O'burg family deals four of a kind in blue

OGDENSBURG n The Gordon family looks good in blue. And that’s a good thing, because they now all wear the blue uniform of law enforcement. Kristopher Michael Gordon, a recent graduate of the Department of Correction Training Academy, became the third Gordon brother in the pursuit of justice. Kris, a resident of Ogdensburg and 1990 graduate of Wallkill Valley Regional High School, was assigned to the Mt. View Youth Correctional Facility in Avenel after completing 12 weeks of training at the academy in Sea Girt. He is a corrections officer at a facility that houses young men 18-35 years of age, and he said that the most difficult part of his job is keeping everyone safe. “Tempers and egos can be hard to deal with, and there are gangs in the prison as there are out on the street,” he said. He has ambitions to “move through the ranks” and eventually achieve the rank of captain or possibly even chief. Other Gordon family members include Stephen, who is an officer in Ogdensburg, and Bryan, who began his career in the same department and is now an officer in Butler. Bryan’s recent bride, Lee, is a sergeant with the Hardyston force. Kris was employed by the borough for some time before deciding to follow his dream, “It’s been something I wanted to do for a long time,” he said. Shana, Kris’ wife and daughter of Councilman George Sabourin, said that it’s important for her to support his career choice although she has a certain degree of concern. “As a wife, I worry,” said Shana. “I don’t know any spouse in law enforcement that doesn’t worry every time they go out the door.” When asked for his best advice to young men, Kris Gordon said, “Education, hard work, and honesty are the best route. Spending the best years of your life being told when to eat, sleep, move, 24 hours a day is no way to live.” His enthusiasm for his job is tempered with reality. “Being a correction officer takes a certain kind of person. We walk and work among people that society would like to forget, and we do this with no weapon. Most housing officers can be with 96 inmates n that’s 96 inmates to one officer n so our greatest weapons are our minds and our fellow officers. “But make no mistake, it’s a great career.”