Meet the Chairmen

TIMOTHY J. CRUZ– DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Timothy J. Cruz has served as the Plymouth County District Attorney since November, 2001.

Working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, DA’s Cruz’s office has taken guns, drugs, violent felons, sex offenders and drunk drivers off the streets.

DA Cruz continually focuses his office’s efforts on battling the opioid crisis at all levels.  Through specialized units in his office he has worked to protect children, the elderly, domestic violence victims, and the disabled from abuse.  His office also works collaboratively with local law enforcement, social service agencies, health care professionals, the faith community and educators on crime prevention initiatives throughout the county.

DA Cruz is the current President of the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association, and has served as Past-President for 4 terms.  He is the past Vice-President of the National District Attorney’s Association, and has served on the NDAA Opioid Working Group.  He has served as a member of the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance; Department of Corrections Advisory Council; Governor’s Council on Capital Punishment; and the Forensic Technology Subcommittee of the Governor’s Commission on Criminal Justice Innovation.

DA Cruz previously worked in private practice, and as an Assistant District Attorney in Plymouth County.  He is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School. DA Cruz is admitted to both the Massachusetts and the United States District Court bars, as well as the United States Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States.


JOSEPH D. MCDONALD, JR.,-  SHERIFF

Joseph D. McDonald, Jr. has served as the Sheriff of Plymouth County since 2005.  Prior to being elected as Sheriff, he served nine years as an Assistant District Attorney for Plymouth County.

Sheriff McDonald served on Governor Baker’s Opioid Working Group as the representative for the Law Enforcement community.  In June of 2015 the working group submitted 11 key strategies for the Baker Administrations to consider as policy changes to combat the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts.

Sheriff McDonald attended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS 59th Session) at the FBI Academy.  He is currently a member of the following organizations: The National Sheriff’s Association (NSA), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the FBI Law Enforcement Development Association (LEEDA), Massachusetts Sheriff’s Association (currently serving as MSA President), the American Correctional Association (ACA) Southeast Massachusetts Prosecutor’s Association (former  association secretary) , Southeast Massachusetts Detective’s  Association (SEMDA), Plymouth County Police Chief’s Association, the Plymouth County Police Officer’s Association, and the Plymouth District Bar Association (past president 2005).

Sheriff McDonald is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a graduate of Suffolk University Law School.  Sheriff McDonald is admitted to both the Massachusetts and the United States District Court bars.