The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General, has named Don Roche as the new Superintendent of Prisons for Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Roche will take over from Owen Brophy, who recently retired after working in corrections in the province for more than 35 years.
Mr. Roche began his career in adult corrections in 1982. He has previously worked at the St. John’s Lock-up and the Salmonier Correctional Institute, but spent the majority of his career at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary (HMP), where he served as a duty captain as well as a training captain. Mr. Roche was appointed Assistant Superintendent of Operations at HMP in 2008 and retired in 2013 after more than 30 years of service.
Mr. Roche has significant experience in the field of training and has provided mentorship and guidance within adult corrections throughout the province. He is a recipient of the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal and was a certified Suicide Intervention Skills Trainer and a certified Use of Force Instructor. Mr. Roche will begin his new role on February 1, 2018.
A biography for Mr. Roche can be found in the backgrounder below.
Quote
“We are very fortunate to have Don Roche return to adult corrections. His previous leadership experience within our prison system is extremely valuable as we move forward in our efforts to strengthen the justice system in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Andrew Parsons
Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General
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Lesley Clarke
Justice and Public Safety
709-729-6985, 699-2910
LesleyClarke@gov.nl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Biography
Don Roche began his career with corrections in 1982. He spent the majority of his career at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary (HMP), but also worked at the St. John’s Lock-up and the Salmonier Correctional Institute. He was appointed to the position of duty captain at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary in 2004 and training captain in 2008. In October 2008, after a review of corrections, Mr. Roche was appointed Assistant Superintendent of Operations at HMP. He retired in 2013 after more than 30 years of service.
Mr. Roche has significant experience in the field of training. He was a certified Suicide Intervention Skills Trainer and a certified Use of Force Instructor. He served for more than six years as a trainer with the recruit training program and provided staff training throughout the province. He was awarded the Corrections Exemplary Service medal and the 30-Year Service Bar for Corrections.
Mr. Roche is an experienced hockey coach, coaching all levels of the sport. He spent many years with the Program of Excellence for the Newfoundland and Labrador Amateur Hockey Association. Mr. Roche also coached the Provincial Female Hockey team at 2003 Canada Games and guided the Southern Shore Breakers to two Herder Memorial Senior Hockey titles.
Mr. Roche has been married for 33 years to wife Terri. He has two sons, Matthew aged 28 years, a police officer with the Corner Brook Detachment of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and Lucas aged 21 years, currently attending Memorial University as a fourth year student. Mr. Roche was born and still resides in Outer Cove.