Exploring the Impact CPOF has had on American Jails
Don Dease
40 years ago, five young correctional officers in California believed correctional professionals needed more than what was being offered. They saw the widows and orphan funds established by other public service departments and how under-served correctional staff were. Glenn Mueller, Larry Corby, Salvador Osuna, Dick Waldo, and Don Novey would dedicate the rest of their lives to ensuring that they left the correctional profession better than they found it by creating The Correctional Peace Officers Foundation.
The focus of The Correctional Peace Officers Foundation (CPOF) has always been to be there for the surviving spouses and children of correctional staff killed in the line of duty. To date, CPOF has recognized and assisted over 500 correctional staff members who tragically died as a direct result of doing their job.
After assisting the first widow of a fallen officer, CPOF felt that they still were not doing enough. They began brainstorming and executing ideas to further help correctional staff across the nation. As a result, they developed a catastrophic assistance program, a scholarship fund, PROJECT 2000, and a National Honor Guard Team. CPOF used its voice to promote dignity in corrections.
The supporting membership of CPOF completely funds the Catastrophic Assistance Program (CAP). Through CAP, correctional staff can request financial assistance when enduring a catastrophic event in their lives. CPOF has been able to assist staff during natural disasters and house fires, with medical travel and treatment, the loss of an immediate family member, as well as with hardships that never could have been planned for or predicted. Through this program, CPOF has awarded over $22,000,000 to correctional staff during some of the darkest moments of their lives.
CPOF’s scholarship program is open to both supporting members and the immediate members of their families. Through this program, over $750,000 in scholarships have been awarded to help continue the education of supporting members.
One of the most awe-inspiring offerings of CPOF is the creation of PROJECT 2000. PROJECT 2000 is an annual 4-day event that moves to a different part of the country each year. It features a memorial service, open to the public, that honors the correctional professionals killed in the line of duty the prior calendar year. This event brings Honor Guard Teams from across the Nation and Canada together to pay tribute and honor to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in their chosen profession. In addition to this memorable ceremony, PROJECT 2000 hosts a luncheon honoring victims of serious assaults, recognizes staff that goes above and beyond the call of duty, and hosts a kid’s room for the children of our honored guests to have an opportunity to be among like-minded children and have a weekend of fun.
The CPOF National Honor Guard Team has become the epitome of a Correctional Honor Guard Team in the Nation. They are often called upon to perform at the services of fallen correctional staff and do so with poise, grace, and honor.
CPOF is very proud of our relationships with those working corrections in jails and counties, in instances of catastrophic assistance, scholarships, and assisting when someone loses their life. CPOF has worked hard to ensure the correctional brothers and sisters inside of jails and counties are introduced to the work CPOF has done and continues to do. Since its inception, CPOF has been there for over 1,500 correctional professionals working in over 125 jails and counties. While we all want a day when staff can go to work without fear of losing their lives and to eradicate catastrophic events from our lives, we pride ourselves on being there until then. We strive to be a resource for staff in their time of need.
Oftentimes, in jails and counties, CPOF is an overlooked resource for assistance. Many correctional professionals are unaware of the existence of CPOF or in what ways we offer assistance. Utilizing the resources offered by CPOF can be a valuable tool for supervisory staff. By offering another layer of support and assistance, staff can feel truly supported during their time of need.
The Correctional Peace Officers Foundation has been there for the surviving families of correctional staff killed in the line of duty while working in jails and counties. We have been there to offer financial support as well as emotional and professional support. Our National Honor Guard team has been a part of honoring these men and women in any way possible.
On October 22, 2007, Corrections Deputy Daniel Thorpe of Shelby County, Tennessee collapsed while on duty. Staff tried to revive him without success. He died of a heart attack, leaving behind his wife Chery, daughter Addy, and son Allenton. He was 44 years old. His children were very young. His wife was dependent on him as a father and provider. CPOF was there for his family following his death. Out of this tragedy a relationship was built with Shelby County that has gone on to assist correctional professionals to this day.
Deputy Sheriff Christopher Burgert and Deputy Sheriff Michael Van Kuren were attempting to serve a warrant on behalf of Bradford County Sheriff’s Office in Pennsylvania when they were both shot and killed. Despite wearing their bullet-resistant vests, they both died March 31, 2004. Deputy Burgert, 30, was a Pennsylvania National Air Guard veteran and left behind his wife and son. Deputy Van Kuren, 36, left behind his wife, son, and daughter. CPOF was there for their families.
Correctional Officer Amanda Baker was attacked by a 15-year-old inmate in Scotts Bluff County Juvenile Detention Center in Nebraska. He attacked and strangled Officer Baker after she entered his cell. On February 16, 2014, this 24-year-old officer died, leaving behind her son. CPOF was there for her family.
On April 6, 2021, Bibb County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Knight was stabbed to death by a prisoner at the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center in Georgia. He was moving the inmate with another deputy to an observation area when the inmate began fighting the deputies. Deputy Knight, 30, was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds an hour later. He left behind his 2-year-old child. CPOF was there for his child and his family.
Jefferson Davis County Sheriff’s Department in Mississippi suffered the loss of Deputy Sheriff Thomas Bourne and Deputy Sheriff James Rutland on February 21, 1997. They were transporting a prisoner to the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility following his conviction when he produced a concealed handgun and shot them both dead. Deputy Bourne left behind a wife, two daughters, and a son, Deputy Rutland left behind his wife and stepchildren. CPOF was there for their families.
Since 1992, CPOF has been there for the families of nearly 100 correctional staff working in jails and counties who have been killed in the line of duty. We have upheld our initial promise of being there for their surviving spouse and child. We have also been there to honor them when they are laid to rest and in our annual memorial ceremony. We will continue to be there for our brothers and sisters working in jails and counties when we are called upon.
If you are interested in learning more about CPOF, please visit our website at cpof.org. You can help grow the organization by becoming a supporting member, telling others about your experience with CPOF and encouraging others to join our
supporting membership.
Before the foundation, helping correctional staff at your facility meant scraping together enough to help a widow with grocery money, today it means 80,000 officers come together and have given over 30 million dollars to correctional staff and their families nationwide. What used to be the story of a handful of people in a garage before fax machines or e-mail, has grown into an organization of many who passionately put others before themselves. Now, 40 years later, we can truly say, we are “taking care of our own.”
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Don Dease became involved with CPOF in 1997 after he was invited to PROJECT VIII in Washington, D.C. The annual event left him impressed and he knew he wanted to be involved. In 2002, after 30 years of service, Don retired from the South Carolina Department of Corrections. In the days and years that followed, he worked as a Field Representative for CPOF. Don and his wife, Judy, a CPOF Volunteer, worked to grow CPOF. Don was selected to the CPOF Board in 2010. In 2011 he took a leave of absence and traveled to Afghanistan as an advisor to the Afghan Correctional System. He returned to the states and to CPOF in 2012. In 2014, Don was selected as Secretary and served in that capacity until 2022 when he was selected as Vice Chairman. For more information, he can be contacted at mail@cpof.org.