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| Union calls for corrections commissioner's ouster |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 01/05/2004 |
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A remark made by N.J. Corrections Commissioner Devon Brown has spurred a union representing hundreds of state prison supervisors to call for his ouster. The New Jersey Law Enforcement Supervisors Association made its request in an undated letter that was recently sent to Gov. James E. McGreevey. The Record of Bergen County also obtained a copy of the letter. The union was angered when Brown compared the high percentage of black and Hispanic prison inmates to slave-era plantations during a speech last month before a group of Hispanic social service agency directors. Brown, who is black, also called some of the state's drug laws "search-and-destroy drive-by legislation that has the effect of targeting selected populations." The union, which represents 538 supervisors, said Brown's remarks were "purposely targeted to gain notoriety" and "highly demeaning, insulting, and offensive" to corrections officers. Ellen Mellody, a McGreevey spokeswoman, said last Monday that the governor stands by Brown and has has "full confidence" in him. But Micah Rasmussen, another McGreevey spokesman, said the governor was not endorsing Brown's remarks or his advocacy for relaxed sentencing laws. Brown said the letter was motivated by the union's desire to protect jobs, saying that easing sentencing laws could reduce the need for corrections officers. He added that his comments were intended to bring to light a growing consensus among progressive law-enforcement officials that there are too many minorities in prison. |
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