LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Chief Mark J. Cranston upon the occasion
of his retirement after 23 years of distinguished service to the
Corrections Department on March 6, 2010

WHEREAS, The quality and sanctity of community life are cherished
values, worthy of safeguarding, and this Legislative Body is moved to
honor those individuals who serve to preserve and protect such values,
lauding particularly their unwavering courage and dedication in the
daily performance of their duties; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Chief Mark J. Cranston upon the occasion of his retirement after 23
years of distinguished service to the New York State Corrections Depart-
ment to be celebrated on Saturday, March 6, 2010, at John St. Bar and
Grill, New York, New York; and
WHEREAS, Mark J. Cranston began his esteemed career as a Correction
Officer at the Brooklyn House of Detention in 1987; displaying exemplary
leadership skills, he was promoted to Captain in 1996, and served at the
Eric M. Taylor Center (EMTC) until 1999; and
WHEREAS, In 2000, Mark J. Cranston became the Administrative Assistant
to the Chief of Department and was responsible for monitoring the
Department overtime budget, staffing levels, employee discipline, train-
ing, and facility operations; he also conducted extensive research and
analysis of a myriad of data collected at each facility for discussion
and evaluation at the monthly TEAMS meetings; and
WHEREAS, Two years later, Mark J. Cranston was promoted to Assistant
Deputy Warden and served as the Tour Commander at the Anna M. Kross
Center; in this capacity he was accountable for the supervision of
Captains and over 200 employees charged with the care, custody, and
control of an inmate population of 2000, including mental observation
and administratively segregated inmates, which presented unique circum-
stances and required enhanced supervision; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, Mark J. Cranston took over as the Commanding Officer
of the TEAMS Unit; he supervised and coordinated audits, inspections,
and findings of the Total Efficiency Accountability Management System
(TEAMS) Unit in all areas of facility operations; he also prepared,
organized, and published relevant information and data for monthly TEAMS
meetings, monitored Department and individual facility performance in
all areas of operation and implemented procedural changes when neces-
sary; and
WHEREAS, Also in 2003, Mark J. Cranston rose to the level of Deputy
Warden and became the Executive Assistant to the Chief of Department; in
this position, he oversaw the accurate and timely dissemination of
information to the Chief of Department and the Office of the Commission-
er; he also acted on behalf of the Chief as the executive liaison to all
departmental bureaus and divisions, as well as all departmental labor
unions, and other law enforcement agencies; and
WHEREAS, In 2004, Mark J. Cranston was promoted to Warden and served
as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Commissioner; he was responsible for
the management, oversight, and administration of the day-to-day oper-
ations of the Department, including all operations conducted by the
Chief of Department, Chief of Facility Operations, and the Chief of
Custody Management and Environmental Health; additionally, he served as
the Commissioner's primary liaison to all uniformed labor unions,
uniformed and civilian staff, oversight agencies and other law enforce-
ment agencies; and

WHEREAS, At this time, Mark J. Cranston also had a concurrent assign-
ment as the Commanding Officer of the Office of Policy & Compliance
(OPC) encompassing the Policy and Procedure Unit, Total Efficiency
Accountability and Management System (TEAMS), Data Integrity Unit, and
Internal Audit Unit; and
WHEREAS, In 2009, Mark J. Cranston was made Chief and proudly served
as Chief of Staff to the Commissioner, the position from which he will
retire; in this role, he served as the senior adviser to the Commission-
er assisting in the overall management of the entire agency; he was also
the primary liaison for the Commissioner to all staff and responsible
for the overall management of the Commissioner's staff and the Office of
the Commissioner; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Chief Mark J. Cranston served the
Correction Department with intelligence and caring dedication, contin-
uously striving to effectively fulfill the duties of his position; and
WHEREAS, Sincerely loved and greatly respected by all those with whom
he worked, Chief Mark J. Cranston will be remembered for his honesty,
integrity, keen sense of duty and ability to show a unique grasp of
human problems in his official acts; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those dedicated
public servants who unselfishly devote their lives to the preservation
of order and the protection of others are worthy and due full praise for
their commitment and noble endeavors; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Chief Mark J. Cranston upon the occasion of his retirement after
23 years of distinguished service to the New York State Corrections
Department on March 6, 2010; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Chief Mark J. Cranston.