This week, Westchester County is marking National Correction Officers Week. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued a Proclamation to generate public awareness and recognize the contributions that correction officers make nationwide
County Executive George Latimer said: “Each May we pause to celebrate correction professionals who exemplify professionalism, integrity, and strength in a challenging work environment. It’s a time when we should take a moment to honor the highly trained and professional men and women at our Correction Department for their commitment to duty, to each other and to the individuals who are remanded into their custody. On a daily basis, they go ‘Above and Beyond’ to safely facilitate activity at the jail complex, while operating under the best in class custodial and health care standards in the Country.”
In 1996, Congress expanded National Correction Officers Week to include all correctional employees, giving a long overdue “Thank You” to all the women and men who serve by working in the field of corrections.
Westchester Correction Commissioner Joseph K. Spano said: “This is truly a special week to celebrate and bring awareness to the importance and significance of our profession. At our nationally recognized Department, correction professionals should be commended for striving to improve all aspects of our day to day operations and quality of life for staff and the men and women in our care. While this week is a time to recognize achievement and advancements made in the complicated field of corrections, it is also a solemn time of remembrance, where we remember those correction professionals who have passed away while in service”.
In 2021, with the support of Latimer, Spano, and the correction officer and supervisory unions, the Westchester Department of Correction dedicated a monument and memorial bench at their main jail plaza in Valhalla to honor the memory and contributions made by those employees who died while in service during the agency’s 54 year history.
The Westchester County Department of Correction is considered a national leader in the space, recognized for its robust rehabilitation program system and accreditation certifications through the American Correctional Association, the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare and the Prison Rape Elimination Act.