National Correctional Officers Week: Dauphin County Prison Staff Credited for “Hard Work” as Reform Continues

Home More News National Correctional Officers Week: Dauphin County Prison Staff Credited for “Hard Work” as Reform Continues

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Dauphin County Commissioners applauded this week the efforts and professionalism of employees doing “tough work” at the county prison.

For National Correctional Officers and Employees Week, the commissioners presented Director of Corrections Brian Clark and his staff a proclamation as reform to prison operations continues.

“It is a tough place to work. It is hard work out there. Nobody [incarcerated] wants to be there,” County Commissioner and Prison Board Chairman Mike Pries said.

Director Clark was accompanied by about a dozen staffers, including correctional officers, administrators, and members of his training and security units.

Three prison staffers in attendance had over 30 years in, including Gail Kuhn (an accounting assistant) and Mark Salvatore (a training officer) who will be retiring in coming months. Todd Hall, a correctional officer, has 32 years in.

Dauphin County continues to seek quality candidates for employment at the prison.

County Commissioner Chair Jeff Haste said there are numerous instances when prison staff save lives at the prison – yet those incidents rarely make headlines or news reports.

“I am tremendously thankful for each and every one of you,” Commissioner Chair Haste said to the group.

Commissioner George P. Hartwick III said efforts continue at the prison to provide inmates with opportunities for crime-free lives, and that those efforts must involve professionalism from staff and preservation of dignity for the inmates.

“Your efforts do change lives,” Commissioner Hartwick said, while noting the “unprecedented stresses from the pandemic.”

“[Prison] staff put themselves in harm’s way,” Hartwick added.

Also at the meeting, Director Clark provided Commissioner Haste – who is retiring May 31 – a proclamation for his work as Prison Board Chairman from 2004 to 2017, along with an honorary warden’s badge.

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett Hambright, Press Secretary, 717-780-6311; bhambright@dauphinc.org.