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Corrections Employee Wins Governor’s Award for Excellence for Leadership in Community Corrections

05/09/2018

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Corrections today announced that Major Michael C. Gourley, who led record cost savings, safety and security and efficiency improvements in the Bureau of Community Corrections (BCC), is among the recipients of the Governor’s Awards of Excellence.

 

The awards recognize commonwealth employees for exemplary job performance or service that reflects initiative, leadership, innovation and increased efficiency. Gourley is one of 47 state employees from 10 agencies to be honored by Governor Tom Wolf.

 

Beginning in 2016 and through 2017, Gourley focused his efforts on overtime reduction in the Bureau of Community Corrections. As a result of Gourley’s efforts to streamline processes, fill vacant security positions and centralize scheduling, DOC was able to successfully reduce overtime costs by $500,000.

 

Gourley also targeted training compliance and completion for all BCC staff, especially front-line community corrections staff, leading to the highest rate of compliance yet within the bureau.

 

In the past year, Gourley also is credited with improving safety and security measures in BCC facilities, including increased searches, improving investigations and implementing new guidelines for the Management Operations Center.

 

“When you consider that more than 90 percent of all of those who are incarcerated return to the community one day, successful reentry is a critical component to corrections,” said Corrections Secretary John Wetzel. “Major Gourley’ s efforts to improve so many aspects of community corrections, especially in the face of the challenges presented by the opioid crisis, have been exemplary.”

 

In addition, Gourley has overseen the elimination of the backlog in investigations within community corrections, improved the State Intermediate Punishment program by overseeing the implementation of the SIP-HOPE program, which aims at keeping non-violent drug offenders from re-offending. He also has used his relationships with local, state and federal law enforcement to respond to incidents and worked with Pennsylvania State Police to apprehend absconders.

 

“Major Gourley is one of the most highly competent and driven people I have ever had the good fortune to work with,” said Daniel McIntyre, director of the Bureau of Community Corrections. “He is always thinking outside the box to improve each and every area he supervises within the Bureau of Community Corrections.”

 

Gourley, a resident of Dauphin County, started his career as a corrections officer and was promoted to lieutenant before moving to the Bureau of Community Corrections with the rank of major. While working for the Board of Probation and Parole he was named Agent of the Year for 2012.

 

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Susan McNaughton, 717-728-4025

 

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