Page 5 - Volume 28 Number 2

The Police Officers Journal
e by Michigan Corrections Officers
www.polc.org • 5
these Corrections Officers and remember and honor their sacrifice,” said MCO President Tom Tylutki in the State Journal article.
MCO represents roughly 6,500 Corrections Offi-
cers, working inside Michigan prisons, Forensic
Security Assistants working at the Center for Foren-
sic Psychiatry, and other Michigan Department of
Corrections employees. “MCO is a labor union, but
our committee did decide that if there a Corrections
Officer who declined membership, their name would
still be added to this,” Lloyd said, noting one of the
honored fallen is George Haight, (EOW 1893). “That
was long before MCO existed. We want to recog-
nize the sacrifice of all officers. This was something
really to draw attention to the dangers officers face and often they are overlooked we feel like. We are trying to raise awareness of the very vital role they play in the criminal justice community.”
ASSAuLt iNJuRiES
Michigan Corrections employees were assaulted by inmates 118 times in 2016, the department reported. In 2017, that number more than doubled with 257 assaults on Michigan Department of Correc- tions (MDOC) staff. “You might be wondering why that number is so much higher than the 118 reported in 2016. At least part of this is due to the fact that in February 2017, MDOC expanded their Policy Directive that defines what should be considered a Critical Incident,” Lloyd said. “The old policy did not include Non-Serious Physical In- jury, which is defined as an injury that requires outside medical treat- ment, but not hospital admission. We believe the change in February 2017 paints a more accurate picture of the number of assaults that occur in prisons. Previous years’ numbers are misleadingly low.”
CORRECtiONS REFORmS
Corrections Officers are not solely there to maintain peace in the prison. They are professionals who undergo a lot of training, Lloyd said. “They’re expected to wear many hats, mentoring inmates or guiding them,” she said. “We’re trying to increase public awareness of all of the facets of their job.”
MCO and Service Employees International Union’s (SEIU) OneVoice national campaign seeks to provide Corrections Officers a voice as corrections reform is debated around the nation. “The goal of One- Voice is to make sure Corrections Officers have a seat at the table as changes are discussed,” said Mary Kay Henry, SEIU President, speaking at the unveiling ceremony last year. “Too often, the lack of respect and understanding of the dangers officers encounter has led to the kind of tragedies this memorial was built to reflect on.”
“We went to every facility in the state and talked with people and asked what they’d like to see from the union,” Lloyd said. “We’re working on getting officers opinions injected in conversations about
Photo by John Cordell
where corrections is going. There’s so much talk about corrections reform at the state and national levels and we’re finding officers’ opinions really aren’t part of that conversation. They have valuable insight in how things can be improved.” d
LiNE OF DutY DEAtHS
Thirteen Michigan Department of Corrections employees officers have been killed in the line of duty. Corrections officers killed by in- mates are noted with an asterisk.
Deputy Gate Keeper George Haight*, March 27, 1893
Warden T.B. Catlin, Deputy Warden Fred Menhennett, Dec. 12, 1921 Dr. A.W. Hornbogen, Aug. 27, 1931
Chief Inspector Fred Boucher, Nov. 5, 1939
Bernard Fancher, April 28, 1960
Officers Joseph Crater, Max Hinckley, March 31, 1967 Officer Earl DeMarse*, Sept. 25, 1973
Officer Josephine McCallum*, March 24, 1987
Officer Jack Budd*, Dec. 27, 1987
Tammy Sperle, Feb. 5, 1996 Doris Taylor, May 17, 1998
Source: Michigan Department of Corrections
Photo courtesy of MCO
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