Oklahoma Corrections Professionals

Ribbon Cutting Celebration for the Mangum Community Work Center

Recent base closings caused the Mangum National Guard Armory to close its doors, at least temporarily.  Some members in the community of Mangum remembered attending their high school prom or family reunion in that historical site.  The building stood as a reminder to all the many forms of service to the country and the local community that had occurred since 1935, from this location.

The Mangum Community Work Center will now serve as a Department of Corrections Community Work Center and house 93 offenders, an increase of 42 beds.   Employees of the department, the city manager, the mayor, the representative and senator all stood together on this proud moment.  Senator Tom Ivester commented, “This truly is a model of how it is supposed to be, how all levels of government are supposed to collaborate…”  Representative Purcy Walker publically thanked all of the staff and community who worked together to make this project such a success.  Mangum Mayor, Maxine Thomason commented “This is a dream come true for the community of Mangum, OK…”

Director Justin Jones commented, “This truly is a bright spot in a dim year….”  With the long hours and hard work of too numerous staff to mention, this was truly a day to celebrate.  Chief Gregory Bull received a standing ovation and many other staff and community partners were thanked.  Alan Roberts and the Singing Cowboy (Butch Clark) both spoke at the event.  A sometimes quiet but extremely effective corrections employee who was also recognized for his tremendous role was John Webber.

Thanks to the leadership of Mike Carr, NW District Community Corrections District Supervisor and the numerous conference calls of guidance and support provided by Deputy Director Reginald Hines and Community Corrections Administrator Dan Reynolds, it was truly a day of celebration.

We told you earlier this week about OPEA initiating a challenge with the Office of Personnel Management in an attempt to deprive OCP and the Memorial of their sole means of funding: voluntary payroll deduction. Now, we have to prove to OPM that we have 2,000 members or we are done.  Finished.  OCP will be no more. It's not the first challenge OCP has faced, and it surely won't be the last.  If you make the commitment to fight for better working conditions for corrections employees, you'd better be up for a challenge, right?  We are.  

If we are ever going to achieve better pay, better working conditions, better staffing levels, we are going to have to fight for it ourselves.  You see how things have been going these past few years - has anyone stepped up and said "Hey, corrections, you guys are stretched really thin over there and I'm concerned about your safety, let's get you some more staff!"  It doesn't work that way in the real world, which is why OCP was formed.  

If you want your own voice, if you want people who focus on nothing but making YOUR job safer and more secure, if you want a memorial to honor the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice, or if you simply think corrections should have the RIGHT to form its own association if it chooses to do so, instead of being told to make due with what it's always had...

                                                       NOW IS THE TIME TO STAND UP!  

We urge all of you who haven't yet joined the effort to do so now.  Do it for yourself.  For your coworkers.  For those 19 fallen public servants.  It's time to take a stand, each and every one of you.  If you think OCP should exist and the memorial should be built, it's now or never.  Mail in your membership form today.  Sign up your fellow coworkers today.  It's now or never.  

OCP representatives will be at your workplace in the very near future to discuss these and any other issues or concerns you have.  As always, we want to hear how thing are going in your part of the state, as well as what you'd like to see your association do on your behalf.  OCP is you.  Stand with us, side by side, as we continue to fight for the advancement of the corrections professionals of Oklahoma.  

Sometimes we wonder if that association does anything at all besides strategizing ways to throw up roadblocks for OCP.  Some even say that if OPEA had ever worked as hard for corrections employees as it works trying to crush OCP, we might not have even needed our own association in the first place!  But alas, OPEA never did focus enough on corrections, and we all agreed that we would benefit immensely from having our very OWN voice at the Capitol.  Since then, we've gained your membership and your confidence, and we're certain that soon enough, this newest roadblock will be one we've left in our dust, just like all of OPEA's other tiresome attempts...

This week we received notification from the Office of Personnel Management that OPEA is challenging our membership numbers.  As a result, we have to go through the time-consuming, costly process of having an accountant certify we have at least 2,000 members.  Unfortunately, this means that our efforts and our financial support for the memorial will be diminished as we are forced to focus money and time on this nonsense.  

See the letter from OPM below.  We'll keep you updated as the situation unfolds...

Click here to view the letter

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Bowling For Wishes charitable bowling tournament to benefit the Make a Wish Foundation!  Corporals Daniel Vollmer and Steven Ballard from JHCC organized the event on behalf of OCP and they did a great job - many thanks to them for all their hard work.  Those in attendance enjoyed lunch donated by Subway and sweets donated by Furr’s Cafeteria.  Door prizes donated by Frontier City, Furr’s, and Native Spirits Winery were also given away.  It was a fun day of bowling, enjoying time with OCP members, and helping a great cause!

Muskogee Community Corrections Center

The Need to Change - and the Need to Stay the Same

J’me Overstreet, Legislative Liaison

On Friday, July 23, 2010, representatives from the Oklahoma Corrections Professionals (OCP) had the distinct pleasure to spend time with employees at the Muskogee Community Corrections Center (MCCC).  The employees were engaged in a “staff appreciation” luncheon.  These same employees were also engaged in sharing stories of good times they had shared with each other as they ready themselves for the closing of a place they have called home for many years.  After 36 years, the MCCC is closing.

A Note From Your Legislative Liaison, J’me Overstreet

I would like to begin by quoting Noah ben Shea, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of The Journey to Greatness and How to Get There.  Noah ben Shea reminds us that, “Things don’t have to be good for you to be great.”  I think that message is one we should all remember and continue to embrace as we continue to work together to meet the challenges of the FY 11 budget year and its operational impact.

And as many of you have experienced in the past, challenges can bring opportunities.  Opportunities for positive change.  Opportunities for career advancement.  Opportunities to let go of the past so that you can embrace the future.