[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 68 (Friday, May 14, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E853]]
 HONORING CORRECTIONS OFFICER CHRIS WILSON AND SERGEANT JOSEPH DeMATTEO

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 2004

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate National Police Week, I would 
like to recognize the bravery of two law enforcement officers from my 
district whose heroic acts were honored this week by Corrections USA, a 
leading national voice for correctional officers.
  It is said that correctional officers ``patrol law enforcement's 
toughest beat,'' and nothing could be truer. Everyday, these officers 
work to keep violent felons behind bars and put their lives at risk to 
ensure that our families can feel safe in our homes and on our streets. 
The work they do is critical to the safety of our communities, and 
their sacrifices exemplify the spirit of public service.
  Far too often these sacrifices go unnoticed, but on Monday May 10th, 
Corrections U.S.A. honored some of these extraordinary public servants 
at their Medal of Valor Awards Ceremony. Each of the award recipients 
went beyond the call of duty, putting their lives in jeopardy in order 
to save the life of another. They all responded admirably to the crises 
they faced, and demonstrated the true strength of their character. I 
was pleased and honored to joins Corrections USA in recognizing the 
courage of these fine officers, and would like to take this opportunity 
to share the stories of two of my constituents who were honored at this 
event.
  On July 16, 2003, Corrections Officer Chris Wilson quickly came to 
the aid of one of his colleagues at the Middlesex County Adult 
Correction Center in North Brunswick, New Jersey, saving him from a 
severe beating at the hands of an inmate. Mr. Wilson immediately 
responded to fellow Officer Tim Morris's distress call and found him 
being attacked by an inmate. Mr. Wilson restrained the inmate and 
spared Mr. Morris from further injury. Officer Wilson received a Gold 
Medal of Valor for stopping this brutal attack.
  Sergeant Joseph DeMatteo, a 22-year veteran of the Middlesex County 
Adult Correction Center, demonstrated his strength of character by 
assisting victims of a car accident he witnessed on his way to work. On 
July 23, 2003, Sergeant DeMatteo saw an SUV flipping over a small car, 
and quickly rushed to the scene to help. Because of his experience as a 
volunteer fire fighter and first aid responder, he assisted the driver 
in the first car, who was pinned from the chest down under the car's 
motor. When he noticed flames in the second car, Sergeant DeMatteo left 
the first driver in the care of another individual assisting at the 
scene and rushed to the other car. Sergeant DeMatteo and another 
individual were able to break the windows of the car and move the 
injured driver to a safe spot on the grass. Once the driver was 
stabilized, Sergeant DeMatteo went back to the other driver that was 
still trapped in his car. He stayed with the driver and helped keep him 
calm until emergency workers arrived to release him. Sergeant DeMatteo 
received the Life Saving Award for his efforts.
  I commend the bravery of these individuals and extend my heartfelt 
gratitude to correctional officers across the country for their service 
to our communities.

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