MAYOR GIULIANI AND DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION COMMISSIONER JACOBSON OFFICIATE AT GRADUATION AND PROMOTION CEREMONY FOR MORE THAN 400 CORRECTION OFFICERS
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and New York City Department of Correction Commissioner Michael Jacobson today officiated at a graduation ceremony for 363 probationary correction officers. Today's event held at Brooklyn College also served as a promotion ceremony for 44 correction officers and commanders.
"You are about to take on one of the most important jobs in law enforcement," Mayor Giuliani said. "You will be responsible for making sure that our Corrections system runs safely, smoothly and efficiently. The City of New York is behind you. We believe in and depend on you. From my days as a prosecutor, I personally have the deepest respect for the hard work correction officers do.
"We are committed to making the jails safer than ever," the Mayor continued. "As a result of the comprehensive violence reduction program we launched in 1995, and thanks to the hard work of officers like you, we have seen a 64% drop in the number of violent incidents in our jails -- an amazing accomplishment since 133,000 people passed through the system last year as inmates -- an increase of 24% over four years ago.
"Over the past three and a half years New York City has experienced a 44% decline in overall crime," the Mayor concluded. "We now rank as the safest large city in America. As correction officers, you are all critical partners in this historic change. Today you join the ranks of the most professional, hardest working correction officers in the world."
Commissioner Jacobson said, "With this graduation ceremony, the total number of new correction officers hired by the City of New York since 1995 reaches more than 1,700. Mayor Giuliani's respect for the role which Correction plays in criminal justice has enhanced the Department's ability to more efficiently manage the City's jails."
Three valedictorians and three salutatorians represented the graduating class. The valedictory address was delivered by:
- John Mantone of Class 5
- Andre Whyte and Richard Palazzolo represented Class 4
- Thomas Doyle was salutatorian of Class 5
- Robert Spanarelli and Martha Fortuna represented Class 6/6A.
Because of their achievements in training, the valedictorians of the graduating class were named to the Valedictorian Advisory Council.
Also at today's ceremony, 40 correction officers were promoted to the rank of Captain, two Deputy Wardens were promoted to Deputy-Warden-in-Command, one Warden was promoted to Assistant Chief and one Bureau Chief was promoted to Bureau Chief of Custody Management.
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