Prison life and life on the open waves are not so dissimilar, according to Public Prison Service’s new Northern Regional Manger Warren Cummins.
Warren, who spent 29 years working his way up the ranks in the navy before joining Corrections, says he will be drawing on his naval experience for his new job.
“Both lives are very much about dealing with a close and confined environment. There is also a strong emphasis on keeping watch and continually monitoring your environment, as well as the need for strong leadership and team structures,” he says.
But he concedes that managing the region’s prisons presents its own challenges. That was one of the attractions in applying for the position.
“Maintaining services as different as Mount Eden, which is 150 years old, and two of New Zealand’s newest prisons - the Northland Region Corrections Facility (NRCF) and Auckland Region Women’s - present a mixture of great challenge and opportunity,” says Warren.
“Another factor that drew me to Corrections was the commitment to encouraging staff to contribute to the well-being of the organisation and to society as a whole.
“I am already starting to discover that I am working with a team who have strong ideas about how they can alter things to make a real difference,” Warren adds.
Warren, who started his role in February, says he is enjoying the variety of the work. With Auckland Women’s just opened, and NRCF successfully completing its first year in operation, the Northern Region is going through a time of change, Warren says.
“I am looking forward to playing my part so that this demanding operational environment is managed and led in a way that continues to ensure the security, safety and well-being of the public, staff and prisoners,” he says.
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