FOR  REMEMBRANCE

At 1:30 am the morning of February 26, 2013, a knock came at our door. Into our home walked Warden Dave Everett of USP Canaan, accompanied by Russ Reuthie (H.R.) and Darrell Palmer (NERVP). The warden, upon assuring himself I was the father of Eric Williams, said to us “I regret to tell you, but your son Eric passed away at work tonight.” My brain exploded. What did this man just tell me? Hysteria…. He later went on to say Eric was murdered by an inmate.

The next few days our house was filled with people from the BOP, all telling us that this inmate was “a model prisoner” and they couldn’t figure out why this happened. They were doing damage control. We learned from a newspaper reporter that the “model” prisoner was already doing life for murder, was a gang assassin, had a wrap sheet a mile long of offenses “inside” the prison to include assaulting officers, etc. My trust was damaged.

We then found out our son was working alone and unarmed with 125 high security inmates. He was stabbed over 200 times and the whole thing wasn’t discovered for over a half an hour. I was appalled at this unconscionable disregard for the safety of the corrections officers.

The following day after Eric’s murder, Lt. Osvaldo Albarati was on his way home from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico when he was shot to death in an ambush.

Learning that the union had been fighting for Pepper spray and Gun Lockers for years, my wife and I started accompanying the CPL-33 members to DC during legislative week. It was there were met Helen Albarati and Terry Rivera (mother of fallen officer Jose Rivera.)

From 2013 through 2015 we accompanied the union legislative reps and members to DC with no result. No pepper spray for officers. No gun lockers.

One day while in DC, Gary Mills, the then union Legislative Rep was complaining about not being able to get into the office of an important legislator. He said that a staffer named Rick was antagonistic to him and the union. (Rick is a fictional name) While at the cafeteria I happen to see Rick. I walked up, told him that I was the father of a fallen Federal Officer who had been murdered, and I needed to talk with him. Myself, my wife, and Helen Albarati were immediately invited to his office where we spent a lot of time with Rick listening closely. It was then the idea hit me. It is easier for the families of fallen officers to get their attention that it is for the people who are employed to talk to them about the need for legislation. It was out of this experience that we formed Voices of JOE.

The JOE is an acronym for Jose Rivera, Osvaldo Albarati, and Eric Williams. We incorporated ourselves as a citizens advocacy group for law enforcement’s JUSTICE and SAFETY.

We began holding roundtables where we invited legislative staff, corrections officers, family members, and the press. We placed op-eds, began lobbying in partnership with the union, and in October 2015 we held a huge roundtable, along with members of the Council, right in the capitol. Within two months, the Pepper Spray bill was signed into law. With continued efforts and the tireless effort of Helen Albarati along with other Voices of JOE members, the Gun Locker bill was passed.

Voices of JOE has continued to stay in the fight for stab vests, man down radios, and, of course, staffing. We have continued our efforts to have safe and effective staffing levels, do away with mandated overtime and augmentation (a very dangerous practice), a reduce the fatigue and stress on workers and families. We expanded our efforts and began working with state and county law enforcement agencies. We have broadened the scope of our outreach by adding Voices of JOE Satellite Groups across the county.

As you all know, Justice and Safety for Law Enforcement is an ongoing battle that continues to this day. Voices of JOE will stay in the fight for as long as it takes.