[00:00:08]
YEAH, WELL, COMMISSIONER MY FORTIES COMING ON, I JUST SENT THEM THE LINK, GETTING HABIT OR GETTING IT MASTERED TO CALL ANY SECOND.
AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO THIS AND BE ON TIME.
CAUSE WE DID SAY TWO O'CLOCK AND I'M GOING TO BE PUSHING TO GET OUR MEETING GOING AND TO GET US STARTED SO THAT WE CAN DOVE INTO WHAT WE WANT TO DELVE INTO TODAY.
I HAVE BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FROM THE CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS TODAY, WE WILL BE GOING OVER SOME OF THE, THE ISSUES AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEING IN FRONT OF US IN THAT SENSE, SOME OF US COMMISSIONERS ARE HEARING, COMING TO US FROM THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON INSIDE AS THIS COUNTY FACILITIES.
EXCUSE ME, UH, COMMISSIONER, I BELIEVE YOU WANTED ME TO DO THE ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER COOPER, ABSENT COMMISSIONER, BILL ABSENT, COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, ABSENT COMMISSIONER LUCIANA HERE.
COMMISSIONER CBO, UM, COMMISSIONER ABSENT COMMISSIONER VICE-PRESIDENT HOMARUS, UH, COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON, ABS UH, MR. UH, CHAIR, UH, COMMISSIONER CBOE AND THE COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON WILL BE ATTENDING, UM, JUST A FEW MINUTES LATER AND JOINED THE MEETING.
MADAM CLERK, JUST AN INTRODUCTION ON WHAT THIS MEETING IS BASICALLY ABOUT.
WE JUST WANTED TO ENTER A OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE JAIL AND AT, AND AT DELANEY HALL BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF COMPLAINTS AND STUFF FROM, FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT THEIR SOMEBODY'S LOVED ONES THAT'S THERE.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WITH ALL THE INCIDENTS THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THAT WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO, WE, AS THE COMMISSIONER SHOULD HAVE SOME INFORMATION TO KNOW SOME OF THE THINGS ON SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED THERE.
AND I, I CAN SAY THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN BOUGHT ALL THE WAY UP TO SPEED ON THOSE THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT WE OWE AT LEAST, UH, CONSTITUENTS AND STUFF, TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THESE THINGS IS GOING NOT EXPLAINING THE FULL BECAUSE WE KNOW SOME THINGS ARE IN LITIGATIONS, SO WE KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE CAN'T DO, BUT WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT'S GOING ON THERE.
UM, I'M GOING TO ASK MR. ROBERT JACKSON, WHO IS A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO, UH, ANNOUNCE AND INTRODUCE EVERYONE THAT'S HERE.
UM, UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY TURN THE, UH, THAT DUTY OVER TO A DIRECTOR OF OUR RTS OF OUR CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, WHO WILL INTRODUCE HIS TEAM THAT'S ON.
UM, AND I WOULD JUST ADD SORT OF A EDITORIAL WAY THAT AS MUCH, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT, THAT YOU REFERENCED THAT YOU HEAR ARE COMPLAINTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED AS MUCH AS YOU CAN BE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE US WITH SPECIFICITY.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, MORE EFFICIENTLY.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO, UH, MR. RTR I'M PERHAPS IS WARREN'S SURREAL.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT UH, SOMEBODY FROM THE TEAM WILL, UH, INTRODUCE, EXCUSE ME, BEFORE WE GO ANY FARTHER, FURTHER, IS EVERYBODY GETTING FEEDBACK OR SOMETHING REALLY DIFFICULT TIME HERE? I'M GETTING IT TOO.
YES, I'M EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING.
SO MAYBE JUST EVERYBODY MUTE DURING THEIR FALLS.
IF SOMEONE IS TRYING TO ALSO HAVE ON TWO COMPUTERS.
CAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE THE FEEDBACK IS COMING FROM.
IF YOU HAVE ON TWO COMPUTERS OR IF YOU HAVE IT ON YOUR COMPUTER AND YOUR PHONE, UH, YOU HAVE TO MUTE ALL OF, ONE OF THEM.
IF NOT, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO MUTE EVERYONE TO TELL THIS TOP OF YOU TO SPEAK AND THEN YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK.
[00:05:01]
WERE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME, MS. CHAIRMAN, OR YOU, YOU STARTED BUMBLING A LITTLE BIT, BUT IF YOU COULD REPEAT YOURSELF, I'M SORRY.AND THAT, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ON MY END AS WELL.
I APOLOGIZE, BUT I WAS JUST SAYING, MR. CHAIRMAN APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT JUST WE'LL REQUEST THAT, UM, YOU MENTIONED SOME ISSUES OF THE PEOPLE I CONTACTED YOU OR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, AS MUCH SPECIFICITY AS YOU CAN PROVIDE IN TERMS OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE APPROACHED YOU ABOUT OR SAID WILL BE HELPFUL TO US TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES THAT MIGHT BE OUTSTANDING.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO A DIRECTOR OR TO, UH, PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW, BUT ALSO TO INTRODUCE THE MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM.
