Introduction of Representative Kevin Honan by District Attorney Conley

We have two very special awards left to present. The first is named for a man who many of us served alongside, either in this office or at City Hall. Brian Honan represented all that was good about public service. As an Assistant District Attorney and Chief of the Roxbury District Court, Brian was a tireless worker and an excellent young prosecutor who did his work with maturity, sound judgment and conviction. As a City Councilor, he served his neighborhood with passion and with clarity of purpose. And everywhere, at all times, Brian recognized the humor and unintentional comedy that often invades the weighty matters of justice and governance. Make no mistake, with Brian’s passing we were all cheated.

Over the months since Brian’s passing, I’ve been approached about some appropriate way to remember Brian - naming a conference room for him or some such thing. I think anything any of us can do to keep his memory alive is wonderful, but I also feel strongly that often times the most fitting form of remembrance is not to look back, but to look forward. That’s what Brian did throughout his life and the results are obvious to all. Boston is a better place because of Brian Honan.

So we are proud to have his brother, State Representative Kevin Honan, here today, as we present the first annual Brian Honan Award. This award is meant to honor prosecutors from this office whose public service mirrors Brian’s – Excellence in the Courtroom and in the Communities We Serve.

To make this very special award presentation, please welcome as good and decent a man as you will ever find in public life, Kevin Honan

Rep. Kevin Honan remarks and presentation of the Brian J. Honan award to Assistant District Attorney Matthew J. Machera

The recipient of the Brian J. Honan Award has been a prosecutor in Suffolk County ten years ago and actually began his career in Roxbury District Court. He worked his way up to Superior Court and to what was then know as the Gang – slash – Safe Neighborhood Initiative Unit. He was the first prosecutor to be assigned to work directly with Boston Police Detectives in their districts, and it was this experience that has largely defined so much of what makes him an effective prosecutor and a positive community presence.

We don’t recognize it now, but for a prosecutor to work in the District Police stations was truly groundbreaking. Through the quality of his work and the good humor he brings to the job, the turf issues and mistrust that once prevented this kind of collaboration gave way. The success he showed was possible was the starting point for a range of collaborative efforts between the Boston Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office that exist today.

No one in the District Attorney’s Office spends more time – day and night – meeting with community residents and leaders, particularly around the Safe Neighborhood Initiative. In fact, because of the excellent relationships he built and the confidence he inspired in residents, he was ultimately assigned responsibility for the Grove Hall SNI.

When Dan Conley became District Attorney, he looked to re-invigorate the program and separated Gangs and SNI, making each a distinct Unit. Based upon the success of Grove Hall, this prosecutor was selected to head up the SNI Unit. As head of the unit, the Safe Neighborhood Initiative has not only found new life and effectiveness, but the program has expanded to Uphams Corner where it is an overwhelming success. Additionally, this young man was the driving force to win the $400,000 Project Sentry grant to place other prosecutors in police stations to foster closer collaboration with Boston Police to reduce gun violence. This initiative has linked in closely with the Unsolved Shooting Project with Boston Police, another critical component of this success.

This prosecutor is the standard bearer who has taught other young prosecutors the critical importance of developing strong working relationships with police and with community residents. It makes a prosecutor more sensitive to the communities he or she serves, and it helps to build the strongest possible cases for prosecution.

For excellence in the courtroom and commitment to the communities we serve, I am pleased to present the Brian J. Honan Award to Assistant District Attorney Matthew Machera.

The Brian J. Honan Award is presented to Matthew J. Machera
Assistant District Attorney, For Excellence in the Courtroom and Commitment to the Communities We Serve.