United States Attorney Carmen Ortiz met with members of the B.M.C. Durfee High School Peaceful Coalition and their advisors as part of Violence Prevention Week on March 25, 2011. As the chief federal law enforcement officer in Massachusetts, Ms. Ortiz supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in which the federal government has an interest. She was joined by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Mackinlay and Program Specialist Attorney Martha Wyatt, as well as Mayor Flanagan and School Superintendent Meg Mayo-Brown for the hour-long assembly. Student advisors Tom Khoury and Paul Leite led a discussion between Coalition members and Attorney Ortiz who described her circumstances growing up that were similar to theirs. Click here for the video of the meeting. Click here for photos of a Coalition session with the Fall River Police. Click here for photos of a recent teamwork exercise. For more information about the Peaceful Coalition, contact student advisor Paul Leite at 508-235-2694 or Michaela Gagne Hetzler,..
 

(Top row) Student advisor Tom Khoury welcomes Attorney Ortiz, Mayor Flanagan and former School Superintendent Rick Pavao to the assembly. (Second and third row) Students listen and respond to Attorney Ortiz as she describes the circumstances in which she grew up and solicits responses and questions from the students. (Bottom row, center) Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Mackinlay talks about the penalties for gun possession as CD-Recreation Program Director Jamison Souza and Superintendent Meg Mayo-Brown listen.