YES, GOOD AFTERNOON, ALLARD CHEESE DIRECTOR, KIND OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITY WITH ME.
I HAVE MY WARDEN, UH, MR.
AND I ALSO HAVE ANTONIO POWERS, ASSOCIATE WARDEN WITH ME AND BOTH ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE JAIL.
UM, ALSO FOR WHEN WE GET TO THE JAIL PART OF, UH, WE HAVE JOE WILLIAMS, HE IS THE, UM, THE, UH, GEO RESIDENTIAL AND WE ENTRY PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
AND, UH, MELISSA, SHE IS THE SENIOR MANAGER FOR GEO NORTHEAST OPERATIONS AND THEY MANAGE THE DELANEY WHOLE OPERATION OVER THERE.
SO WHEN THE TIME COMES, THERE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO RESPOND TO WHATEVER CONCERNS YOU MAY HAVE WITH REGARD TO THE OVERVIEW OF THE JAIL.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN A LOCKDOWN SITUATION.
AND AS WE GO ON THROUGH THE CONVERSATION, UH, WE'LL EXPLAIN WHEN MY WARD IS SPEAK REGARDING WHY THAT IS OCCURRING, BUT WE ARE TOTALLY LOCKED DOWN, UH, FOR SEARCHING THE ENTIRE FACILITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S BECOME A NECESSARY EVIL BECAUSE OF SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE US TO MAINTAIN THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF AND INMATES.
UM, UH, AS A GENERAL OVERVIEW, UM, WE RECEIVED FINAL ACCREDITATION FOR INSTANCE, CAC.
UM, IT'S A THREE-YEAR ACCREDITATION FOR GOOD FOR THE NEXT ONE AND A HALF YEARS.
UM, THEY FINALLY GOT BACK TO US ON OUR ACCREDITATION.
WE'RE UNDERGOING ACA ACCREDITATION FOR LATE SUMMER CERTIFICATION.
UM, THAT WE'RE ASPIRING TO, WE'VE DONE THIS ALREADY FOR ABOUT NINE CONSECUTIVE YEARS, UM, THREE YEARS ACCREDITATION, AND WE'RE GOING FOR OUR FOURTH, UH, UH, CERTIFICATION WE'RE CURRENTLY AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH.
WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDERGOING BETA INSPECTION AS WE SPEAK.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY AT DELANEY HALL AND THEY'LL BE COMING BACK HERE THURSDAY AND WE'RE UNDERGOING BAD INSPECTION, BUT, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST TURN IT OVER AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, TO THE WARD AND WHY WE'RE DOING THAT? EXCUSE ME.
UM, MR. CHAIR, I WILL JUST ASK PEOPLE AGAIN, PUT YOUR MIKE ON MUTE.
IF YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, UM, SOMEONE WHO JUST JOINED US BY ANDRE, YOU HAVE BACKGROUND NOISE GOING ON, PLEASE GO ON MUTE.
UM, FOR THE RECORD WE HAVE PHIL ALONDRA HAS JOINED US AND I SEE WAYNE RICHARDSON HAS JUST JOINED.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT IS, I DON'T SEE HIM.
HIS NAME CAME UP HERE ON THE BOTTOM OF THEIR PERMISSION TO WHERE I SEE IT ALSO AS BECAUSE I'M HERE.
OH, THERE YOU ARE A DIFFERENT RICHARDSON.
WITH A WELL LET'S LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD.
I WAS, I WAS GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, UH, WAS THERE A SPECIFIC QUESTION OR YOU WANT ME TO GIVE A GENERAL OVERVIEW? WE WANT YOUR GENERAL OVERVIEW BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONE IN CHARGE OF THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
SO, UM, UH, AS THE DIRECTOR HAD EXPLAINED, UH, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A, UH, A STATE INSPECTION.
UM, IT'S AN UNANNOUNCED INSPECTION THAT HAPPENS ANNUALLY.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF THAT.
UM, UM, AS FAR AS OPERATIONS ARE CONCERNED, WE ARE IN, UH, RESTRICTED MOVEMENT OPERATIONS AS A RESULT OF A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CONTRABAND THAT HAS BEEN CONFISCATED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FACILITY,
[00:10:01]
SPECIFICALLY NARCOTICS WEAPONS IN ADDITION TO NUISANCE CONTRABAND.UM, HOWEVER, THOSE ESSENTIAL SERVICES SUCH AS, UH, MEDICAL, UH, FOOD SERVICE, UH, ATTORNEY, UH, PHONE CALLS AND CORRESPONDENCE, UM, THOSE ITEMS CONTINUE TO OPERATE DESPITE THE, THE LOCKDOWN WE ANTICIPATE.
UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING THAT THE LOCKDOWN, UM, WOULD, UH, IS GOING TO GO ON ANOTHER WEEK OR SO.
UM, I CAN'T HOLD ME TO THAT BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE IDENTIFY, BUT THAT'S OUR ANTICIPATED TARGET.
W WE'LL WE'LL, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO A DEEP DELANEY HALL AND THINGS LATER, BUT RIGHT NOW I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO, TO ASK AT THIS TIME.
