‘Michigan’s Toughest Job’ Ad Debuts in Major TV Markets Statewide

LANSING, Mich. – The life-threatening situations Michigan’s corrections officers face every day are the focus of a new Michigan Corrections Organization TV ad, now airing in major media markets across the state.

The 30-second ad features “Chad,” a corrections officer who was stabbed earlier this year with a 12-inch sharpened metal spike, which a prisoner had crafted from a dismantled typewriter.

“I don’t want my kids having sleepless nights thinking Dad’s not going to be coming home,” Chad says in the ad. He then continues, “My wife knows the scale of danger that is involved.”

The ad is airing in the following markets from Sept. 6 through May of 2011:

• WBKB – Alpena
• WJRT – Flint/Saginaw
• WOOD – Grand Rapids
• WILX – Lansing
• WLUC – Marquette
• WWTV – Traverse City

“Our goal is to raise awareness of the dangers Michigan corrections officers face every single day,” said Mel Grieshaber, executive director of the Michigan Corrections Organization. “Once a criminal is behind bars, it’s easy for the public to take for granted corrections officers’ role in keeping their fellow citizens safe. Corrections officers go to work every day – unarmed – and have to face the worst felons Michigan has to offer.”

Grieshaber notes that there were 608 assaults on Michigan corrections employees in 2008. In many of those cases, the officer was seriously injured.

“Injuries are an everyday risk, and over the past two decades there have been four Michigan correctional employees who have been killed in the line of duty,” said Grieshaber. “Without a doubt, corrections officer have the toughest job in Michigan.”

Contact: Josh Hovey, The Rossman Group 517-712-5829(c), 517- 487-9320(o)