Editor’s note: This article is the first in a series titled “Words Matter Series: Critical Messaging in Corrections,” which takes a multi-part look at how correctional agencies communicate during their toughest moments. From officer injuries to inmate deaths, disturbances, misconduct and internal communication, the words leaders choose can either build trust and safety or deepen risk and mistrust. Each article offers practical strategies to help correctional professionals use communication as a tool for leadership and credibility.
When a correctional officer is seriously injured or killed in the line of duty, it is one of the most difficult moments any agency will face. These incidents are deeply personal for staff, devastating for families and scrutinized by the public. How leaders communicate in the first hours will either build trust or erode it.
Compassionate, clear language is the most important tool leaders have in these moments. Cold, bureaucratic statements may satisfy the record, but they will not comfort staff or reassure families. Worse, they can create lasting distrust that lingers long after the crisis has passed.
Communication priorities: who hears first
When an officer is badly hurt or killed, communication must follow a clear and compassionate order.
Families first. No spouse, parent or child should ever hear about an injury or death second hand, or worse, from social media or the news. The family deserves to hear it directly and immediately from the agency. Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) offers best practices and line-of-duty response resources, including death notification procedures, that should be incorporated into your policies and procedures.
Executives in parallel. The commissioner, secretary or governor should be informed at the same time so they can prepare to respond appropriately.
Unions next. Union leadership should be notified before any staff-wide message so they can mobilize resources and support for their members.
Staff directly. Officers need to hear from a person — not “the agency.” A warden, commissioner or chief of staff must speak in the first person. Even a brief message acknowledges the gravity of what happened and shows that leadership is present.
External notification last. Only after these audiences are informed should the agency issue a public statement. The first message should be a short holding statement, followed later by a fuller release when more details are known and ready to be shared.
Is this the order your agency follows? If not, imagine what families or staff might say if they learned they were last to know. In a crisis, skipping even one step can cost trust you may never win back.
The role of the holding statement
A holding statement is the first official word about what happened. Its purpose is to acknowledge the incident, provide basic facts and set expectations for when more information will be shared. It is not designed to be a full news release.
Timeliness is critical. Waiting until all details are confirmed almost guarantees rumors will spread faster. A well-crafted holding statement shows leadership presence and creates space for a more detailed response later.
For staff, statements should come from a person they know and trust, using “I” statements. For external audiences, the department may issue a generic statement, but if empathy is expressed, it should come from a person. The department should not “extend sympathies” — but the commissioner, secretary or warden can, on behalf of the agency team.
The essential parts of a holding statement
Every holding statement, whether internal or external, should include these five components:
- Acknowledgment of the incident — say what happened in plain language.
- Status update — share the officer’s condition or confirm the death.
- Family notification — confirm that the family has been told and is being supported.
- Reassurance — note that the facility is secure, no further danger exists or what steps are being taken.
- Next steps — tell staff or the public when they will hear more.
If even one of these elements is missing, the message risks leaving audiences frustrated or unsure.
Example holding statements
Officer injury — internal (staff): “One of our officers was seriously hurt today when an inmate attacked them. They are at the hospital receiving care, and I have spoken with their family, who is there with them. I will share more information with you before the end of the day. For now, please know that the department is supporting our injured colleague and their loved ones. The inmate who attacked our officer has been identified, remains in custody and is under investigation.”
Officer injury — external (public/media): “This morning, a correctional officer was seriously hurt when an inmate attacked them inside the facility. They are being treated at a local hospital, and their family has been notified. No one else was injured. Staff acted quickly to secure the facility, and there is no threat to the public. The department will provide additional information later today.”
Line-of-duty death — internal (staff): “I am heartbroken to share that one of our officers died today after being attacked at work. I have spoken with their family, and they have asked for privacy as they notify loved ones. Out of respect, we will not release the officer’s name for 24 hours. I will update you tomorrow morning with more details. Please stay safe and take care of one another and lean on peer support, EAP or union resources if needed.”
Line-of-duty death — external (public/media): “It is with great sadness that the department confirms a correctional officer died today after an attack inside the facility. The officer’s family has been notified, and in respect for their privacy, the officer’s name will not be released for 24 hours. Staff secured the facility immediately, and there is no threat to the public. The inmate involved remains in custody, and the incident is under investigation. Additional details will be released tomorrow.”
These examples show the difference between internal and external voices. Staff need to hear from “I.” The public can hear from “the department,” but compassion must still come from a human being.
Words in action: wrong way vs. right way
Even small differences in wording can shape how families, staff and the public respond. Below are examples of how a statement can sound cold and bureaucratic versus clear and compassionate.
Officer injury — wrong way: “At approximately 0930 hours, a correctional officer sustained injuries during an altercation with an inmate in Housing Unit C. The officer was transported to a medical facility. The incident is under investigation.”
Officer injury — right way: “This morning, one of our officers was seriously hurt when an inmate attacked them inside the facility. They are at the hospital, and their family is with them. The inmate is in custody and under investigation. I will provide another update later today.”
Officer death — wrong way: “It is with regret that the Department of Corrections announces the death of a correctional officer following an inmate assault. The officer’s name will be released pending notification of next of kin. No additional information is available at this time.”
Officer death — right way: “I am heartbroken to share that one of our officers died today after being attacked at work. I have spoken with their family, and they have asked for privacy as they notify loved ones. Out of respect, we will not release the officer’s name for 24 hours. I will update you tomorrow morning with more details.”
The “wrong way” examples use technical language, timestamps and generic phrasing. They inform like a narrative in a report, but they do not comfort. The “right way” examples still provide accurate information, but they use plain words, short sentences and expressions of compassion. They sound like a leader talking directly to people who are hurting.
Beyond the first words
A holding statement is not the end of communication — it is just the beginning. Daily updates to staff, even if brief, matter. They show that leadership values transparency and understands the stress officers feel when information is limited or unknown.
External updates should balance transparency with accuracy, avoiding speculation and without interfering with any ongoing investigation. Empathy should be expressed through a person, not a faceless agency.
Memorial communication, when an officer dies, deserves equal planning. Simple phrases such as, “I grieve with the family and all who served alongside them,” or, “I will never forget their service and sacrifice,” carry far more weight than institutional boilerplate.
These are also moments when coordination matters. If unions and administration issue conflicting messages, staff see division. When leaders communicate early with union representatives, both can share consistent language and reinforce support.
Planning and preparation
Most agencies have detailed tactical protocols for responding to assaults and emergencies. Fewer have communication protocols that are just as deliberate.
A strong crisis communication plan, aligned with the emergency operations plan, should include:
- Templates for holding statements that serve as a starting point, not a final draft.
- Clear assignments, with backups, for who notifies family, executives, unions, staff and the public.
- Commitments to daily staff updates when an officer is seriously hurt or killed.
- Pre-planned coordination with union leadership.
Too many agencies still rely on canned statements that sound the same no matter the situation. If your plan today is little more than a template waiting to be copied and pasted, that is what’s missing. Staff, families and the public will see through it. The profession can do better — and your agency should too.
Conclusion
When an officer is injured or killed, the response is more than operational. It is deeply human. Internal communication should come from leaders who speak with compassion in their own voices. External communication should show empathy only when it is attributed to a person, not an agency logo.
Every agency should prepare for these hardest moments now, before they arrive. If your agency is not ready to do this tomorrow, the gap is already costing you trust today.
Because in corrections, words matter — and in times of crisis, they matter most of all.
The next installment in the Words Matter Series will focus on inmate deaths — exploring how transparency, timing and the right words can protect credibility and compassion in some of the most sensitive situations corrections agencies face.