BEFORE WE CONTINUE, THERE IS SOMEONE THAT IS TRYING TO, UH, ENTER THIS MEETING BY PHONE.
I AM NOT AWARE OF ANYONE THAT'S TRYING TO ENTER BY PHONE.
SO THE ADMINISTRATION HAS SOMEONE, CAN THEY PLEASE VERIFY, UH, SOMEONE TRYING TO ENTER THE MEETING BY PHONE OR ELSE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DISCONNECT THEM AS FAR AS, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, SIR.
SO AS FAR AS THE FACILITY IS CONCERNED, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYBODY THAT'S NOT ALREADY ON THE PHONE CALL.
THAT'S NOT ALREADY ON THE CALL THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE ON THE CALL.
ANYONE ELSE? I DON'T KNOW EITHER LENO.
UM, MR. LEECH, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THE NUMBER? WE DO HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
TO ME CONTINUE ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY IN REFERENCE TO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GREEN MONSTER.
UM, IF THE ADMINISTRATION CAN GIVE US AN OVERVIEW, LIKE, UM, HOW MANY INMATES ARE IN THE FACILITY? HOW MANY ARE THERE SEGREGATION? UM, HOW MANY INCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED OVER THERE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS? UM, I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, UM,
UM, WHAT ARE THE PROTOCOLS AND WHAT IS CORRECTIVE ACTION PLANS ASIDE FROM THE LOCKDOWN THAT'S TAKEN PLACE TO, UH, UH, MITIGATE SOME OF THESE, UM, CONTRABANDS COMING IN.
I'M PREPARED TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
SO WITH REGARDS TO THE POPULATION, WARREN, AND HOLD ON, JUST FINE.
JUST SO WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS IS, UH, DURING COVID IN COMMISSIONERS AND THE COUNTY INVESTED MONEY IN TABLETS, UH, MADE SURE EVERY INMATE HAD A TABLET SO THAT IT WAS EASIER TO HAVE, UM, VISITS, VIDEO VISITS, CONTACTS, AND ALL THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, UM, OUR POPULATION HAS FIGURED OUT HOW TO DISMANTLE THE TABLETS IN A WAY WHERE THEY CAN MAKE WEAPONS OUT OF PIECES AND, AND MAKE THEM INOPERABLE.
SO SOME END, EVEN WITH MORE ACCESS TO PRINTERS AND TO STUFF, YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE THAT, THEY'VE TURNED IT INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES THAT COULD BE, WE JUST NOW NEED TO GO BACK AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THEM WEAPONS, UM, EVEN, YOU KNOW, SO, SO A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WAS INTRODUCED WAS DONE TO MAKE THE LIVES OF THE INMATES AND THE RESIDENTS THERE BETTER.
UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THEM NOT ALL HAVE USED IT AND ABUSED IT IN A WAY TO CREATE CHAINS AND WEAPONS AND STUFF.
SO, UH, THE TABLETS ARE NEWER TO PRODUCTION WITHIN THE LAST FIVE OR SIX MONTHS, WHEREAS EVERYONE GOT THEIR OWN TABLET.
UM, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TO IT IF IT'S USED.
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THAT, THAT GOOD EFFORT ON OUR PART HAS LED TO SOME CONTRABAND ISSUES THAT THE OFFICERS AND THE STAFF THERE HAVE TO BE MORE DILIGENT, UM, DEALING WITH.
AND IT'S A TOUGH SITUATION, BUT WE'RE DOING AND ALL THAT WARD AND TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW TO TRY TO TAKE IT.
BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S NO GOOD DEED GOES ON PUNCH.
SO JUST TO REITERATE, UH, TO WHAT THE CHIEF JUST SAID, UM, OUR, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS I BELIEVE IT WAS WHAT OUR CURRENT
[00:15:01]
POPULATION IS IN OUR, OUR LAST, UH, NUMBER WAS, UM, 2,337.SO WE ARE, WE ARE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO OUR FULL CAPACITY, UM, AS A RESULT OF THAT, UM, IT'S ONE OF THE VARIABLES THAT'S LEADING TO, UH, CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HAVE CHANGED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE'VE INTRODUCED AS WE'VE SPECIFIED ON SOME PREVIOUS PHONE CALLS, WE'VE ACQUIRED ABOUT A THOUSAND OF FEDERAL, UH, INMATES THAT, UM, ARE EITHER WAITING TO BE SENTENCED OR HAVE, OR BEEN WAITING TO BE TRANSFERRED.
SO, UH, MANY OF THOSE FOLKS HAVE COME FROM, UH, WOULD, WOULD BE IN RIKERS ISLAND OR BEING A FEDERAL PRISON IN NEW YORK.
UH, WE ACQUIRED THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND THEY HANDLE ADVERSITY VERY, VERY DIFFERENT.
UH, AT LEAST IN MY EXPERIENCE FROM INMATES THAT ARE INCARCERATED, THAT ARE INDIGENOUS TO NEW JERSEY.
