VALHALLA: Westchester County Department of Correction Holds A Formal Promotional Ceremony

VALHALLA (WESTCHESTER COUNTY) NY: The Westchester County Department of Correction (WCDOC) held the largest promotional ceremony in the 54 history of the Correction Department.

Contributing to such a large ceremony was the impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic, which accelerated senior staff retirements and also prevented WCDOC from hosting smaller ceremonies over the past two years due to safety concerns.

The ceremony began with a call to order, opening prayer and a presentation of the colors by the Department’s Honor Guard, who entered the Westchester Community College Hankin Academic Arts Center accompanied by bagpipers and drummers of the Westchester County Emerald Society.

County Executive George Latimer said: “Losing a large number of senior employees during a short span of time presents many operational challenges, especially at a Correctional Agency. In addition to learning the duties of your new positions you are tasked with replacing hundreds of years of operational knowledge and experience. I commend the DOC Administration for proactively enhancing the training curriculum for all levels of their sworn workforce, which is sure to help the transition to your new positons. It’s especially gratifying to have an event of this nature during National Correctional Professionals Week, a week where we recognize the achievements and advancements made in the field of corrections. Rest assured that my administration will continue to provide resources to support the advancement of our Corrections Department, its workforce and those remanded into their care and custody.”

First Deputy Commissioner Nory Padilla welcomed attending dignitaries and promotional class family members. As First Deputy Commissioner in charge of the promotional board she said: “I enjoyed the thorough vetting process and learning more about each of you. Your hard work, professionalism and commitment to the core mission of our Department was evident during that process and certainly contributed to our final promotional decisions.”

In addressing the promotional class, Correction Commissioner Joseph K. Spano touched on the historical nature of the event, WCDOC expectations and the significance of National Correctional Professions Week.

Spano stated: “Promoting 32 Sergeants, 15 Captains and two Assistant Wardens during a 24 month period is a first for our agency. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic many of our senior supervisors chose to retire early, leaving us with some staffing challenges. Fortunately, we have a County Executive who continues to be responsive to our operational needs, including staffing, thus enabling us to keep pace with those challenges. Now, as newly promoted Sergeants, Captains and Assistant Wardens you have to respond by working up to our expectations and serving as strong leaders, mentors, role models and agents for positive changes. As you know, National Correctional Professionals Week is a time when we formally recognize every level of our workforce and their unselfish contributions that have positioned our agency as a national leader in the space. Having the reputation as one of the most highly trained, professional and diverse law enforcement agencies in the region is something we should all celebrate and be proud of. In your new supervisory roles, we trust that you will build on our successes and to be difference makers for staff and our residents and for the future of our Department.”

At the ceremony, Commissioner Spano also highlighted how the Department has taken steps to enhance training curriculum for new Sergeants, Captains and Assistant Wardens.

Some formal training enhancements include effective communication, more on-the-job scenario based training, debriefing modules, WDOC IT systems instruction, use of force and De-escalation, off-site formal middle and senior management leadership training sessions.