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Our Opinion: Lehman Sanctuary provides area residents with needed connection to natural world

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Penn State retiree, Jacqueline Walters, honored

<p>On Feb. 25, 2013, Nanticoke native Eric Williams was working his scheduled shift at U.S. Penitentiary Canaan, located in Wayne County. While making his rounds just before the 10 p.m. nightly lockdown, Officer Williams was allegedly ambushed by an inmate and murdered. Officer Williams was working alone and was armed only with a set of handcuffs and a radio. He had no way to defend himself. Officer Williams was only 34 years old.</p><p>The very next day, Osvaldo Albarati was driving home following a shift at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Once Lt. Albarati reached the highway, his vehicle was attacked by a team of assassins, killing him. The attack on Albarati is believed to have been carried out by associates of inmates he was investigating as part of a cellphone smuggling ring. Albarati was only 39 years old.</p><p>Often, when lawmakers consider the dangers that law enforcement face on a day-to-day basis, correctional officers are left out of the discussion. Thankfully, this is starting to change, due in large part to U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey&#8217;s bipartisan work.</p><p>Following Officer Williams&#8217; horrific death, his parents, Don and Jean, made it their mission to help prevent future attacks of this nature. They spoke with any lawmaker who would listen. After working with the Williams&#8217; family, Sen. Toomey introduced the Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act with Pennsylvania&#8217;s other senator, Bob Casey, to expand and make permanent a pilot program that arms most correctional officers with pepper spray. The legislation bearing Eric Williams&#8217; name was ultimately signed into law earlier this year.</p><p>Since this pilot program came into existence, pepper spray has helped to safely defuse more than 2,000 dangerous episodes in federal detention centers around the country. And now, thanks to the work of great people such as Don and Jean Williams, and dedicated lawmakers like Pennsylvania&#8217;s senators, correctional officers will never have to wonder if they will have access to this life-saving tool.</p><p>But there is still more work to do. While the Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act has greatly improved safety at facilities across the country, there are definitely more common-sense steps that can better protect correctional officers. Currently, correctional officers do not have the same rights as other law enforcement when traveling to and from work. This is what is especially troubling about Lt. Albarati&#8217;s death. He had no chance to defend himself, because government red tape prevents correctional officers from carrying a firearm while commuting.</p><p>Sen. Toomey has stepped up on this issue as well. He and his Democratic colleague from West Virginia, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, have introduced the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Correctional Officer Self-Protection Act, which would allow correctional officers to carry firearms while they commute. The bill provides for a safe storage facility for these firearms while correctional officers work their shifts.</p><p>Pennsylvania is home to seven federal correctional facilities. Thousands of Pennsylvanians work at these facilities, all in the name of keeping our communities safe.</p><p>As one of thousands of correctional officers, I can tell you it is incredibly reassuring to have an ally in Washington like Sen. Pat Toomey, who is leading the charge to work across the aisle and make our workplaces safer.</p><p>From May 15 to 22, our country will honor those brave law enforcement officers who gave their lives in the name of public safety. I hope you will join correctional officers across Pennsylvania and Sen. Toomey in honoring their lives and sacrifice.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Shane Fausey</p><p>Guest columnist</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Shane Fausey, of Northumberland County, serves as president of a local correctional officers union and as vice president for the political advocacy group Voices of JOE. For information, visit <a href="http://www.voicesofjoe.com/" target="_blank">voicesofjoe.com</a>.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Shane Fausey: Correctional officers deserving of further protection from job-related dangers