By Galen Clagett
Baltimore Sun
BALTIMORE, Md. — The recent indictments of more than a dozen Maryland correctional officers on charges of corruption are deeply troubling. It is important to note, however, that more than 7,500 officers across Maryland perform a necessary job in a very dangerous environment every day. And the vast majority perform their tough duties with the utmost professionalism.
As these troubling allegations have brought into sharp focus, Maryland must recruit and retain women and men with the highest integrity to fill these important positions of public trust. That is why I was proud to sponsor the Correctional Officers’ Bill of Rights in the Maryland General Assembly in 2010. It disturbs me that some public comments about the bill paint an inaccurate picture of what this important legislation does and does not do.
The Correctional Officers’ Bill of Rights gives Maryland’s correctional officers due process rights when charged with infractions of rules. It is very similar to the Miranda rights all Americans enjoy. This includes the right to know what you are being investigated for, the right to counsel, and the right to refrain from being forced to make a statement until after counsel has been obtained.
Full story: Correctional officers’ rights must be upheld