Pennsylvania Department of Corrections' Shirley Moore Smeal Earns National Award

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Shirley Moore Smeal, executive deputy secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, recently was honored with the Trailblazer Award by the National Organization of Black Women in Law Enforcement.

Moore Smeal was one of several individuals from across the nation to be recognized with this special award, which she accepted on June 30 in Pittsburgh.

"Shirley's professionalism and dedication to one of the most difficult roles in law enforcement has improved the lives of her fellow citizens,'' Governor Tom Corbett said. "Her sense of service and humanity have been gifts to the people of Pennsylvania."

Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said that, for at least 10 years, Moore Smeal has led the department's empowerment initiative where employees' professional and personal growth is promoted, as well as recognized and appreciated for their diversity.

As executive deputy secretary, Moore Smeal supervises regional deputy secretaries and their facilities, as well as the Offices of County Inspections, Treatment Services, Population Management, Correction Education and Information Technology.

"The best thing that happened to the Department of Corrections is that Shirley agreed to stay on as executive deputy secretary," Wetzel said. "We wouldn't be where we are now without her. She is the driving force behind the implementation of change within the department."

Moore Smeal, the first female to be named executive deputy secretary, began her career in 1987 as a clerk typist at the State Correctional Institution at Huntingdon.

Since then she has moved progressively up the correctional ranks serving in increasingly responsible positions. After working at SCIs Smithfield, Albion and Camp Hill in a variety of capacities, she was appointed executive assistant to the secretary of corrections in 2001.

Moore Smeal was named superintendent of SCI Muncy in 2001, and three years later, named deputy secretary for the eastern region. From August 2010 until January 2011, she served as acting secretary for the department, until Wetzel appointed her to her current post.

Originally from Mount Union, Moore Smeal is a graduate of Edinboro University and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.  She is a member of the American Correctional Association and the Pennsylvania Prison Wardens Association.

The National Organization of Black Women in Law Enforcement, founded in 1985, is a non-profit organization devoted to furthering the hiring, training, retention and promotion of black females in law enforcement.  It promotes a spirit of professionalism by preparing women through education and training to keep abreast of current theories and techniques.

Media contact: Susan McNaughton, 717-728-4025

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Corrections