For 39 years, the first full week of May has been recognized as National Correctional Officers Week. As a 24/7/365 operation, correctional peace officers serve a vital role in public safety. We acknowledge the courage and heroism it takes to dedicate your life and career to such a role.
As correctional peace officers, you can make a positive difference in someone’s life. Those changes have the ability to impact generations to come. Your work today is more important than ever.
The California Model, a reimagining of the correctional landscape, aims to make this a better place to work and improve the overall wellness of our dedicated employees.
Through a partnership with the Amend program at the University of California San Francisco, leaders throughout CDCR have traveled to Norway to study their approach to normalcy in corrections and success in expanding employee wellness. We have taken some of the best practices and have been using them as inspiration to develop new programs and policies here.
This National Correctional Officers Week we reiterate our care and commitment to all CDCR correctional peace officers. To those who have just joined our department, and to those who have given years, and even decades, in public service.
Please join me in celebrating National Correctional Officers Week and be sure to express your gratitude for those who serve as a crucial pillar in our public safety systems.
Connie Gipson, Director, Division of Adult Institutions, CDCR