National Correctional Officer Week Observed Locally

(Juneau) Those who make a living behind bars are being recognized as part of National Correctional Officer Week. Since 1985, the first full week of May has been dedicated to recognizing the contributions made by correctional workers. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt says corrections officers have a difficult job but one that is important to the criminal justice system. He says the job entails much more than just booking and housing inmates. Among other tasks, they are responsible for conduction multiple head counts a day, escort detainees to court or a medical appointment or allow inmates time in the library or gym. Schmidt says corrections officers deal with dangerous situations on a daily basis. For example, inmates are regularly issued razor blades to shave. He says the Sheriff’s Office does their best to recognize their hard not just during this week but throughout the year. Correctional Officer Laurie Covington, who has been employed with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office since 2002, says that every day is a new challenge and that their patience is always being tested. She says in 2017 the county jail booked over 45-hundred inmates into their facility.