Rich Brown, Kaniuk is now one of the senior corrections members in the
organization. He will most likely matriculate to being the senior member
eventually.
And his longevity has wrought an action and equal reaction to corrections officers, he feels. Or in his words:
“You know that camaraderie in corrections that you don’t find in many
other places? Well, I think that’s been a big part of the respect corrections
has achieved the past 10 or 15 years. We’re definitely producing a better
quality of officer and person. I think that has enabled us to become part of
the family, and when you’re part of the family, you can be part of the
solution and make things better.”
He brings the fight, but he also brings the pride. Kaniuk explains that in
Middlesex County, corrections officers are part of “the circle” now. When
extra officers are needed to handle a public disturbance, he says the mayor
calls the jail for help. He points out that several corrections officers are serving on the Middlesex County Hostage Team, a tactical, rapid-response unit.
Kaniuk’s perspective on corrections is not only the acumen he will bring
the PFRS Board, but also what it needs.
“So many issues before the Board involve corrections officers within the
system,” Bennett reports. “It will be nice to have somebody on the Board
like Mike who truly knows the ins and outs of corrections and has seen it
from all sides.”
Adds Burkert: To have a real-life spokesperson to provide a better understanding of each application that comes to the Board from corrections has
been a long time coming. Mike will be the best one able to articulate to the
Trustees about all the issues at hand.”
Maybe the greatest testimony to the impact of corrections officers
comes from Kaniuk. He reveals that once he became a corrections officer,
he never thought about pursuing any other job in law enforcement. It’s that
simple. He likes to keep it simple.
“I like people coming up to me, asking me questions, doing things for
them,” Kaniuk admits. “That’s why I do what I do.”
The rest of the story
32
So as we come to the end of the story, we need to uncover what makes
Kaniuk the best choice in the election for PFRS Trustee, which begins when
ballots go out to all PFRS members on May 26. He’s the most experienced
candidate in the election; on that issue, there is no debate.
But debating issues is part of the fight Kaniuk will bring on behalf of
members, the inspiration to support members when they most need the
support.
“I’ll debate anybody; I’m good at that,” he confides. “I will debate until
the cows comes home if that’s what my people want and it’s the right thing
to do.”
Members should know that Kaniuk pledges to work 24-7 to get to the
end goal, which he says is to get you your pension because you deserve it,
because you work 25 to 30 years for it. He believes the system isn’t broken,
but if there are breakdowns, it’s the Trustees’ jobs to “figure it out, fix it and
move on.”
With 24 years in, Kaniuk understands that you might question how long
he plans to stay on the job. But he wants you to know that he’s a career officer. “This is the next challenge in my career. It’s only been 24 years. I’m not
done yet. I have more to give.”
And PFRS members might contend they want a Trustee who is above the
politics, above the bull, well, you know. But do you really?
“Being a union leader is politics,” Kaniuk submits. “It’s very similar to
being a politician on the county or town level. It’s just a different
playground. I don’t let it bother me.”
Maybe it’s politics; maybe it’s not. But it is an election, and in an election
year, it’s important to secure the endorsements. Add this one to what makes
Kaniuk qualified for this job:
“I would say this,” comments Warden Cranston. “Being the son of the
former president of the Corrections Officers Benevolent Association of New
York, I know first-hand what a labor leader looks like, sounds like and acts
like. Mike fits the bill perfectly.”
End of story. d
NEW JERSEY COPS
■
MAY 2015