State Corrections Local 105 President Brian Renshaw( fifth from right) and First Vice President Sean Sprich( far left) with members at the State Corrections Day ceremony in Trenton.
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become State Corrections Day. Reverence and honor were shown to all corrections officers for how they police inside and outside the walls, having been part of details to respond to Hurricane Sandy, to support the security for a Papal visit and the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium, to answer the call on 9 / 11 and every situation they have been needed since then.
Recognition also came from somebody who started her career on this beat. Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver used to work in the Essex County juvenile facility, and she spoke to officers at the Trenton ceremony.
“ I just want the corrections officers in New Jersey to know that we acknowledge the work that you do,” the lieutenant governor confirmed during her remarks.“ We understand the challenges that you are confronted with every day, and it is very important to Governor Murphy and me that we support our corrections police officers in every way we can. We recognize that our corrections police officers are an integral part of our public safety organization in the state.”
A day to remember
As an additional show of support, the governor ordered flags at all state facilities to be flown at half-staff on July 30 in honor of correctional police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Hicks defined State Corrections Day as the time to commemorate fallen officers and celebrate all officers for their extraordinary efforts and commitment. It has become the day to commemorate their legacy year after year.
That legacy now includes the title of“ police” for corrections officers and a new badge and patch they will each wear. Local 105 played a key role in designing the badge that Hicks described as bringing“ honor and distinction” to state corrections. And then he gave further credit where credit was due.
“ The new title is a direct result of your extraordinary efforts,” Hicks told officers in Trenton.“ You have earned the respect of our elected officials, your colleagues in the law enforcement community and the public.”
Nobody was more excited about the step up in stature than Renshaw and State Delegate Ray Heck. Together with the Local 105 Executive Board, they led a campaign up and down the state to let elected officials know about the efforts of state corrections officers inside and outside the walls.
But Renshaw also cited the drive, passion and the commitment of those officers who gave their careers- and their lives- to corrections and inspired the respect and recognition. He commented how that presence could be felt all the way from Bayside to Trenton.
“ They’ re standing among us today, and for them we will go the distance,” Renshaw asserted, like a football coach giving a pregame motivational speech.“ It’ s a privilege for me to stand up here today and look at all our officers. You look sharp. You look proud. With the new title, that’ s a big move in the right direction. That’ s a new chapter in the book. You know where we’ ve come from. When I first started, we were jail guards. Those days are over. Now, we’ re correctional police officers.”
A day to reflect
For the hundreds of Local 105 members who participated, State Corrections Day was all about respect. Giving it to brothers like Baker, whose tragedy led to Governor Whitman signing the law that gives them all vests to wear on the job, was the first order of the day. And they also took pride in saluting each other for what they endure each day.
Of course, all law enforcement officers have that same perspective – it’ s all about getting home at the end of the day. Correctional Police Officers express how grateful they are for this because inside the walls, even a day that’ s uneventful, when the schedule runs the way it should run, is considered just as stressful as a day when all hell breaks loose.
“ All you need is one second for it to turn to the left, and something like this can happen to any one of us,” related Charlene Wilks, an officer at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Clinton.“ You can’ t get too lax with the situation that nothing is going on today. You’ re thinking that everything is good, you’ re having a good day and something just happens. This day brings awareness to what we have to live with on a day-to-day basis.”
Heck explained that the day lets officers know that the community does not necessarily see them as the guards walking the catwalk with shotguns, as Hollywood often portrays. So it’ s a day to appreciate how correctional police officers provide an environment for inmates to transition from the dregs of society to getting a chance at being productive citizens.
“ Today is a day when we show the community, and the community understands, how we are part of the law enforcement community,” he added.
The gratification on a day like this, however, is quite simple. There is a reminder of why they walk this beat.
“ We don’ t do it for the recognition. We do it for each other, and we do it for the citizens of New Jersey,” said John Salerno, an officer at East Jersey State Prison in Rahway.“ It’ s just what we do. It’ s a tough job, but that’ s why we rely on each other.” And there is a reminder of how this day helps.“ It boosts the morale a lot, which we all need,” confided Jeff Konopada, an officer at East Jersey State Prison.
A day to honor
Praise and tributes to correctional police officers flowed freely and often through State Corrections Day. One declaration of recognition from Cunningham had particular significance to anybody who has been jaded by dealing with inmates eight hours day – or sometimes 16 – five days a week – or sometimes more.
“ Maybe you changed one person’ s life,” he suggested.“ You may never know about that. They may never come back and tell you that, but believe me, it happens all the time.”
34 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ AUGUST 2018