Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Fred Baker's Law; establishes July 30th of each year as "Corrections Officer Day."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act designated as Fred Baker's Law and establishing July 30th of each year as "Corrections Officer Day" in New Jersey to recognize all corrections officers and to honor those who have been killed in the line of duty.
Whereas, The operation of correctional facilities represents a crucial component of the criminal justice system in the United States, and correctional personnel play a vital role in protecting the rights of the public to be safeguarded from criminal activity; and
Whereas, Corrections officers in the State of New Jersey oversee the State's correctional facilities and are responsible for the care, custody, and maintenance of more than 25,000 inmates charged to their care; and
Whereas, To carry out their responsibilities, corrections officers work under demanding circumstances and face danger in their daily work lives, which sometimes results in the loss of life; and
Whereas, On July 30th, 1997, Senior Corrections Officer Fred Baker paid the ultimate price when he was brutally stabbed to death by an inmate at Bayside State Prison in Leesburg, Cumberland County; and
Whereas, In addition to Senior Corrections Officer Fred Baker, numerous New Jersey corrections officers have lost their lives in the line of duty; and
Whereas, In 1984, former President Ronald Regan signed Proclamation 5187, which designated the first week in May as "National Correctional Officers Week" in honor of corrections officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect the public from dangerous criminals and to help prisoners work toward becoming productive members of society; and
Whereas, In 1996, Congress expanded and renamed this special week "National Correctional Officers and Employees Week" in recognition of all those employed with city, state and federal correctional departments; and
Whereas, In accordance with the federal government's recognition of the indispensable contributions that corrections officers make every day to protect our citizens from harm, it is proper and befitting for the State of New Jersey to honor all corrections officers, not only those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in upholding their duty to the public here in New Jersey; and
Whereas, It is altogether fitting and appropriate to annually designate July 30th, the anniversary of Senior Corrections Officer Frank Baker's tragic and brutal death in the line of duty, as "Corrections Officer Day" in the State of New Jersey; now, therefore,
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. July 30th of each year shall be designated as "Corrections Officer Day" in the State of New Jersey in recognition of the dedicated service corrections officers have rendered to their fellow citizens.
2. The Governor shall issue annually a proclamation designating July 30th of each year as "Corrections Officer Day," and with the Legislature call upon all citizens of the State and all other public and private agencies and organizations to celebrate "Corrections Officer Day" by appropriate observance.
3. The Governor shall direct the staff at the State's correctional facilities to fly the flag of the United States and the State flag at half-staff in honor of all those corrections officers who have been killed in the line of duty.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill designates July 30th of each year as "Corrections Officer Day" in New Jersey to recognize and honor all corrections officers for their hard-work and continuous efforts to keep the residents of New Jersey safe.
Supervising and overseeing criminals incarcerated in correctional facilities is a stressful and dangerous responsibility. Corrections officers work under demanding conditions, daily facing situations which threaten their personal safety and well-being.
On July 30, 1997, Senior Corrections Officer Fred Baker was brutally stabbed to death by an inmate at Bayside State Prison in Leesburg. Officer Baker's sacrifice symbolizes the commitment and devotion of all corrections officers, not just those who have paid the ultimate price.
It is altogether fitting and appropriate to honor all corrections officers by designating July 30th each year, the anniversary of Officer Baker's tragic and brutal death in the line of duty, as "Corrections Officer Day" in the State of New Jersey.