As a Correctional Professional, what do you want from the PBA? Legal protection? Accidental Death coverage? That’s pretty limited, are you happy with that? Well, I’m not. I want more from the PBA, not only for myself, but for all Correctional staff. But it’s going to take some work, not only from me, and from you.

Last year, one point which was brought up by the Legislative Committee, was that Correctional Officers need and deserve to be recognized by the state as Law Enforcement Officers, or Peace Officers. But it didn’t happen. And it’s not going to happen this year. Let me tell you why. Simply put, Members.

Please allow me to give you a quick lesson on the thinking of legislators. If I sponsor or vote for specific legislation which benefits one Correctional Officer, he tells his friends and family, and that accounts for maybe a dozen votes. A dozen Officers means that many more votes, a hundred means that many more. It’s numbers.

First, we need YOU. We need the members we have to become involved. We need members who don’t just sit under the PBA umbrella of protection, but pass the word along. How many of you have never talked to your friends and partners about the PBA, given them the opportunity of that very same protection?

The second one is simple. We need members. There are approximately 11,887 Officers, Sergeants, Lieutenants and Captains in the North Carolina Department of Corrections. There are less than 100 members in the Correctional Chapter. That’s less than one percent. Sure, we can sit under that umbrella, and go along for the ride, but those numbers will do absolutely nothing for things that we want and need in out careers.