Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / May 17, 1984, edition 1 / Page 11
Part of The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Sectioa B The News-Journal Thursday, May 17, 1984 Mitortah ? Cohuau ? Featarcs ? Classified ads McCain employes are upholding 70-year tradition By Ed Miller Since its switch to the Department of Corrections (DOC) and reopening last October, McCain Hospital has gone through substantial changes. ' "Razor ribbon" and barbed wire now wind around and be tween 12-foot chain-link fences where there was once nothing but parking. Remote controlled gates open and close only after positive identification of the users has been made by officers standing guard. Visitors no longer walk through the halls at will, but rather with armed escorts. However, with all the new amendments, McCain is still a i hospital. It is a hospital, and it is a prison. Although tue grounds of McCain Hospital have been converted from a sanitorium to a prison, the staff of the facility has retain ed the pride and determination of the generations of employees who have worked at the hospital. Orderlies were once present to take care of patients; correction officers now do those jobs plus some. Last week was proclaimed National Correction Week by Presi dent Reagan and McCain honored some of its correction officers i with awards that were kept under raps until their presentaton. Captain Carol Oliver, head of the security enforcement division at McCain, said last week that there are "at least" three officers at the prison hospital who deserve recognition. "There is a real effort going on to change the image of correc tion officers," Oliver said. With that in mind, the administration of McCain chose the best they had to honor, officers who could at once demand the respect of an inmate and at the same time, offer compassion to the sick. Handmade Thtm hmmtcrqffd ckma piocts arv mm exmmpit of the work dome by m mmfs mt MtCmkt Hitfknl Thm taw mrt om *spimy mm* for to th* Michael Hardin is a correctional officer, and is one of the best at McCain. As well as being a regular full time employee, he is Captain of the North Raeford Fire Department, coaches "T-ball" and was a volunteer in clean-up efforts after tornadoes ripped through area towns. Sergeant James Graham is a fire-arms instructor and an "outstanding employee" in performance and personal conduct, according to Oliver. Sergeant Lee Croft is the longest tenured employee at McCain with the DOC. He is active with the North Carolina Correction Association and the American Correction Association. He is also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). All three officers received framed certificates in a short ceremony last Thursday. All officers and nurses on duty were invited to participate in a reception to honor the officers. According to Captain Oliver, all three of these men are ex cellent employees who fully deserve the recognition they receive. Oliver said, most of the employees at the facility are not new but were serit here from other places. The varied background gives the officers experience, as well as fresh ideas and methods. "We don't call them guards anymore, they are correction of ficers," said Oliver. According to the Captain, the officers go through a four-week basic training period before they can work for the DOC. She added that the training goes on constantly while on the job. There is a hierarchy among the officials at the minimum securi ty prison that is "much like the Army." There are 55 correction officers, 10 sergeants, and five lieutenants, who act as officers in charge after regular working hours, and the captain. These people are working extremely hard to protect the public from the prisoners in their care and to keep the prisoners well. Honored Officers The imiformed correction officers shown here received certificates of recognition from the North Carolina Department of Corrections during ceremonies last week. The officers are f L to P): Sgt. Lee Croft, Sgt. James Graham and Officer Michael Hardin. On the back row are Dean Walker, Assistant Superintendent at McCain, Captain Carol Oliver and Health Care Administration Steve Dubay.
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 17, 1984, edition 1
11
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75