Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today commended the creation of over 100 new jobs for correction officers around the state. The new positions will help offset the recent increased violence in prisons related to changes in the Rockefeller Drug Laws and the infiltration of synthetic marijuana into facilities across the state. Hawley was pleased to see that more is being done to protect local communities and that the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, Inc. (NYSCOPBA) is receiving more state resources to keep its members safe.

“New York State has several extremely dangerous maximum security prisons that need increased resources,” Hawley said. “On behalf of local NYSCOPBA chapters and members, I am pleased to hear that the state will be hiring over 100 new employees to protect our prisons and surrounding communities. The additional officers will be employed at prisons that completed a security staffing review for the 2014-15 fiscal year. Correction officers have one of the most dangerous roles in law enforcement, but their success is paramount to keeping violent criminals behind bars and out of society. It is unfortunate that they are often put on the back burner to traditional police officers because they are just as crucial to society’s safety. I will continue to support NYSCOPBA and correction officers across the state during my time in the Legislature.”