National Correctional Officers and Employees Week

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - On May 5, 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued Proclamation 5187-National Correctional Officers’ Week, in which he called upon officials of State and local governments and the people of the United States to observe the contributions of correctional officers and employees serving in the corrections profession.

President Reagan was the first president to formally recognize the work of those who serve in corrections and the very difficult, and at times dangerous, nature of the profession. He wrote that correctional officers are “essential to the day-to-day operations of these institutions; without them it would be impossible to achieve the foremost institutional goals of security and control.”

In keeping with the tradition established by President Reagan, Governor Kay Ivey honored the state’s correctional officers and corrections employees by proclaiming May 7-13, 2017, as Correctional Officers and Employees Week in Alabama. Governor Ivey presented the proclamation to Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn and members of the Alabama Department of Corrections during a ceremony held at the State Capitol on May 3.

In the proclamation, Governor Ivey commended correctional officers and employees currently serving in the ADOC and those who have given their lives in pursuit of an honorable profession.

The Alabama Department of Corrections employs a diverse workforce of more than 3,000 people serving as correctional officers, supervisors, healthcare professionals, chaplains, counselors, educators, and support staff.