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Carolyn Thomas Chief of Department
The New Leader For the NYCD June 15, 2006 written by Chris Schooler
Carolyn Thomas is one of the most inspirational, kind, exemplary, and generous members of service that the New York City Department of Correction has ever had the honor to have in the position of the Chief of Department.
As a child, Chief Thomas attended the public schools in Long Island, where her parents instilled in her the highest principles and morals. “Be true to yourself” and “Always do you best” were inculcated in her from an early age. Both of her parents worked. They were dedicated and very hard working people who set an outstanding example for a woman who would later become one of the hardest working and most revered persons in the Department of Correction. Chief Thomas’ parents, in addition to instilling the values of personal integrity and good honest work, cherished education. While in High School Carolyn Thomas evinced such a high level of academic excellence that she matriculated in the Hofstra University Upward Bound Program, which enabled her to graduate A YEAR EARLIER.
It naturally followed that Chief Thomas would go right to college and excel in her studies. She was a psychology major at Cortland State University, which she attended for two years. She decided to enroll in the prestigious John Jay College of Criminal Justice where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree while working in the Department of Correction. It was already apparent that Carolyn Thomas was headed for great success.
Thinking back over her career, Chief Thomas cites two people who had been great motivating influences. These were two strong females in charge of a formidable male institution, the Anna M. Kross Center (AMKC). Warden Gloria Lee, who was the first female warden of AMKC, and who later went on to become the Chief of Operations, and Elizabeth Heard, a captain, who would eventually become a warden, were able to handle a massive institution, with a great diversity of inmates of many classifications. Here were two strong females in charge of a tremendous all-male facility, and they handled it expertly, professionally, and with admirable finesse. Gloria Lee and Elizabeth Heard inspired her with their great knowledge and strength of character. It was an honor to follow in Gloria Lee’s footsteps to be the second female warden to be in charge of AMKC and the third female to become the Chief of Department.
Chief Thomas feels her greatest challenge is bridging the gap between all ranks of uniformed staff as well as civilian staff in order to understand that the future of the department requires teamwork and a unified front on all levels to maintain and achieve the safety of both staff and inmates and the professionalism of the Department. Chief Thomas, “We have the most experienced, the most qualified, and the most knowledgeable correctional setting of today’s times.”
Chief Thomas, who is the quintessence of a persevering and compassionate professional, has a long list of worthy goals that she will undoubtedly accomplish very expeditiously. She will ensure that members of service realize that this is a “career”. It is not just a job. We should be proud of what we do and that our “personal integrity has to be intact”. Chief Thomas is presently working to reduce violence, increase morale, and raise the level of awareness and pride in the job we perform. Her exact words are, “We have to depend on one another to get the job done. We must support one another, teach one another, and be proud of the job that we perform. We provide a great service to community safety.”
The Department of Correction is blessed, honored, and privileged to have such an honest and brilliant visionary as its Chief of Department.