A Boston city councilor will run for Suffolk County District Attorney this year.
District 5 councilor Ricardo Arroyo, a Democrat, made the announcement that he’s running for the post on Tuesday. His father, Felix D. Arroyo, is the Suffolk County register of probate. And his brother, Felix G. Arroyo, was a member of the Boston City Council from 2010 to 2014.
Arroyo explained why he’s running for the post in a Twitter thread on Tuesday, February 8:
I’m running to be the next Suffolk Country DA. As a public defender, I represented hundreds of individuals in our courts and witnessed how inequity, the lack of opportunity, and the marginalization of individuals can ravage lives. Wanting to address systemic ills led me to run for Boston City Council. I led the fight to declare racism a Public Health Crisis in Boston & to reallocate public safety $$ to programming for mental health, rehabilitation, and violence prevention.
I understand protecting civil liberties and ensuring public safety are not mutually exclusive. I’ve sponsored and passed the Surveillance Oversight Ordinance, the Facial Recognition Ban, and the Office for Police Accountability and Transparency. That is why I am running for Suffolk County DA: to build a justice system that protects the safety and dignity of all people. One that will maintain the successful reforms that have proven to improve the safety of communities across Suffolk County and move us forward with justice- and community-centered policies.
I am committed to a system that reduces racial and class disparities and holds people accountable, while offering healing and restoration for victims. FRM District Attorney Rachael Rollins led the way by bringing much-needed reforms to the office. We cannot afford to go backward or stagnate. We must continue these reforms that have been proven to work and continue to move Suffolk County forward.
Arroyo is the first candidate to announce a run for the position. This comes after Rachael Rollins left the position last month as the U.S. Senate confirmed her to be the U.S. District Attorney for Massachusetts.
Her successor as Suffolk County District Attorney, Kevin Hayden, is serving the rest of her term. Hayden, a Democrat appointed by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, is expected to run in the 2022 election.
Arroyo represents Hyde Park, Mattapan, and Roslindale on the city council.
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