(BOP) - The tradition of honoring correctional workers began in May 1984, when the American Correctional Association and the International Association of Correctional Officers proclaimed the first full week in May, Correctional Officers Week. President Ronald Reagan supported this initiative by issuing Proclamation 5187 - National Correctional Officers Week. He stated, "The professionalism, dedication and courage exhibited by these officers throughout the performance of these demanding and often conflicting roles deserves our upmost respect....It is appropriate that we honor the many contributions and accomplishments of these men and women who are a vital component of the field of corrections."
Although the current COVID-19 national emergency is forcing the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to postpone the typical Correctional Workers Week celebrations and activities, it does not preclude the Agency from paying tribute to the dedication and professionalism of its correctional workers nationwide and remembering those killed in the line of duty. It also provides an opportunity to share some of the history surrounding the commemorative week.
In 1993, during the first week of May, then Director Kathleen Hawk Sawyer addressed BOP staff in a message, which stated in part, "The Bureau has chosen to declare this week, "Correctional Workers Week," because we believe that all staff, regardless of our particular specialty area, are "correctional workers first." Each of us - no matter what our job - is responsible for the security of [our] institutions and the safety of the public." On May 5 of that year, hundreds of Central Office staff, as well as special guests from several Bureau institutions and Regional Offices, gathered at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., to participate in a special memorial service honoring Bureau staff who lost their lives in the line of duty.
The BOP has continued this tradition of honoring the lives and legacies of those staff members who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the Nation. Each year, with the exception of 2005 when all of the fallen heroes were honored in conjunction with the BOP's 75th anniversary, one specific BOP hero has been honored, with family and friends of the staff member invited to share in the memorial service. Last year, the BOP completed its goal of honoring the sacrifice of every one of its fallen colleagues by commemorating their lives and memorializing their valor.
Later this year, when it is appropriate, the BOP will hold its annual memorial service and other Correctional Workers Week events. In commemoration of the Agency's 90th anniversary this year, the memorial service will once again honor all of the BOP's dedicated public servants who made the ultimate sacrifice. Their stories can be found here: Fallen Heroes
As correctional workers, BOP staff have a lot to be proud of, and Correctional Workers Week provides an opportunity to reflect on the work they perform each day in accordance with the Agency's Core Values: Respect, Integrity and Correctional Excellence. The BOP's high standard of professionalism is vital to success and must serve as a foundation for every staff member to act according to these values and in support of the overall mission. Correctional Workers Week, this year in particular, is the perfect time to honor the dedication, bravery, and professionalism of all BOP staff. Every day, BOP staff put their lives on the line to serve justice, protect public safety, and care for the inmates in their charge.
Please take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices made by each of the BOP's 26 fallen heroes and their families.
Joseph B. Waldrupe (Correctional Officer) • USP Leavenworth (KS) • November 10, 1901
Andrew F. Turner (Correctional Officer) • USP Leavenworth (KS) • March 26, 1916
Edgar A. Barr (Correctional Officer) • USP Leavenworth (KS) • March 19, 1917
James R. Brock (Deputy Warden) • USP Atlanta (GA) • December 27, 1917
Andrew H. Leonard (Captain) • USP Leavenworth (KS) • November 14, 1922
Robert G. Warnke (Laundry Foreman) • USP Leavenworth (KS) • June 20, 1929
Royal C. Cline (Correctional Officer) • USP Alcatraz (CA) • May 23, 1938
Harold P. Stites (Senior Officer) • USP Alcatraz (CA) • May 2, 1946
William A. Miller (Correctional Officer) • USP Alcatraz (CA) • May 3, 1946
William W. Latimer (Correctional Officer) • National Training School (WDC) • October 15, 1960
Vern M. Jarvis (Senior Officer) • USP Marion (IL) • January 26, 1969
Wayne L. Selle (Senior Officer) • USP Leavenworth (KS) • July 31, 1973
John W. Johnson (Correctional Officer) • USP Leavenworth (KS) • September 29, 1974
Donald F. Reis (Senior Officer Specialist) • FCI El Reno (OK) • February 28, 1975
Janice R. Hylen (Contract Dietitian) • USP Atlanta (GA) • November 21, 1979
Gregory J. Gunter (Maintenance Mechanic General Foreman) • FCI Petersburg (VA) • December 25, 1982
Gary L. Rowe (Senior Officer) • MCC San Diego (CA) • February 7, 1983
Merle E. Clutts (Senior Officer Specialist) • USP Marion (IL) • October 22, 1983
Robert L. Hoffmann (Senior Officer Specialist) • USP Marion (IL) • October 22, 1983
Boyd H. Spikerman (Correctional Officer) • FCI Oxford (WI) • January 29, 1984
Robert F. Miller (Senior Officer) • USP Lewisburg (PA) • October 12, 1987
D'Antonio A. Washington (Correctional Officer) • USP Atlanta (GA) • December 22, 1994
Scott J. Williams (Senior Officer Specialist) • USP Lompoc (CA) • April 3, 1997
Jose V. Rivera (Correctional Officer) • USP Atwater (CA) • June 20, 2008
Eric J. Williams (Senior Correctional Officer) • USP Canaan (PA) • February 25, 2013
Osvaldo O. Albarati (Supervisory Correctional Officer) • MDC Guaynabo (PR) • February 26, 2013