Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    What is the American Correctional Officers Intelligence Network (ACOIN)?

     ACOIN is the American Correctional Officers Intelligence Network. It is the research and information arm of American Correctional Officer. ACOIN handles the research and information request services for ACO.
     ACOIN publishes the ACO newsletter, email updates, legislative reports and white papers on all topics of concern to today’s corrections professional.
     ACOIN offers individual memberships to corrections professionals and those who support our mission. Officials of ACOIN are also available to speak at rallies, protests and conventions to help ACO organizational members.

     They are also available to help train union officials and to work with ACO members across the nation in addressing the universal concerns we all face.

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What is the American Correctional Officers (ACO)?

     American Correctional Officer is a national coalition of organizations, fraternal associations and unions whose members include publicly employed correctional officers and corrections professionals. The mission and purpose of American Correctional Officer is to promote the well being and safety of publicly employed Correctional Officers and corrections professionals; to improve the working conditions for all who work in public corrections; to share best practices so that all can benefit; to educate the media, general public and our elected officials about the daily challenges we face; to seek progressive change to meet those challenges; to provide information, research and mutual support for all associations, unions and fraternal organizations who count corrections professionals among their members; to establish an international communications  network among corrections professionals; to provide a national voice for our profession and to continue to protect the public by working to ensure that our nations prisons, jails and juvenile justice facilities are safe and secure. 

            American Correctional Officer is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the corrections profession. It is run for and by correctional officers working in our local, county, state, federal and juvenile correctional facilities.

 

 

 

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What is the ACO "Mission Statement"?

“The mission and purpose of American Correctional Officer is to promote the well being and safety of publicly employed Correctional Officers and corrections professionals; to improve the working conditions for all who work in public corrections; to share best practices so that all can benefit; to educate the media, general public and our elected officials about the daily challenges we face; to seek progressive change to meet those challenges; to provide information, research and mutual support for all associations, unions and fraternal organizations who count corrections professionals among their members; to establish an international communications  network among corrections professionals; to provide a national voice for our profession and to continue to protect the public by working to ensure that our nations prisons, jails and juvenile justice facilities are safe and secure.” 

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Who controls the American Correctional Officers (ACO)?

             ACO is controlled by a Board of Directors comprised of one Officer from each organizational member and the original founding members of ACO. ACO has five elected officials chosen from among members of the Board who serve two year staggered terms.  The current officials are:

 

President Vito Dagnello, New York         
County Correctional Officer

Vice President Michael Haley, Massachusetts         
County Correctional Captain

 

Treasurer Thomas Finston, New York     
County Correctional Officer

Recording Secretary Gary Harkins, Oregon     
Retired State Correctional Officer

Sgt at Arms Eric Spierer, New Jersey              
Juvenile Correctional Lieutenant

 

Founding Board Members include the above elected officials and:

 

Robert Brouilette – Massachusetts         State Correctional Officer

John Crandall – New Jersey                  County Correctional Officer

John Duer – New York                         County Correctional Officer

Richard Ferruccio – Rhode Island          State Correctional Officer

Mike Haley – Massachusetts                 County Correctional Captain

Steve Kenneway – Massachusetts         State Correctional Officer

Henry Ruiz – New Jersey                      County Correctional Sergeant

Ed Small – Oregon                                Retired State Correctional Officer
Michael Van Patten - Oregon                    State Correctional Sergeant

 

 

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What are ACO's working Committees?

The American Correctional Officer Intelligence Network realizes that we cannot do it all     ourselves, and acknowledge the importance of our members ideas, view points, and  participation.  That is why we rely on our working committees to guide our path.

■ Legislative Committee

■ Membership

■ By-Laws Committee

■ Training & Standards/Gangs

■ Privatization

■ Image Enhancement

■ Honor of Legion

■ Communications

■ Women’s Issues

■ Retired Members

■ Stress in Corrections

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What are some of ACOIN's Services?

 

FEDERAL LEGISLATION

ACOIN members are furnished with comprehensive reports that assist them in their fight, our fight. Our reports are well known to the members of Congress, to whom they have been widely circulated.

     Members of Congress, prior to testifying on committees relating to corrections, frequently contact us for formal questions. We are currently notifying members of Congress of the reports and correctional information we as correctional professionals can provide for them. Our legislative team has been in contact with and identifying key members to advance our Legislative Agenda.

  INFORMATION REQUESTS

Information requests are submitted by our members and distributed throughout the ACO Intelligence Network. The answers are compiled and submitted to the requesting member. The main office keeps the requests and information on file for future reference.

 

HONORING OUR OWN

Acts of valor are not uncommon in our profession.  Every year throughout our nations jails, prison, and juvenile detention facilities correctional officers      perform great acts of courage under extreme conditions.  Too often these acts of heroism to go unnoticed, and unrecognized by the public, the media, their departments, and sometimes even their own Unions.  We talk about image  enhancement, better safety equipment and letting the public know of the  dangers of our profession.

     What better way to do this than to recognized one of our own.  That’s exactly why the Correctional Officer HONOR LEGION was formed.

     Every year the Honor Legion committee selects inductees to the honor legion.

 

LABOR CONTRACTS BANK

ACOIN is compiling a labor contracts bank, that will be made available to all organizational and individual members to assist them in their contract negotiations. It is our goal to become the largest resource for correctional labor contracts in the nation.

 

ZERO TOLERANCE TO PRISON PRIVATIZATION

We oppose the privatization of corrections and are fighting against it at the federal, state, and local levels. ACO members have assisted in the drafting and introduction of legislation that would require private prison companies housing federal inmates to disclose information to the public, as required by the federal government under the Freedom of Information Act.

     We maintain one of the largest prison privatization databases, and provide assistance to all correctional professionals, or private citizen who needs assistance in fighting prison / jail      privatization in their State.

 

POLITICAL ACTION

From time to time we may need you to help us, help you by contacting your local, state or federal elected officials.   On our websites we have provided searchable directories of U.S. Senators, and Congressmen.  We have also included tips on effective ways to contact, and  communicate with your elected officials via telephone or in mail correspondence.

    If need be  ACOIN has no qualms in taking our issues to the streets through organized “grassroots” rallies and protests.

 

NATIONAL VOICE / NATIONAL NETWORKING

ACOIN / ACO is the national voice for the correctional professional.  We are veteran         Correctional Officers not civilians and represent our profession in the media, to our legislators, and in support of correctional officers at events nationwide.  

     Our many years of correctional experience have linked us to the top correctional leaders in the nation.  You as a member can access and network with them as well. ACOIN members are always welcome to our national conferences, and workshops at no charge.