Mark Rooney, who is running for Governor’s Council in District 4, has been endorsed by several public employee unions this week. The candidate announced that he has been endorsed by the Boston Police Patrolman’s Association (BPPA), Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts and Boston Firefighters Local 718. In their endorsement letter, the BPPA’s president Michael F. Leary noted the council’s role to “advise and consent” on judicial appointments and noted that Rooney “has committed to questioning nominees about their opinions” regarding bail and probation for violent felons and that he “supports reforming the bail system to require judges to consider defendants’ prior acts of violence when determining bail.”

Rooney, a South Boston resident, is challenging longtime Councillor Christopher Iannella, Jr. for the fourth district seat, which includes all of Boston and much of the South Shore.