SO, UM, THEY DEAL WITH CONFLICT BY TRYING TO, UM, ASSAULT ONE ANOTHER OR AT THE VERY LEAST, UH, CREATE A VOLATILE SITUATION.
UH, AS THE CHIEF HAD EXPLAINED, UH, ONE OF THE ENDEAVORS THAT WE, UH, IMPLEMENTED AS A RESULT OF COVID AND JUST IN COMPARISON PRIOR TO US INTRODUCING THE TABLETS FOR EVERY INMATE, UM, THERE WERE 15 TABLETS ON EVERY HOUSING UNIT THAT HAD TO BE SHARED BY THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ON THAT HOUSING, WHICH LED TO CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF EXPLOITATION.
SPECIFICALLY, YOU HAD SOME OF THE MORE ASSURED OF INMATES, UH, COMMANDEER THE TABLETS, AND THEN BASICALLY SELL THE OTHER INMATES ABILITY TO USE THE TABLETS.
ONE OF THE REMEDIES THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD, THAT WAS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE PAID BY PROVIDING A TABLET FOR EVERYBODY.
SO WE PURCHASED, OR WE WANTED TO CONTRACT WITH APPROXIMATELY, UH, 3000 TABLETS BECAUSE WE, WE ANTICIPATED THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME WEAR AND TEAR, AND WE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE BACKUP TABLETS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY AS THE CHIEF EXPLAINED MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE GIVE, UH, MEMBERS OF THE INMATE POPULATION TO A BEACH SITUATIONS TO MAKE THEIR TIME HERE MORE MANAGEABLE, UNFORTUNATELY IS, UH, EXPLOITED, UH, SPECIFICALLY NOW THAT EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN TABLET, YOU WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD SUFFICE.
UM, BUT THERE'S STILL CONFORMING AMOUNT OF EXPLOITATION FOR THE MORE DOMINANT INMATES ON THE HOUSING UNIT.
UM, THEY ARE TAKING, UM, NOT ONLY THEIR TABLET, BUT THEY WILL COMMANDEER SOMEONE ELSE'S TABLET.
AND IF THE PERSON DOESN'T AGREE TO THEIR TERMS, THEY WILL SMASH THAT TABLET, UH, WHICH REQUIRES THE, THE INDIVIDUAL THAT THE TABLET WAS ASSIGNED TO, TO, UM, TO REIMBURSE THE COUNTY, UH, FOR THAT TABLET.
SO THERE'S A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF EXPLOITATION IN TERMS OF, UH, USAGE WITH THE TABLET.
ONE OF THE OTHER BYPRODUCTS OF DAMAGING THE TABLETS OR WE'RE TAKING THEM IS NOW THEY CAN TAKE THOSE TABLETS.
THE INMATE THAT WAS THE TABLET WAS TAKEN FROM IS NOT GOING TO REPORT IT AT A FREE OF RETALIATION, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE'S A TABLET THAT IS UNACCOUNTED FOR, AND IT SUBSEQUENTLY DISMANTLED AND TURNED INTO WEAPONS, WHICH THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE FINDING A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TABLETS THAT HAVE BEEN CONVERTED INTO WEAPONS.
UM, THE, THE TABLET WAS DESIGNED TO NOT JUST FOR ENTERTAINMENT, BUT IT WAS DESIGNED SO THEY COULD USE IT THE SAME WAY COULD USE IT AS A PHONE.
UH, THEY COULD DO VIDEO CALLS, THEY COULD, THEY CAN SEND MESSAGES.
UM, SO IT IS A PRETTY, UH, HIGH PROFILE COMMODITY.
AND AS A RESULT IS, HAS SOME CONSIDERABLE VALUE ON THE JAIL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GOING TO EXPLOIT IT.
SO THE THING THAT THE CHIEF MENTIONED WAS, UM, UH, YOU MAY BE RECEIVING COMPLAINTS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE DO, WE CAN, WE RECEIVE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS, UH, WITH REGARDS TO THE INMATES ACCESS TO, UH, THE LAW LIBRARY, UH, INCLUDING THEIR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO PRINT OUT DISCOVERY AND THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO EACH HOUSING UNIT HAS ACCESS TO A PRINTER, UM, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE LAWS ARE WRITTEN, UM, THAT PRINTER HAS TO BE IN A PLACE, UM, WHERE, UM, THE COMPUTER AND THE PRINTER HAS TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE THERE WOULD BE SOME SEMBLANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY, CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES WITH REGARD TO DISCOVERY, OF COURSE, THE INMATES EXPLOIT THAT, AND THEY USE THAT PRIVACY AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISMANTLE THE COMPUTERS AND TO COMPLETELY GUT THE PRINTERS AND NOT AN IT GUY.
BUT, UM, IF, IF FOR ANYBODY THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, HE USED TO BE TYPEWRITERS.
THEY WOULD TAKE OUT THE ROLLING BAR INSIDE THE TYPEWRITER, AND THEY WOULD TURN IT INTO A SPIKE OR A WEAPON OF SOME SORT, THEY'RE DOING THE SAME THING WITH THE GUTS OF THE PRINTERS.
