Governor Healey Announces Retirement of Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy
Reidy Recognized for Service, Innovation and Support of Victims; Deputy Secretary and Homeland Security Undersecretary Susan Terrey Appointed as Interim Secretary
BOSTON – Governor Healey today announced that Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy will retire, after serving under both Governor Healey and former Governor Charlie Baker. During her first term, then-Attorney General Healey hired Reidy as Chief of the Major Crimes and Cyber Unit. Governor Healey has appointed Susan Terrey, Deputy Secretary and Homeland Security Undersecretary at the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS), to serve as Interim Secretary effective October 1.
“Secretary Reidy has dedicated his life to service. His tenure is defined by strong leadership, integrity, and devotion to supporting our public safety personnel. It’s why I first hired him in the Attorney General’s Office, and why I asked him to stay on as Public Safety and Security Secretary,” said Governor Healey. “From pioneering a national model for active shooter response, to advancing criminal justice and police reforms, modernizing data systems and expanding workforce opportunities, his contributions have transformed the public safety landscape and made Massachusetts safer and more resilient.”
“Secretary Reidy has been an extraordinary leader. His commitment to public safety is matched only by his compassion for the people at the center of his work,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Throughout his tenure, he has always focused his efforts on supporting emergency responders and public safety personnel while lifting the needs of victims and survivors. His lasting impact will be felt across the systems he improved and the lives he touched.”
Appointed Secretary by Governor Baker in 2021 and reappointed by Governor Healey in 2023. As Secretary, Reidy led the state’s second-largest executive secretariat, overseeing more than a dozen agencies, 8,700 personnel and a $1.7 billion annual budget.
Under Secretary Reidy’s leadership, EOPSS:
Adopted Massachusetts’ first standardized Active Shooter and Hostile Event Response (ASHER) framework, making the Commonwealth the first state in the nation with a unified, cross-discipline strategy for prevention, preparedness, and response.
Positioned Massachusetts as the #1 nationally ranked state in public safety innovation by the Center for Digital Government, driven by initiatives including Cross Tracking System, CJIS modernization, and enhanced cybersecurity and information sharing tools.
Expanded nationally recognized reentry and rehabilitation initiatives, including tablet-based education across all Department of Correction facilities, the P.E.A.C.E. mentoring program for incarcerated women, and in-demand job skills programs.
Expanded statewide access to standardized police training through the Municipal Police Training Committee supporting implementation of the state’s landmark police reform law through initiatives like the Bridge Program.
Established the Secretariat’s first-ever paid summer internship program, now in its fourth year, to strengthen, expand and diversify the pipeline of future public safety professionals.
Convened statewide summits and forums on Election Security, Civil Rights, Campus Safety, Victim Services, and Emerging Adults, designed to strengthened cross-sector partnerships and reinforced Massachusetts’ commitment to inclusive, trauma-informed, and equitable public safety practices.
Oversaw distribution of tens of millions in state and federal funding through the Office of Grants and Research to support violence prevention, cybersecurity, emergency preparedness, and nonprofit security.
Guided leadership transitions at the Massachusetts State Police, the Department of Correction, and the Municipal Police Training Committee.
Strengthened readiness and services across all EOPSS agencies, including the Department of Correction, Department of Criminal Justice Information Services, Department of Fire Services, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Massachusetts National Guard, Massachusetts State Police, Office of Grants and Research, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Parole Board, Sex Offender Registry Board, and State 911 Department, to ensure every corner of the Secretariat advanced its mission to keep communities safe.
“Serving as Public Safety and Security Secretary under Governor Maura Healey and Governor Baker has been the honor of my career, and I am deeply thankful for the trust and support they have shown throughout my tenure,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “It has been a privilege to serve alongside the dedicated professionals of this remarkable Secretariat. The commitment and courage of the EOPSS team have inspired me every day as we faced unprecedented challenges, advanced reforms, and strengthened Massachusetts’ leadership in public safety. I’m proud of all we have accomplished as a team, building a Commonwealth that is safer, more prepared, and more resilient.”
“I am grateful to Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll for their trust and confidence, and to Secretary Reidy for his leadership and the strong example he set” said Deputy Secretary Susan Terrey. “I am honored to take on this role and grateful for the opportunity to lead such a dedicated and talented team of public safety professionals. I look forward to building upon the Administration’s momentum and collaborating closely with our many stakeholders as we advance our work to protect communities, strengthen our preparedness, and ensure Massachusetts remains a leader in public safety and resilience.”
About Terrence Reidy:
Since 2021, Terrence Reidy has served as Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS). Appointed by Governor Maura Healey and previously by Governor Charlie Baker, he brought deep prosecutorial and policy experience to the role, working to foster collaboration, support reform, and strengthen coordination across law enforcement, emergency management, and the criminal justice system.
As Secretary, Reidy has led efforts to modernize operations, advance workforce development, and expand training and data-driven initiatives that have positioned Massachusetts as a national leader in public safety. His tenure has been marked by a commitment to innovation, partnership, and transparency, as well as initiatives that enhanced reentry programming, supported victims, and strengthened the professional standards of policing across the Commonwealth.
Earlier in his career, Reidy served as Undersecretary for Law Enforcement at EOPSS and as a prosecutor in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the district attorney’s offices in Worcester and Suffolk Counties, where he led major crime, gang, and cybercrime units.
A graduate of Colby College and New England School of Law, he is also an active community volunteer and youth sports coach.
About Susan Terrey:
Susan Terrey has nearly 30 years of public service experience spanning executive leadership, homeland security, law, and prosecution. She currently serves as Deputy Secretary and Homeland Security Undersecretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS), where she leads the Commonwealth’s primary emergency preparedness and response organizations and advises the administration on critical public safety and homeland security policy.
In this role, Terrey oversees the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Department of Fire Services, Massachusetts National Guard, and the Homeland Division of the Office of Grants and Research. She is responsible for aligning each agency’s priorities to the state’s overarching homeland security strategy, managing policy and budgetary matters, and building strong partnerships at the local, state, and federal levels.
Since joining EOPSS as General Counsel in 2019, Terrey has guided the Secretariat through major policy challenges, including implementation of landmark Criminal Justice Reform and Police Reform legislation. Her leadership has been recognized with two Manuel Carballo Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Public Service: in 2022 for her work on the 7D Transportation Mission, which deployed the National Guard to transport children to school amid a national school bus driver shortage, and again in 2024 as part of the Emergency Shelter Response Team. She also received the 2014 Paul R. McLaughlin Award, honoring her prosecutorial career marked by courage in the pursuit of justice.
Earlier in her career, she served as Assistant Undersecretary at the Department of Housing and Community Development, where she managed state and federal rental subsidy programs, and as a prosecutor in Manhattan and Suffolk Counties, where she led complex felony prosecutions. As Chief at Boston Municipal Court, she supervised one of the region’s busiest courts and helped launch the Boston Veterans Treatment Court.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a law degree from Boston University School of Law.
