HANDLING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41
you need to reach out and ask for help,” Burkert reminded.
The training for recruits delved into similar Brother’s Keep-
er and well-being curriculum. This marked the first time that
state corrections provided such substantive suicide aware-
ness and prevention training beyond watching a video. Burk-
ert noted that it was an opportunity to keep it real, to remind
these soon-to-be-corrections officers that their well-being
will thrive on their ability to “take the uniform off and leave
the stress at the jail.”
Sprich submitted that he wants to continue to develop
support and resources to levels like those that exist with the
Massachusetts Department of Corrections, where a team on
full release makes the rounds to every facility providing peer
assistance. But these two training sessions were an important
step, he said, in establishing connections for officers in all fa-
cilities, planting seeds, providing hope and alternatives and
especially getting the young officers to understand how they
can be involved. He hopes that it will enable all corrections
officers to avoid what he endured during the first 11 years of
his career working at the East Jersey State Prison at Rahway,
where he said at least two officers committed suicide each
year.
“A foundation is being established,” Sprich continued. “I
feel like we made some progress by getting some people to
understand how the path can lead to a horrible demise. With
these training experiences, we will be able to spread the word
that there is something good out there. There is a good alter-
native and you can trust people in the program.”d
42
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ JULY 2017
During the peer assistance training, Ken Burkert presented the “Brother’s
Keeper” program to State Corrections Local 105 members.