AND THEN ON THE HEELS OF DESTROYING THE PRINTER AND GUTTING IT, THEY WILL COMPLAIN THAT THEY HAVE NO PRINTERS.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO RELOCATE THE PRINTERS.
UM, AND ALTHOUGH THE INMATE WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE PRINTERS, THEY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE ITEMS THAT ARE PRINTED.
UM, OUR INITIAL PLAN IS TO HAVE SOME OF MY OFFICERS, UH, HAVE THOSE ITEMS PRINTED, SO THE OFFICER COULD OBTAIN IT AND
[00:20:01]
THEN DELIVER THE PRINTED DOCUMENTS JUST AS THEY WOULD DELIVER ANY OTHER LEGAL DOCUMENTS THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY.UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO WORK BECAUSE IT'S A PRETTY HEAVY LIFT IN TERMS OF IT, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO HAVE THOSE PRINTERS IN A REMOTE LOCATION.
UH, WE'RE IN A PROCESS OF WORKING ON THAT NOW, BUT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION IN GENERALLY THAT IN GENERAL, THAT WAS AS, UM, OUR ACTION PLAN MOVING FORWARD IS WE'VE, WE'VE STARTED AN OPERATION THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO AS OPERATION RESET.
AND THAT IS WE ARE CONFISCATING EVERY SINGLE TABLET AND TO, UH, SUBSEQUENTLY ACCOUNT FOR THE TABLETS BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW MANY WE BOUGHT.
SO WE KNOW HOW MANY WE SHOULD HAVE AFTER THE RESET, AS WE OBTAIN THOSE TABLETS, UH, THE TABLETS GOING TO BE ASSIGNED TO THE INMATE.
AND FROM THE TIME HE GETS HERE UNTIL HE OR SHE LEAVES THROUGH THE AREA, SHOULD THAT SHOULD REVISE, UM, NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE TABLETS IN REAL-TIME, UH, WHERE SEARCHING EVERY SINGLE POD, EVERY SINGLE SHELL, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE CONFISCATING CONSIDER AMOUNT OF CONTRABAND WITH THE IDEA THAT ONCE WE ARE DONE, BECAUSE I HAVE MY SHIRT GUYS IN HIM, I HAVE A, A SPECIAL TEAM IN HERE THAT'S ASSISTING WITH THE, UH, THE SURGE OF THE INMATES AND THE AREAS, THE IDEA BEING THAT ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH THE ENTIRE FACILITY, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY GOING TO GIVE IT BACK TO THE STAFF WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FACILITY IS CLEAN AND CLEAR OF CONTRABAND.
AND THEN I HAVE TO DO, WHAT SHOULD, WHAT'S MY LEAST FAVORITE THING TO DO.
AND THAT START TO HOLD PEOPLE'S SPECIFICALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR NOT DOING THEIR JOBS IN TERMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, ISN'T THERE A CURFEW AT NIGHT THAT THEY HAVE TO, THE LIGHTS GO OUT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UH, I THINK THAT IF THOSE TABLETS ARE CAUSING SO MUCH STATIC, ISN'T THERE A WAY THAT AT NIGHT THAT THEY CAN BE CONFISCATED AND GIVEN BACK TO THEM IN THE MORNING WHEN THE NEXT SHIFT COME ON.
BECAUSE IF YOU LEAVE IT WITH THEM OVERNIGHT, THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO.
REALLY ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES AND YOUR MOTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE ANYTHING, UH, COMMITTED, UH, CHAIRMAN, I WILL FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
THE CONTRABAND THAT YOU MENTIONED IS MOST OF THE, IS THE CONTRABAND MOSTLY ITEMS FROM WITHIN THE FACILITY THAT THEY'RE CREATING, WHETHER IT'S WITH THE TABLET OR WHERE THEIR STUFF FROM THE KITCHEN, OR IS THERE STUFF COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE? THE ANSWER IS YES TO BOLSTER.
SO, UH, THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CONTRABAND THAT'S KIND OF MANUFACTURED FROM ITEMS THAT WE'RE ESSENTIALLY PROVIDING THE INMATES, OBVIOUSLY NOT FOR THAT, FOR THAT INTENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY SPLIT.
UM, HOWEVER, THE OTHER, UH, HOT COMMODITY IN TERMS OF CONTRABAND IS CELL PHONES AND CELL PHONE CHARGES, WHICH ARE BEING INTRODUCED TO THE FACILITY.
IF I MAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M SORRY.
COMMISSIONER WHERE YOU'RE DONE.
NO, YES, YOU CAN GO ON, I'LL ASK COUPLE OF QUESTIONS LATER.
UM, SO IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK THERE WAS A HEAVY INVESTMENT IN X-RAY MACHINES OR SOME KIND OF, UM, ENTRY, UH, MACHINES TO SEARCH THE INMATES AND, AND OTHERS.
UM, SO, SO HOW DO YOU SUSPECT THIS? ALL OF THIS STUFF IS GETTING TECHNOLOGY MULTITUDE OF WASTE SEARCH.
SO, UH, WE, TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, WE INVESTED IN TWO, UM, DEVICES THAT ARE CALLED BODY SCANNERS.
