Pleas brings “conversations” to public

Published 5:33 pm Tuesday, May 30, 2023

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Commonwealth’s Attorney Narendra R. Pleas is making her rounds across Suffolk to educate citizens on the duties she and her office take on. 

Her four-part series of forums, Conversations with the Commonwealth’s Attorney, just made its second stop Wednesday, May 25 at Whitemarsh Road Fire Station. 

Citizens came by the informational session to learn more about her role as a criminal prosecutor as well as the responsibilities of her various teams in different departments — victim/witness, general district court and juvenile and domestic relations district court.

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The forum also outlined the responsibilities of investigators and legal assistants, the initiatives of providing pretrial services for low-risk individuals with supervision during their pending case, the establishment of mental health dockets for Suffolk courts and the focus on environmental justice in collaboration with Keep Suffolk Beautiful. 

It provides residents a chance to ask questions and talk with Pleas about the office. 

Suffolk resident Clifton Boone said that he came to the forum to see how the Commonwealth’s Attorney communicates with the community and to find ways to help people “succeed in life.”

“It was interesting to learn just what she provides and most importantly, to see her reach out to the community so that we can see what she offered and how things just operate in her office,” Boone said.

Pleas said that she would “like to see more” people come to her forum, but was still happy about people coming and spreading the message.

“Just having some citizens come in, and I know that they’re representatives for their civic leagues or their neighborhood organizations, so even though I get to talk to one or two here, that message gets spread to other people. So, I’m always excited,” Pleas said.

Pleas discussed the importance of the public’s support for the work her office performs.

“To continue to help, to continue to come out and talk to us – not just when something has happened, but before something has happened,” she said. “To understand that we are engaged in the community, that we’re trying to help.”

Pleas also emphasized that public safety doesn’t involve just the police and the Commonwealth’s Attorney.

“It’s us everyday, doing our job,” Pleas said.

Conversations with the Commonwealth includes two more stops at Chuckatuck Fire Station, 300 Kings Hwy., and Curtis R. Milteer Sr. Recreation Center, 132 Robertson St. Both sessions begin at 6 p.m., July 20 and Aug. 17, respectively.

For more information, contact the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office at 757-514-4365