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“I was working as one of three command-
ers in our 5,000-bed jail at the Broward
Sheriff’s Office in Fort Lauderdale when
I got a call from Dick Ford asking me if
I could help out with some board busi-
ness. The secretary of the AJA board had
to leave his position due to work com-
mitments and Dick asked me if I could
help out with taking the minutes. I did,
enjoyed the meeting, and decided to run
for the open position of secretary of the
Board of Directors. I continued to run for
the position, won, and served 13 years.”
“I worked with Sheryl Ebersole and
Connie Lacy during the annual confer-
ences. Sheryl was the ‘glue’ that held our
conferences together, handling every com-
plaint imaginable including working with
vendors, site managers, speakers, attend-
ees, etc., when their presentation room
wasn’t unlocked, there was no electric at
a vendors booth, attendees had lost their
badges, meal tickets, and on and on.”
“When Dick Ford announced his retire-
ment, the board president selected three
of us board members to screen applica-
tions, interview applicants, and narrow
the field to three people for the board to
interview. The three of us were instructed
to prepare a list of questions to ask each
applicant when we interviewed them.
One of our questions was ‘Without break-
ing any confidences, what was the last
“The American Jail Association has connected me to corrections mistake you made?’ One applicant looked
professionals that have become some really great friends. I have at the three of us and said ‘I have never
grown by obtaining my CJM in 2015 and my recertification in 2019. made a mistake in my life!’ We quickly
I also was promoted to Administrative Captain. I hope that AJA concluded the interview and showed him
continues to be the leading voice for jails in America with dynamic the door, and went back to the interview
training opportunities.” room laughingly hysterically.”
BEVERLEY WILBER
CAPTAIN REESE WALKER, CJM
Shelby County (Tennessee) Division of Corrections Dover, New Hampshire
AMERICANJails MAY | JUNE 2021 | 41
