Queensland lights up blue for National Corrections Day 25 January

Queensland lit up blue for National Corrections Day in recognition of the work of correctional officers on the front line of public safety on Friday 20 January.

The annual day celebrates the important work of Queensland's dedicated corrective services staff and provides an opportunity for the community to acknowledge the work of these devoted public servants.

Minister for Corrective Services, Mark Ryan, said the work of all QCS staff helps keep communities safe.

"Queensland Corrective Services manage some of the most complex and challenging people in our society, and greatly help to reduce crime and improve community safety," Minister Ryan said.

"From community corrections to custodial operations, alongside specialist services and frontline support – all pillars of the organisation work together to strengthen and grow QCS.

"Today (Friday 20 Jan), we celebrate our teams, including those who provide for the safety and security of correctional facilities, psychological support, offender rehabilitation and supervision, and education and training.

"More than 6,500 QCS officers and support staff from correctional centres, community corrections offices and work camps help to manage and rehabilitate offenders, while also contributing to better outcomes for the community.

Last financial year, offenders supervised under QCS' community corrections programs performed a total of 136,199 hours of community service.

All work undertaken amounted to more than $3.8 million worth of labour to assist with infrastructure and maintenance in communities around Queensland.

Much of this work involved sandbagging to assist emergency services and volunteers in times of disaster.

"It is this innovative and collaborative approach to corrections that puts QCS at the cutting edge of corrective services across the nation," Minister Ryan said.

"Our correctional officers work every day to make Queensland safe for everyone, and it is wonderful to see them recognised on National Corrections Day."

QCS Commissioner Paul Stewart APM said National Corrections Day provides an opportunity to celebrate the often-unsung work of officers in Queensland and across Australia.

"National Corrections Day raises awareness about the critical work of correctional officers on the front line of public safety," Commissioner Stewart said.

"This year's theme of Collaborative Corrections is most fitting as we recognise the partnerships with our local and regional councils, fellow public safety agencies, community organisations and other state government stakeholders.

"I am incredibly proud of each and every one of our officers for the difference they make in our community and the dedication, commitment and passion they demonstrate not only to the organisation, but to the people of Queensland.

"By working together, we are one step closer to achieving our common goal of creating safer and stronger communities."

Commissioner's Meritorious and Ethical Service Medal

RECIPIENTS

• Vanessa Aland, Supervisor, Community Corrections, North Coast Region.
• Peter Ward, Custodial Correctional Officer, Maryborough Correctional Centre
• Brett Hastie, Occupational Health Safety and Environment Coordinator, Maryborough Correctional Centre.
• Anne Morgan, Project Director, Infrastructure Group, Southern Queensland Correctional Precinct Stage 2
• Corey Martland, Correctional Supervisor, Lotus Glen Correctional Centre
• Allan Sharp, Custodial Correctional Officer, Capricornia Correctional Centre.

National Corrections Day Awards

WINNERS AND HIGHLY COMMENDED

Promoting a culture of Safety

The winner is: Borallon Training and Correctional Centre.

Recognised for their outstanding and safe response to an emergent Code Silver in November 2022. Officers were coordinated in their response, executing several cell extractions and relocations of prisoners. The swift and deliberate action of officers ensured that incidents were dealt with safely and efficiently.

Also Highly Commended in this category, are:

1. Shayne Brigg, Intelligence Analyst, North Coast Region Community Corrections.
2. Jeremy Boulton, Intelligence Analyst, South Coast Region Community Corrections.

Promoting a culture of Excellence

The winner is: Program Delivery Team, Lotus Glen Correctional Centre.

Recognised for their outstanding contribution and dedication to the delivery of highly complex, innovative, client-centric and culturally-safe offender programs and interventions that aim to reduce recidivism, inclusive of the implementation and delivery of the new First Nations sexual offending pilot program, Strong and Solid Spirit.

Also Highly Commended in this category, are:

∙ Victims Register Team, Sentence Management Services, Specialist Operations.

Promoting a culture of Empowerment

The winner is: Offender Rehabilitation and Management Services (ORMS) - Special Operations.

Recognised for their dedication and commitment to providing an integrated response to domestic and family violence intervention. This team has worked tirelessly with key stakeholders to ensure that the transition from a custodial to community-based supervision is supportive and seamless with positive outcomes.

Also Highly Commended in this category is:

• Shae Hudson, Correctional Counsellor, Capricornia Correctional Centre.
• Intelligence Unit, Woodford Correctional Centre

Promoting a culture of Respect

The winners are: First Nations Reconciliation Champions – Southern Queensland Correctional Centre (SQCC).

Recognised for their unparalleled teamwork to reconnect prisoners through their cultural heritage and expansion of cultural services at Southern Queensland Correctional Centre. The team represents true commitment to, and support of, cultural practices, with the on-the-ground support and promotion and full inclusion which is reflective of the cultural safety and respect with the Centre.