UM, THEY ARE DESIGNED TO ESSENTIALLY X-RAY THE INMATE, UM, AS THEY COME INTO THE FACILITY, WE ALSO HAVE AN X-RAY X-RAY CAPABILITY AT THE FRONT DOOR, WHICH IS THE ONE ENTRY POINT, THE MAIN ENTRY POINT INTO THE FACILITY FOR STEP.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I SUSPECT THAT IT IS EITHER STAFF THERE, THERE WAS TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO THE FACILITY THAT IS STAFF AND THAT ARE, AND THEY ARE ATTORNEYS TO SOME DEGREE.
WHEN I SAY STAFF, I DON'T MEAN JUST CUSTODIAL STAFF.
I MEAN, UM, I MEAN, UM, MEDICAL STAFF, I MEAN, FOOD SERVICE STAFF, CIVILIAN STAFF, AND OF COURSE, CUSTODIAL STAFF.
UM, WE HAVE A DEVICE AT THE FRONT DOOR OR THE MAIN ENTRY POINT, WHICH IS CALLED A CELL SENSE DEVICE.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY, UH, CELL PHONES.
UM, SO THE HERETICALLY SOMEONE COULD, UH, SOMEONE COULD AND HAS IN FACT, UM, SMUGGLED, UH, NARCOTICS, UM, IN THEIR UNDERGARMENTS AND, AND THE SELF SENSE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY PICK THAT UP.
UM, THE X-RAY MACHINE IS DESIGNED TO, UH, X-RAY ALL OF THE PERSON'S PERSONAL EFFECTS, SUCH AS A JACKET, UM, A WALLET, THINGS LIKE THAT.
[00:25:01]
I CAN'T PUT AN X-RAY MACHINE AT THE, AT THE FRONT DOOR AND HAVE MY STAFF GOING IN AND OUT OF THE FRONT DOOR CONTINUOUSLY AND BEING EXPOSED TO X-RAYS.UM, WITHOUT IT BEING, UH, AT LEAST CALLED INTO QUESTION REGARDLESS, UM, CONSIDERING HOW SAFE IT WOULD BE CONSIDERING THE FREQUENCY THAT THE STAFF GOING IN AND OUT OF THE FRONT DOOR.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE CONVERSATION IS NOTEWORTHY.
THE OFFICER'S DINING ROOM IS OUTSIDE OF THE SECURED PERIMETER, WHICH, AND THAT IS WHERE THE OFFICERS TAKE THEIR BREAK.
SO IN OFFICE, WHO HAS CAN THEORETICALLY COMING IN AND OUT OF THE BUILDING MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THEIR EIGHT HOUR SHIFT, I CAN'T ASK THEM TO GO THROUGH AN X-RAY MACHINE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SO THERE ARE SOME, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, MONEY, AND RESOURCES, AND TRYING TO ABATE THE PROBLEM, UH, THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS TO IT.
WE'RE ALSO IN TALKS WITH THE FBI WHO, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEVERAL U S MARSHAL INMATES.
WE HAVE AN OFFICER DETAILED TO THE FBI AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THEM AND SET UP A SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENT TO HAVE THE DRUG DOG COME DOWN, ORDERLY SURPRISE VISITS.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, ONCE, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE WE BOUGHT THE MACHINE IN THE MAILROOM TO DETECT THE DRUGS THERE, AND IT SORT OF SLOWED DOWN THERE, BUT YOU CLOSE ONE PIPE AND THEY FIND OTHER PIPES TO BRING IT IN.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER.
UM, THAT'S ONE ITEM THAT I FORGOT.
CHIEF'S 0.1 OF THE MAIN AREAS WE, WE THERE IN THE, IN THE HEIGHT OF COVID, WE IDENTIFIED A CONSIDERABLE UPTICK OF CONTRABAND BEING INTRODUCED TO THE FACILITY, UH, SPECIFICALLY K2, SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DETERMINED, AT LEAST IN PART IS THAT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF IT WAS BEING SMUGGLED INTO THE FACILITY THROUGH LEGAL MAIL AND, UH, 10 A REQUIRED, UM, REQUIRES A SPECIFIC, SPECIFIC, UH, PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED WITH REGARDS TO EXAMINATION OF LEGAL MAIL.
UH, WE CANNOT READ THE MAIL, OBVIOUSLY FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
WE ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO, UH, WHAT THEY CALL SCAN THE LEGAL MAIL AND, UH, WE HAVE A UNIT.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT THE CHIEFS TOLD ABOUT.
THERE'S A UNIT SPECIFICALLY, UH, PUT IN PLACE ALONG WITH A DEVICE THAT MEASURES CONTAMINANTS OF NARCOTICS ON THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTS THEMSELVES.
AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED WAS THAT, UH, THE INMATES WERE USING FICTITIOUS ATTORNEYS.
THEY WERE SUBMITTING A MAIL TO THE FACILITY, UH, UNDER THE GUISE THAT IT WAS LEGAL MAIL, WHICH LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO ACTUALLY READ EVERY PAGE AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING SPECIFICALLY AS A SIZABLE, UH, DEPOSITION, A HARD COPY OF A DEPOSITION WOULD BE HOLLOWED OUT.
