NYCHS is honored to serve as the web archives for the back issues of the NYC Correction Captains Association's newsletter, the Captains' Quarterly. We started with the very first issue of the newsletter launched by Peter Meringolo shortly after becoming CCA president. This is the fourth issue. From each CCA newsletter posted here, NYCHS will select one or two representative articles to excerpt in standard HTML (web) format but will also make available the entire issue in free downloadable and printable Adobe Acrobat format (PDF). As to be expected in a union publication, some articles from these old newsletters reflect labor-management controversies of their day. The views expressed are those of their CCA authors and editors. CCA retains all rights under its newsletter copyright.

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Brenda Rhem with CCA President Peter Meringolo and Charles DeWitt, director of the National Institute of Justice, at the American Jail Association's candlelight memorial service.

The CCA has fought hard to gain as much as possible for the family of Cap tain Stanley Rhem. You should be pleased to know that:

A printable grayscale 8.5x11 12-page digital copy of the second Captains' Quarterly can be downloaded as an Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) file. If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader (needed to view and/or print PDFs), click here to access the Volume 1 No. 4 issue PDF file (837K). If you want a free copy of Adobe Acrobe Reader, click the above icon to access the Acrobat web site.

• Captain Rhem's family ultimately received a line-of-duty death benefit.
• Captain Rhem was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Certificate from the American Jails Association for his act of valor. Rhem's family received the award at the AJA convention in Minneapolis at a memorial service on May 24th.
• Dennis Roy Martin, president of the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum, presented to the New York City Department of Correction the Hall of Fame's Medal of Honor and flag, so that it could be presented to the family of Captain Rhem.
• The Correctional Peace Officers Foundation honored Captain Rhem's family at a memorial service on June 19th in Washington, D.C. The service was held at the base of the Iwo Jima Memorial in honor of men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice. It was fitting that the service was held at that location, as the Iwo Jima Memorial is a memorial to thousands of other brave Americans who gave their all so that Americans could remain safe. Captain Rhem's family was presented with a plaque and a flag.

Help for the Rhem Family from CPOF
-- A Very Special Organization

The Correctional Peace Officers Foundation has two principal goals. The first objective is to provide immediate financial assistance and support to the surviving spouse and family of a correctional peace officer killed in the line of duty.

Mrs. Rhem and her children, Latoya and Lamont, receive recognition for Captain Rhem at the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation memorial service in Washington, D.C.

The second is to upgrade the image of the corrections profession not only in the eyes of the general public, but in the eyes of correctional officers themselves.

All members of the CCA should know that this foundation was there for the family of Captain Rhem. It provided a much-needed service during very trying times. It is through an organization like this that our own are recognized and cared for. I have met some of the directors, staff, volunteers and area representatives, and every one of them embodies the words: "We need to care for our own." I met and talked to these people at Project 2000 III, and I am grateful to know these dedicated individuals are there for us.

While I hope and pray that this department never loses another member in the line of duty, it is inevitable that somenvhere around the country a correction officer will lose his or her life in the line of duty, and it will be at that time that the surviving families will need help, and receive help from C.P.O.F., which has aided nearly 20 families of correction officers that have suffered such a loss.

Read "CPO Family" article on working with CCA aiding Rhems.

A very special thank you to C.P.O.F. for helping the Rhem family, and in particular to Charleene Corby, Jennifer Donaldson, Kristen Kasje, Barbara Buchfield and the Chairman, Glenn Mueller. It is people like this who make a difference. Anyone interested in learning more about C.P.O.F. can contact CCA for an application.

The E. R. U. training facility was officially designated the Captain Anthony Robles Training Center by Commissioner Catherine M. Abate at a dedication ceremony on June 4th.

At the dedication of the Captain Anthony Robles Training Center (l. to r.): Captain Errol Toulon, ADW Thomas O'Shea, Captain Carmen Reyes, Commissioner Abate, Anthony Robles, and CO Manny Pena.

Captain Robles, a veteran of 17 years service with the Department, died after a long illness on October 6, 1991.

Tony's wife, Captain Carmen Reyes, his son Anthony and other Robles family members were present at the ceremony, as were friends and co-workers both active and retired who came to pay tribute to Tony.

Tony was remembered in heartwarming stories told by the Reverend Joseph Deegan, Retired Warden, Assistant Deputy Warden Peter Panagi, and Correction Officer Raymond Lopez.

The dedication of the Captain Anthony Robles Training Center will ensure that Tony's memory will live on in the Correction Department, long after all of us who knew and loved him are gone.

Members of the Hispanic Society Executive Board show their approval after an offensive mural has been painted over.

Congratulations to the entire Hispanic Society for their well-deserved victory in persuading the City of New York to cover the offensive mural that was placed on the side wall of the Manhattan House of Detention.

This mural clearly depicted Hispanics in a setting that was demeaning. No other ethnic group in the mural was depicted in such a negative fashion.

The CCA was pleased to join with Captain Wigberto Norat and the Executive Board of the Hispanic Society in their endeavors to remove the mural. The CCA is sure that all the Hispanics in this department and throughout the city join in the celebration of this victory.