But Recruitment is Down
90 New COs Ready for Duty

By REUVEN BLAU

The Department of Correction swore in 90 new officers and named two Wardens and eight Deputy Wardens at a June 20 ceremony.

The Chief-Leader/Michel Friang THUMBS UP: A Correction Department instructor fires up the new class of 90 officers after their June 20 graduation ceremony at John Jay College. The new recruits comprise the smallest class in years, with the department more than 300 officers short of its hiring goals.

The new recruits comprise the smallest class in years. "We are 300 below our targeted hiring," Correction Commissioner Martin F. Horn said after the graduation held at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. "There is no question that it leads to overtime. We have fixed posts that need to be covered."

Lowered Salary Hurts

The Correction Department has struggled to recruit new officers at the reduced starting salary of $26,667, which rises to $34,742 after six months, for a combined first-year compensation of $30,710.

"It's a great career," Mr. Horn asserted. "Where else can a person come on the job with 39 credits and get 21 credits in training and 5-1/2 years later make $69,000 and [have] a 20-year pension?"

There does not appear to be any relief on the horizon, however. The department is looking to hire 1,400 to 1,500 new officers over the next year to cover attrition due to retirements and resignations. But only 2,058 applied during the latest filing period that closed in May. There are currently 8,200 Correction Officers.

"A lot of people sign up," Mr. Horn remarked. "One of the interesting things is that the proportion of people who pass the exam has declined, so that's affecting us."

He stressed that the department was not lowering its standards. One-third of the new recruits have a college degree. Eighteen of the officers have served or are currently in the military including the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, and National Guard. Their ranks include officers who have served in Afghanistan, Africa, and Iraq, the department said.

Among the graduates, 16 recruits currently have or have had a family member on the job, according to the department.

Jail Violence Plummets

During his address to the new recruits and promotees, Commissioner Horn noted that the department has steadily worked to decrease jail violence. Over the past dozen years, the department has transformed, reducing inmate-on-inmate violence at Rikers by more than 90 percent. In fiscal year 2006, there were 37 such assaults. By contrast, there were 1,093 in 1995.

"You are role models," said Carolyn Thomas, the Chief of Department. "I encourage you to walk with pride, confidence, knowledge, and strive for excellence on a daily basis."

At the ceremony, Norman Seabrook, president of the Correction Officers' Benevolent Association, once again stressed the importance of officers staying above the fray and away from trouble.

"You are that 99 percent that will come to work every single day and do what you are supposed to do," he told the graduates in a speech that invoked the Sopranos series finale and Mayor Bloomberg's party affiliation switch. "Yet you will find that there is one percent who refuses to follow instructions. Don't let them drag you into their one percent. Always stay a cut above that."

Warden's Wait Pays Off

The new Wardens are Robert Cripps and Carmine LaBruzzo. Mr. Cripps began his career with the department in 1983 at the Adolescent Reception and Detention Center. He most recently served as the Deputy Warden at the Anna M. Kross Center on Rikers Island.

"I feel great," he said after the ceremony. "After 24 years it finally happened, so it's a good thing. I couldn't be happier."

Warden LaBruzzo started working as a Correction Officer in 1987 at the former Correctional Institution for Men. On Sept. 11, 2001, he led a contingent of Special Operations Division staff to help with the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero. He most recently served as Deputy Warden-In-Command of the Special Operations Division.

The new Deputy Wardens-In-Command are: William P. Clemons III and Angel Villalona. The six new Deputy Wardens are: Cathyreen Bitting-Bailey, Carlton Newton, William Colon, Eliseo Perez, Raino Hills, and Mark Scott.

The new recruits finished a 15-week instruction course at the New York City Training Academy in Middle Village, Queens. The training included classes in security, use of force techniques, constitutional law, chemical agents, physical instruction, communication skills, investigation procedures, and first aid.

The Graduates

The Company A graduates are: Sandra Acevedo, Bertteen Alexander, Ronece Alleyne, Gwen Allison, Henry Andino, Jose Andino, Manuel Arez, Jessie Ayala, Lameen Barnes, Nicholas Barrett, Mark Benson, Desiree Bernazar, Willie Black, Michael Brancato, Michael Brennan Jr., Jerome Brown, David Chan, Chi Shing Chao, Cherese Chappell, Steven Christian, Damon Chuck and Okinya Cotto.

The Company B graduates are: Timothy Cowen, Marsha Cusaac, Joseph DeLeon, Julio Diaz, Terrence Dixon, Tiffany Dunson-Chandler, Damaris Fennell, Necole Fields, Joseph Gangarossa, Anthony Gonzalez, Brendan Hanley, Cyleen Hunter, Joseph Johnson, Rhonda Jones, Damion Jordan, Ryan Keller, Edsel Langhorne and Tashana Lindsay.

The Company C graduates are: Julio Lopez, Patrick Louis-Jean, Jeremy Machado, Staceyann Mandley, Jonathan Martinez, Nishaun McCall, Kathleen McMahon, Marlie Meme, Edwin Mercado, Stacey Missigher, Rodney Montinor, Kirklon Morgan, Trishann Mowatt, Warith Muhammad, Tyron Murdaugh, Klinzor Nelson, Lynn Olivache, Oladapo Ologun, Thomas O'Reilly, Guerby Ormejuste, Bienvenido Padilla, Austin Park, Brian Patterson and Alejandro Perez.

The Company D graduates are: Alicia Peterson, Mister Phillips, Tareaphe Richards, Geraldo Rivera, Jamal Robinson, Jose Rodriguez, Juakennia Ross, Kim Royster, Ronald Sadowski, Emilio Sanchez, George Santiago, Richard Schafranski Jr., Delicia Stephane, Howard Thompson, Anastasia Treadwell, Crystal Walker, Denise Warren, Kevin Watson, Jessie Webb, Timothy Wheeler, Willie Young and Yamisha Young.