On October 2nd, 2024, the Justice George Lewis Ruffin Society hosted its 40th Convocation entitled “40 Years of Progress: Celebrating Achievements and Marching Forward”. Boston Municipal Court Justice Jonathan Tynes was the Keynote Speaker for this beautiful reception, which honored the work of influential criminal justice professionals of color from across the Greater Boston area. This event was held at Northeastern University’s Alumni Center and consisted of 125 invited guests. The event was co-sponsored by the Justice George Lewis Ruffin Society, the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, M&T Bank, and Professor Margaret Burnham & the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Center.
Honorees included:
President – Emeritus Award Honoree Julian Houston, Former Associate Justice of the Superior Court of Massachusetts
Andrea Campbell, Massachusetts Attorney General
Christine Elow, Cambridge Police Commissioner
Lester Baker, Framingham Police Commissioner
Michael Cox, Boston Police Commissioner
Kevin Hayden, Suffolk County District Attorney
Kenneth Green, MBTA Transit Police Chief
Michael Davis, Northeastern University Police Chief
Steven Tompkins, Suffolk County Sheriff
John Gibbons, Former US Marshal for Massachusetts
James Hicks, Natick Police Chief
Robert Barrows, Bunker Hill Community College Police Chief
Yolanda Smith, Tufts University Police Chief
Pamerson Ifill, MA Probation Service Commissioner
Tyrone Parham, University of Massachusetts Police Chief
Lawrence Akers, Springfield Police
Shumeane Benford, Somerville Police Chief
Lisa Butner, Tufts University Police Captain
Photo by Craig Bailey