THERE'D BE A COVER SHEET AND A BACK SHEET AND THE DRUGS AND OUR CELL PHONES WOULD BE EMBEDDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT.
AND, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO THROUGH THE WORK OF THE TEAM AND THE CORRECTIONS OFFICERS AND THE FACILITY IDENTIFY THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE AVENUES THAT THEY WERE INTRODUCING THE CONTRABAND.
AND, UH, WE RESPONDED TO THAT IMMEDIATELY.
UM, AND THEN THERE WAS A DOWNSTATE, BUT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, IT COMES IN IN WAVES.
UH, WE KIND OF ABATE THE ISSUE AND THEN THEY LOOK GOOD.
THEY, YOU KNOW, AT ONE POINT THEY WERE SPRAYING PAPERWORK FENTANYL, AND THEY, I BELIEVE THAT THE LAST GOING RATE FOR ONE PAGE OF PAPER CONTAMINATED WITH FENTANYL WAS $2,000 BECAUSE THEY WOULD CUT IT UP INTO PIECES AND THEN THEY WOULD SMOKE IT, EVEN MISSIONARY EVEN, UM, UH, DRONE TECHNOLOGY, RIGHT? SO NOW I'M NOT, YOU CAN STAY, YOU CAN BE TWO MILES AWAY FROM THE JAIL.
YOU CAN ATTACH SOMETHING TO A DRONE, THEY WERE FLYING IT OVER DELANEY HALL BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE OUTDOOR REC AREA.
THEY DROPPED SOMETHING IN THE WAITING HALL THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S MISSED BY THE CREW, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO'S BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD GET DRUGS IN THAT, OR THAT'S WHY THE NEW CONTRACT WITH DELANEY HALL, WE'VE REQUIRED THEM TO PUT UP NETTING OVER THE, UM, OVER THE, UH, YARD SO THAT YOU COULD ROPE STUFF.
OR, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH DRONE TECHNOLOGY SEND STUFF AT NIGHT, THAT'S ALMOST UNDETECTABLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE STOPPED ONE WAY, YOU KNOW, THEY EVENTUALLY THEY FIGURE OUT ANOTHER WAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE DILIGENT EVEN COVID, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE LAWYER VISITS, WE DIDN'T HAVE CONTACT VISITS, WE DIDN'T HAVE OUTSIDERS IN THE BUILDING.
THEY STILL FOUND A WAY TO GET CONTRABAND IN IT.
AND WE KNOW THAT IT WAS THE STAFF EITHER, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE CIVILIAN STAFF, OR THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY IT WAS COMING IN.
SO, UM, WE'VE HAD INSTANCES WHERE WE FOUND STUFF AND WE'RE PROSECUTING.
SO, UM, THE STATS, YOU KNOW, THE 95, AND I'M SURE THAT A UNION PRESENCE HERE THAT'S STAFF THERE ARE GOOD.
AND THEY, THEY ARE WORKING WITH US TO TRY TO ABATE THIS BECAUSE,
[00:30:01]
YOU KNOW, BAD, BAD EMPLOYEES WOULD BRING STUFF.THEY HAD ONLY PUT EVERYONE ELSE AT RISK.
SO WE'RE ALL A HUNDRED PERCENT WORKING TOGETHER.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE, UH, INMATES FROM RIKERS, HOW, HOW WERE THEY HOUSED? ARE THEY HOUSED TOGETHER OR ARE YOU SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY? YES, SIR.
SO MY FEDERAL INMATES ARE IN THE SAME PROXIMITY.
UH, I HAVE, UH, OF COURSE WE HAVE THE UNION COUNTY CONTRACT.
THOSE INMATES ARE KEPT TOGETHER IN A SEPARATE PART OF THE FACILITY.
AND THEN I HAVE THE COUNTY MACE.
AND HOW MANY ARE IN THE OFFICE FACILITY TODAY? 2337, UH, APPROXIMATELY 2,400.
SO YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH AT THE MAX.
SO ANY CLOTHES, UH, THAT BEING SAID, I MEAN, UH, OF COURSE I FIELD ANY QUESTIONS MOVING FURTHER, BUT JUST CONSIDERING, UM, YOUR, YOUR RECENT QUESTION, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, I MEAN, I GUESS AN OBVIOUS QUESTION WOULD BE, SO WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING ABOUT THAT? WE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T WAIT UNTIL WE'RE AT FULL CAPACITY.
SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE DEAL WITH NOT YOUR, THE INTAKE OF INMATES, BUT ALSO THE RELEASE AGREEMENTS.
SO, UH, WE HAVE PROBABLY CLOSE TO, UH, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THE NUMBER, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE CLOSE TO 70 OR 80 INMATES THAT SHOULD BE IN STATE PRISON.
SO WE'RE IN CONSTANT CONVERSATION WITH, UH, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR THEM TO TAKE THOSE INMATES.
