Each month, we take you beyond the polished uniforms and precise formations to share the personal stories of those who serve on the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation Honor Guard. These men and women represent the heart of our mission — standing in honor of the fallen, supporting families in their hardest moments, and embodying the compassion and unity that define CPOF. Through their own words, we invite you to learn why they serve, what motivates their commitment, and how their shared sense of duty continues to uphold the Foundation’s promise: “Taking Care of Our Own.”

Commander Raymond Gonsalves Jr., born and raised on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has been happily married to his wife, Esther, for 31 years, has two adult children and three young grandchildren, and resides in the Treasure State, Montana. His interest in law enforcement stems from his grandfather, who was a police officer on Cape Cod. Commander Gonsalves attended Westfield State College in western Massachusetts and received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. In 2016, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Westfield State Criminal Justice Alumni Hall of Fame.

Commander Gonsalves joined the Massachusetts Department of Correction in 1991 as a Correction Officer working at Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, MA, which was a medium security facility housing male inmates.

In June of 2002, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant at the Bridgewater State Hospital, also located in Bridgewater. The Bridgewater State Hospital is the state’s forensic mental health facility for male inmates.

In June of 2006, Commander Gonsalves was promoted to the rank of lieutenant while working with the Department’s Division of Staff Development and he was subsequently promoted to the rank of Captain in June of 2010.

During Commander Gonsalves’ twenty-five-year career, he served the Massachusetts Department of Correction in many roles, performing background investigations for new hires and eventually becoming the lead trainer to certify new investigators. He also oversaw the development and instruction of in-service training curriculum for over 3,200 employees on an annual basis to meet the American Correctional Association Standard.

Commander Gonsalves became a member of the Department of Correction Honor Guard in 1995 and served as the Commander starting in August of 2007. The unit consisted of twenty members, including a vocalist and a bagpiper. The Honor Guard team, under command of Commander Gonsalves, received a group award from the Department of Correction at the annual Beyond Excellence awards ceremony.

Commander Gonsalves served as the Officer-in-Charge for the Department’s Recruit Training Program and is responsible for the training of all new correction officers, correction program officers, and industrial instructors who are hired by the Department of Correction. During Commander Gonsalves’ tenure as the officer-in-charge, 2,900 new staff members went through the academy and were trained under his tenure.

He has also served on the Department of Correction Tactical Unit under the Special Operations Division, starting in 2002 in a logistical role during Tactical Operations.

Commander Gonsalves and the Recruit Training Team received the Innovative Approaches Award in 2004 from the International Association of Correctional Training Personnel (IACTP).

Commander Gonsalves first attended Project 2000 in June of 2000 in Washington, DC, when the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation honored Massachusetts Department of Correction Officer Joseph Ribeiro, who paid the ultimate sacrifice. He has been a member from that point on and became a member of the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation National Honor Guard team in 2016, just prior to his retirement in April of that year. He was appointed Assistant Commander in April 2017 under then Commander Steve Dizmon. He assumed the role of Commander in November 2019 at the recommendation of Commander Steve Dizmon and approval of the board of directors. The team currently has twenty-four members representing fourteen states and a seven-member pipe and drum representing four states.