Fred ’ s Legacy
The loss of Fred Baker has not only led to State Corrections Day but also to making the job safer for all officers
■ BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
By 6:30 a . m . on July 30 , the parking lot outside Bayside State Prison in Leesburg overflowed with State Corrections dress blue . Correctional Police Officers gathered with friends , family and elected officials , sipping coffee and swapping stories about Fred Baker .
NJ Assemblyman Bruce Land , who worked the third shift alongside Baker , recalled how Fred wanted to attend any activity going on in the prison .
Chuck Egbert , who endured his entire 25-year career at Bayside and retired in 2014 , remembers holding his friend ’ s head in his lap after he had been stabbed , telling him , “ Stay with us , Fred . Stay with us , Fred .”
Kelly O ’ Brien Baker shared that her husband of six years liked to celebrate , and that he would have wanted each July 30 to be a celebration of his life .
State Corrections Local 105 Second Vice President Todd McConnell was a rookie in the academy on that day 21 years ago and was called back to Bayside to help police the lockdown . He was assigned to F unit , the housing unit Fred ran . McConnell said that was the day that made him become a union member after seeing how the PBA response prompted Governor Christine Todd Whitman to sign the law that now gives all Correctional Police Officers stab-proof body armor .
Every Correctional Police Officer knows of Fred Baker . They hear about him the day they enter the academy , and they compete for the “ Fred Baker Memorial Academic Award ” given to a member of each class .
Every Correctional Police Officer would have been better to know Fred Baker . As Bayside Officer Ron Tomlin described of his revered colleague , “ He was firm , fair and consistent . Everything you teach in the academy .”
For sure , every Correctional Police Officer now and forever will never forget Fred Baker . His legacy has made the job safer and has
Members of Fred Baker ’ s family with Department of Corrections officials at the memorial that honors Fred outside Bayside State Prison .
brought much-needed awareness to how to reach the ultimate goal every day – don ’ t let the inmates keep you from getting home safe .
If they do that , then Fred ’ s ultimate sacrifice will continue to be the inspiration for a day each year devoted to remembering and honoring State Corrections .
“ I think just putting on the vest every day and being able to be safe is a tribute to him ,” confided Jason Baker , Fred ’ s son who is a New Jersey State Trooper . “ A life had to be lost for Governor Whitman to order the vest , so my father ’ s life shouldn ’ t be in vain to that fact . They should put on their vests every day , and honor him every day by doing that so they are safe in their facilities .”
For so many , State Corrections Day started as Fred Baker Day . The
36 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ AUGUST 2018