Also Highly Commended in the category, are:

1. Teneale Tankey, Acting Manager Operational Practice, People Capability Command
2. North Coast Region Community Corrections
3. Toowoomba Community Corrections - Southern Coast Regional Community Corrections.

Promoting a culture of Accountability

The winner is: Environmental Management Recycling Program, Lotus Glen Correctional Centre.

Recognised for their ongoing commitment and dedication to supporting their colleagues and prisoners within Lotus Glen Correctional Centre. The program consistently promotes a culture of accountability while delivering high quality services by promoting the ethical treatment of all waste materials. These activities dramatically reduce the footprint left by QCS on the local environment and foster a strong working relationship with all stakeholders.

Collaborative Partners

Queensland Police Service and South Coast Region Community Corrections

Through Project Kairos the region is working closely with Queensland Police Services (QPS) to support Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCG) members to disengage with OMCG involvement and assist ex-members with key service provision, including mentoring, education, training, employment pathways and services to address criminogenic needs.

Corrective Services Investigation Unit, Queensland Police Service

Recognised for their efforts in relation to Operation Roadtrain. The team interviewed more than 140 prisoners, obtained 102 officer statements and conducted a comprehensive review of CCTV including 2300 still photographs, resulting in 64 prisoners being charged with 'Riot - with circumstance of aggravation causing damage.' In doing so the team promoted professionalism and created a strong deterrence of inappropriate and unlawful behaviour.

Below is a list of some locations which lit up blue to acknowledge the work of QCS on National Corrections Day

Cairns Regional Council

-Cairns Court House Gallery (20 January)

North and North West Queensland

Burdekin Shire Council

-Colouring water fountain in Queen Street, Ayr blue

Flinders Shire Council

-Diggers Entertainment Centre (16 Jan - 23 Jan)

McKinlay Shire Council

-Water Tower

Townsville City Council

-Townsville Sign

-Victoria Bridge

-Wharton Reef Lighthouse

-George Roberts Bridge

-Old Magistrates Court House

-Flinders Square

-Little Fletcher Bridge

-Central Park Boardwalk

-Qld Country Bank Stadium

Hinchinbrook Shire Council (Ingham)

-Rotary Park fountain, Ingham

Central Queensland

Barcaldine Regional Council

-Tree of Knowledge Memorial

Livingstone Shire Council

-Singing Ship at Emu Park

-Yeppoon Beachfront stage area

-Wreck Point Lookout, Cooee Bay

-Keppel Sands foreshore

Blackall-Tambo Regional Council

-Blackall Memorial Park

Rockhampton Regional Council

– Rockhampton Heritage Façade, Quay and Denham Street

Gladstone Regional Council

-101 Goondoon Street Building

Central Highlands Regional Council

-Emerald Council office building

Darling Downs South West Queensland

Toowoomba Regional Council

-Victoria Street Bridge, Victoria Street, Toowoomba

-The Annex (rear of Toowoomba Regional Council City Hall), Ruthven Street, Toowoomba

Quilpie Shire Council

-Quilpie's "Baldy Top"

Western Downs Regional Council

-Charles Drew Bridge

-Corporate Office (Western Downs Regional Council)

-Chinchilla Bridge

Southern Downs Regional Council

-Warwick Townhall

Wide Bay-Burnett

Fraser Coast Regional Council

– Maryborough City Hall;

-The fig trees on the Hervey Bay Esplanade

Bundaberg Regional Council

-Bundaberg's historic fig trees on Walker Street

Gympie Regional Council

-Smithfield Street

South Burnett Regional Council

–Peanut silos in Kingaroy

South East Queensland

Brisbane City Council

-Story Bridge

-Victoria Bridge

-The Reddacliff and Tropical Dome sculptures

Moreton Bay Regional Council

-MBRC Caboolture Administration Building

-Redcliffe Administration Building

-Humpybong Fountain

Redland City Council

-Cleveland Lighthouse

Sunshine Coast Council

-Simpson Street Rest area carpark (Station Tree Up Lights), Beerwah

-Lake Kawana Boulevarde Bridges, Bokarina

-Buderim Village Park, Buderim

-Bulcock Street Catenary Lights, Caloundra

-Water fountains, Kings Beach

-Ocean Street Up Lights, Maroochydore

-Sun Central, Maroochydore

-Mayes Canal Pedestrian Bridge, Maroochydore

-Sippy downs Entry Statement, Sippy Downs

-City Hall, Maroochydore City Centre.

Gold Coast City Council

-Isle of Capri Bridge

-Surfers Paradise Sign

-Broadbeach sign

Ipswich City Council

Façade of 1 Nicholas Street, Ipswich