Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon Honors 16 Morris County Correctional Facility Corporals As The Backbone of the Jail and Mentors To New Officers

Published on August 04, 2020

Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon on Tuesday honored all 16 Morris County Correctional Facility Corporals for serving as the backbone of the facility on training and mentoring new Officers early in their careers.

Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon with Correctional Facility Corporal Jason Babbitt Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon with Correctional Facility Corporal Jason Babbitt

Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon and Morris County Correctional Facility Command Staff with Facility Corporals on August 4, 2020. Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon and Morris County Correctional Facility Command Staff with Facility Corporals on August 4, 2020.

The 77th Sheriff of Morris County, Sheriff Gannon told the Corporals that he was generally familiar with the Correctional Facility operations while working as a Boonton and Boonton Township Police Officer and then as a detective and Deputy Chief of Investigations for the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

But, he said, he hadn't the first-hand knowledge of the quality of the Correctional Facility until he was sworn in as Morris County Sheriff in January 2017.

Getting into this Agency, I've seen tremendous work by the men and women of the Sheriff's Office. It all starts in the Bureau of Corrections, which is second to none. Stand tall. It's because of you that we're there right now, Sheriff Gannon said.

Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon with Correctional Facility Corporal Dawn Simpson. Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon with Correctional Facility Corporal Dawn Simpson.

The Sheriff noted how he is rankled by suggestions and outright outcries across the country to defund police in favor of investing more money on youth programs and social service programs for the homeless and impoverished and people with substance use and mental health disorders.

Programs to assist and uplift people from lives that can lead to crime are exactly what the Morris County Sheriff's Office has been focused on for the past 40 months, the Sheriff said.

They include the Hope Wing at the Correctional Facility, involvement in the Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative (PAARI) and the Morris County Sheriff's Office Hope One mobile outreach program, whose unveiling of a new vehicle on August 3 was celebrated by New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and other dignitaries.

We can really stand tall on all those issues, Sheriff Gannon said.

Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon with Correctional Facility Corporal Dwight Brown. Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon with Correctional Facility Corporal Dwight Brown.

The Sheriff had intended to honor all the Corporals, who achieved the rank between 2004 and this year, but plans were postponed because of the coronavirus.

The newest Corporal at the facility is Dawn Simpson, a mother and 13-year Corrections Officer who mentors new Officers and serves as a sanitation Officer “ particularly urgent since COVID-19 and its potential spread within the Facility threatens the health of Correctional Officers and inmates.

Including Corporal Simpson, the Corporals recognized with plaques by the Sheriff, Bureau of Corrections Undersheriff Alan J. Robinson and Warden Christopher Klein are:

Edwin Santana, a Corporal since Jan. 5, 2004, he is a Detective Corporal in the Internal Affairs Unit;

Jason Babbitt, promoted to rank of Corporal on Jan. 5, 2004, he is assigned to the Correctional Facility mailroom.

Kristin Murphy, promoted to rank of Corporal on May 1, 2009, she is assigned as a detective to the Internal Affairs Unit.

Michael Lundell, promoted to rank of Corporal on May 18, 2009, he is assigned as a detective to the Internal Affairs Unit.

William Smith, promoted to rank of Corporal on December 5, 2014, he is assigned to the records unit.

Rodney Furby, promoted to rank of Corporal on March 13, 2017, he is a training Officer.

William Lanfrank, promoted to rank of Corporal on March 13, 2017, he is assigned to facility sanitation.

William McCool, promoted to rank of Corporal on March 13, 2017, he is assigned to facility security.

Matthew Cilurso, promoted to rank of Corporal on April 23, 2018, he is assigned to the Sheriff's Emergency Response Team (SERT).

Scott Schraft, promoted to rank of Corporal on July 30, 2018, he is assigned to the transport unit.

Peter Lenahan, promoted to rank of Corporal on July 30, 2018, he is assigned to the transport unit.

Christopher Long, promoted to rank of Corporal on July 30, 2018, he is assigned to the records unit.

James Heery, promoted to rank of Corporal on July 30, 2018, he is assigned to the facility kitchen.

Peter Lohmus, promoted to rank of Corporal on July 30, 2018, he is the facility Quartermaster.

Dwight Brown, promoted to rank of Corporal on July 30, 2018, he is assigned to an inmate housing pod.

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