Treating others with respect and compassion

Officer Jawara Sturrup, a Correctional Officer with the Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation (MDCR) Department, is responsible for the care and supervision of the inmates in his custody at the Metrowest Detention Center. 

“Despite their past and what they’ve done to be in our custody, my job is not to judge them, that’s the court system’s role. My job is to ensure that while they are here at Metrowest, they have their necessities while they await their day in court,” shared Officer Sturrup. 

“You see people from all walks of life, some who have done very serious things, others who were caught up in the wrong crowd, and those that need to mature. At the end of the day, they are human beings, and I treat them with respect. In return, I receive that same respect.”

Fairness and respect are essential in Officer Sturrup’s role at MDCR. “I can have anywhere from 50 to 70 inmates in my care at any given time, and while I have a job to do, it’s important they understand they are here because of the decisions they’ve made, and those decisions have consequences.” 

Spending upwards of eight hours a day with these inmates, Officer Sturrup uses this time to share guidance. “I remind them that life is a series of choices you make, and the only person who can make those choices is you. Just because you were hanging with the wrong crowd or made bad decisions doesn’t mean that’s who you are. You just need to make better choices,” he explained. 

“While inmates are here, this is the time to restructure, rethink, and regroup, and if they are given the opportunity to go home, I let them know something needs to change so they don’t end up here again.”

Being a Correctional Officer is not easy and not for everyone, but Officer Sturrup can’t imagine having any other job. “I truly enjoy what I do. This job has allowed me to support my family and provide for them. You learn patience and how to de-escalate situations because the goal is for everyone who walks into the facility at the start of the shift to walk out safely at the end.” 

Safety is especially important to Officer Sturrup who is a husband and father. “My wife, children, and family mean the world to me. Being married to fellow MDCR employee Lieutenant Ernice Elie-Sturrup has been a dream. We share a lot of common interests, so marriage to me isn’t work, it’s having the opportunity to create memories with my best friend and setting an example for our children.” 

“My children mean everything to me, there is no better feeling than coming home and seeing the excitement and joy in their eyes as they run to give me a hug. It’s priceless, something money can’t buy.” 

Lieutenant Ernice Elie-Sturrup shared, “In April 2024, our family experienced a difficult time. Shortly after our son Jaylen was born, he was admitted to the NICU with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) – a diagnosis that quickly turned joy into fear. The NICU became our world. Machines breathed for our son. Monitors dictated our emotions. Days and nights blurred as we learned to live one heartbeat at a time.”

Together, they took turns being strong, relying on each other for strength. “When one of us faltered, the other stood firm. We prayed. We questioned. We hoped. And in the quiet moments between medical updates, we watched Jaylen fight with a strength far greater than his tiny body.” they added. 

After nearly three weeks, Jaylen turned the corner. “Tubes were removed, alarms quieted, and we finally had the opportunity to hold our son without wires between us. When we finally carried him out of the hospital, we carried more than our son—we carried a calling.”

Seeing other families experiencing their same pain, the Sturrup’s knew medical care alone was not enough, “Families needed comfort, dignity, and reassurance. During that time, something shifted in us. We knew that if Jaylen made it through, we couldn’t walk away unchanged.”

That calling became Kids Help Inc., an organization founded by Ernice Elie-Sturrup whose sole purpose is to support children and families during their most vulnerable moments. “Through comfort items, essential resources, wellness and enrichment opportunities, and community outreach, we work to remind families they are not alone. Jaylen survived, through his fight to breathe, a mission was born—one rooted in compassion, resilience, and the belief that helping children heal helps families thrive.”

Officer Sturrup adds that being a devoted family man, along with traveling and camping, allows him to recharge and perform his personal and professional duties at a high-level exemplifying commitment, strength, and excellence.

Keep THRIVING, Officer Sturrup!