New York State Corrections Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) membership elected three new leaders after votes were counted in a runoff. Chris Summers was elected president, Matt Keough was elected executive vice president and Pamela Welch was elected treasurer to fill out the 10-person executive board. 

Each newly elected position serves a three-year term. 

Summers is an 18-year veteran who currently holds the rank of sergeant and most recently served as executive vice president.  Previously he served as the recording secretary for the union.      

Keough is a 30-year veteran who was previously a business agent for the union in the Northern Region.  

Welch is an 11-year veteran who was assigned as a sergeant out of the Western Region prior to being elected treasurer.   

“I would like to thank everyone who voted on this historic day,” said Summers. “I look forward to working with every member of the executive board to ensure that we make the needs of our membership our biggest priority.  

“Our membership has been under siege over the last three years as inmate violence has skyrocketed in our correctional facilities. I will be dedicated to fight for our members over the next three years to ensure they receive the support they deserve from DOCCS [Department of Corrections and Community Supervision] and the state legislature.  

“[Corrections officers] perform one of the most dangerous jobs in law enforcement and they deserve no less. 

“I would also like to thank Michael Powers who served as NYSCOPBA president for the last nine years.  He served during a time when there were calls to defund law enforcement and many progressive policies were put into place that made our profession more dangerous.  

“Again, I look forward to hit the ground running to make sure our 17,000 members are compensated fairly, are treated with respect and provided with the resources they deserve to perform their duties in a safe environment.”

New York State Corrections Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA)

Albany, NY