhi. I lived and worked in Al Malaz, Riyadh (the neighborhood Osama bin Laden was born in), and Al Jubail (located on the Persian Gulf). To be an informed citizen, I decided to learn firsthand about the people, culture, politics, religion and region.
After leaving Saudi Arabia, I returned to Attleboro. And with an eye on the debacle going on in Iraq, I decided to gain further experience on national security related issues working at the non-profit Institute for Defense and Disarmament Studies (IDDS) as a senior military procurement analyst in 2004 and 2005.
After my time at the IDDS, from 2005 to 2006, I earned a Master of Science degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and wrote the book "The Aftermath of Intention: The American Legacy in the Middle East".
After leaving Saudi Arabia, I returned to Attleboro. And with an eye on the debacle going on in Iraq, I decided to gain further experience on national security related issues working at the non-profit Institute for Defense and Disarmament Studies (IDDS) as a senior military procurement analyst in 2004 and 2005.
After my time at the IDDS, from 2005 to 2006, I earned a Master of Science degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and wrote the book "The Aftermath of Intention: The American Legacy in the Middle East".
Paul on Russia Today talking about Iran's nuclear program (January, 2012)
Paul's other interviews on the Middle East.
Paul's other interviews on the Middle East.
Click here to see pictures of Paul's international background
YOUTH WORK EXPERIENCE
1996-2003
I started working with children shortly after I graduated Attleboro High School in 1995. From 1996 to 2003, I first worked with children in direct services and later in a management capacity at the Attleboro YMCA, and in other capacities while I was living in Los Angeles. Many children I encountered were afflicted with developmental disorders and/or who were subjected to abuse. Child development is important to all strata of society from issues dealing with drug and alcohol abuse to education to bullying. Unlike many politicians who do a publicity photo-op with children in a classroom for campaigns, I spent seven years working with children and their families.
While living between Attleboro and Los Angeles between 1998 and 2001, I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Minor in Neuroscience from the University of Southern California, where I was inducted into the highly selective Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society for "Leadership, Scholarship and Service."
While living between Attleboro and Los Angeles between 1998 and 2001, I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Minor in Neuroscience from the University of Southern California, where I was inducted into the highly selective Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society for "Leadership, Scholarship and Service."
Martial Arts Instructor
1995-Present
I have taught Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Martial Arts at my studio JKD/Kali Academy. I competed in about 20 fights.
Click here to see photographs and videos.
Click here to see photographs and videos.
Paul's Education
(Click here for classes)
ATTLEBORO HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 1995
CLASS OF 1995
Some accolades include:
- Nominated for the “RFK Award for Excellence in Public Service” at Harvard
- Nominated Employee of the Year while working for the nation’s 5th largest jail
- Awarded the “Leadership in Criminology” award at the University of Pennsylvania
- Inducted into the Mortar Board National Honor Society for “Leadership, Scholarship and Service" at USC
- Awarded “Most Genuine” class superlative by high school classmates