County celebrating National Corrections Week May 1-7

BONNERS FERRY — Boundary County Sheriff’s Office is giving thanks this week to those who serve in detention facilities around the country, and especially to the detention deputies that serve with the BCSO.

“Historically, correctional officers have been viewed as “guards,” occupying isolated and misunderstood positions in prisons and jails. In recent years, the duties of these officers have become increasingly complex and demanding,” President Ronald Reagan said in his Corrections Week Proclamation on May 5, 1984.

“They are called upon to fill, simultaneously, custodial, supervisory and counseling roles. The professionalism, demanding and often conflicting roles deserve our utmost respect,” Reagan said at the time. “The important work of correctional officers often does not receive the recognition from the public it deserves. It is appropriate that we honor the many contributions and accomplishments of these men and women who are a vital component of the field of corrections.”

Those statements made by President Reagan in 1984 are even more true in today’s world, Boundary County Sheriff Dave Kramer said.

“The job and responsibility of the detention deputies is even more demanding than ever before,” Kramer said. “I am extremely proud of the deputies working in detention at the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office. We see the professionalism, compassion every day. We are thankful for each and every one of them.”