Corrective Services Remembrance Day

Today, Friday 24 November, we reflect, as we do each year, on the sad loss of colleagues in Corrective Services who have tragically fallen while serving the community.

The day is therefore a reminder that Correctional Officers and supporting staff are employed in one of the most difficult and dangerous workplaces in the community.

Every Correctional Officer should be able to go to work each day and know that they will return to their families and loved ones safely.

Sadly, in this line of work, that’s never a guarantee.

No other workplace requires the riot squad to be on stand-by when a smoking ban is introduced.

No other workplace requires such stringent safety procedures.

Many of the inmates that Correctional Officers and staff supervise have nothing left to lose and all too often officers are required to deal with unpredictable and dangerous situations.

This underscores the importance of proper staff to inmate ratios and the need for improved workers compensation provisions to protect these officers and their families.

The world that exists behind the walls of Correctional facilities might seem intriguing to some members of the community.

The fact is these officers place their lives on the line every day in service to the public.

Stewart Little
PSA General Secretary