I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SCHEDULED TO TAKE 27 THIS WEEK AND WE ARE IN CONVERSATION.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO GET ANOTHER, ANOTHER 50 IF NOT MORE RELEASED WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS, UH, THE COURTS, UM, THE COURTS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO COME BACK INTO PROCESS.
SO, UH, THE DIRECTOR AND THE DIRECTOR COULD PROBABLY SPEAK ON THAT BETTER THAN I COULD, BECAUSE HE COULD REALLY DEAL WITH DIRECTLY WITH THE COURTS TO TRY TO EXPEDITE, UH, THOSE FOLKS, UH, GETTING BACK INTO COURT SO WHERE THEY COULD MAKE THE DETERMINATION, WHETHER THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO BE RELEASED OR NOT.
WE HAVE SEVERAL COUNTY, BOTH UNION AND ESSEX COUNTY AND MARSHALS WHO, WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE TRIAL SHOULD HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED AND MADE SURE THAT I DIDN'T JUDICATED ANY OF THESE SETS SENT TO PRISON OR RELEASED OR WHATEVER, BUT THE COURTS ARE MOVING VERY SLOW.
THEY, THEY HAD JUST RECENTLY STARTED JURY TRIALS, BUT, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UM, TAKING OUR POPULATION.
AND I ALSO BELIEVE WE HAVE LIKE A HUNDRED OR 150 THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN CHARGED.
I MEAN, ALREADY, IT SOUNDS GUILTY AND ARE STILL AWAITING SENTENCING.
IT'S JUST, THE COURTS ARE MOVING SLOW.
HOW, HOW LONG I, THERE THEY'RE ADJUDICATED, DO THEY GET TRANSFERRED TO DOC TO WHEREVER THEY THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A SAY IN THAT.
SO WHAT WE CAN DO IS THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO OF COURSE I SPENT 30 YEARS WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
SO MYSELF AND DIRECTOR OUR HAVE A REALLY GREAT RELATIONSHIP, THEN THEY'VE BEEN AS COOPERATIVE AS THEY, AS THEY CAN.
BUT, UH, ALTHOUGH WE IN ESSEX COUNTY, BECAUSE JOE D LIKES TO SAY ESSEX COUNTY FIRM, UM, NOBODY ELSE FEELS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE NOT THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE STATE.
SO WHEN YOU, THERE ARE OTHER FACILITIES, UM, OTHER COUNTY FACILITIES THAT ARE ASKING FOR THE SAME RELIEF, WHEREAS ASKING FOR NOW, I CAN SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M BIASED BECAUSE I KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT I'M DEALING WITH ON THE STATE SIDE, THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE.
UM, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LIE TO US AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE AT ALL.
UH, BUT, UM, THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DUE TO COMPASSIONATE RELEASES AS A RESULT, AS, UH, AS IT RELATES TO COVID, THEY'RE IN A PROCESS OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF TRYING TO, UM, FACILITATE THE RELEASE OF OVER A THOUSAND STATE INMATES.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS ON THEIR END, AND THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ASSIST THE COUNTIES, UM, UH, WITH THE EVACUATION OF SOME OF OUR STATE'S SENTENCE INMATES, BUT IT'S A BIG LIFT BECAUSE IT'S STATEWIDE.
I'M SORRY, THERE'S A SPECIFIC ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.
NOW, THE STATE HAS 14 DAYS TO, TO, UH, FOR US TO HAVE PICK UP THEIR INMATES, BUT AFTER THAT, THEY CAN LEAVE IT WITH US.
THEY JUST NOW HAVE TO PAY US A DAILY CHECK.
SO, SO IT'S FOUR DAYS AND THEN THEY GO, THEY PAY US A HUNDRED, WHATEVER IT IS, A DAY WE'D RATHER THEM BE OUT.
UM, AND I GUESS EARLIER IN THE LAST ADMINISTRATION, THEY WERE VERY, THEY, THEY THEY'RE STRUGGLING TWO LITTLE OFFICERS RIGHT NOW, THE STATE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUSLY THEY DIDN'T WANT TO PAY THAT MONEY AND THEY WOULD GET THEM OUT WITHIN SEVEN TO 10 DAYS AND THEY WOULD ALL BE MOVED.
THIS WAS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO.
NOW, I THINK THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH OFFICERS AND THEY'RE MOVING A LITTLE SLOWER, I GUESS THEY'VE MADE THE DECISION THAT IT'S, THEY, THEY DON'T MIND PAYING US THAT
[00:35:01]
RATE A HUNDRED AND WHATEVER DOLLARS A DAY.THEN AFTER THAT DAY, I HAVE TO PAY THE COUNTIES AND THEY HAVE RATES FOR ALL THE COUNTIES.
UM, I WANT TO ASK THIS QUESTION TOO, ARE WE, UH, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH MEN TO REALLY TAKE CARE OF THIS AMOUNT OF
OR THE DIRECTOR OR SO I, SO I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM IF THE DIRECTOR WANTS TO ELABORATE WITH CHIEF WANTS TO ELABORATE, UM, AS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE BUDGETED FOR.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT, THAT WHAT WE'RE BUDGETING FOR WAS INCREASED.
I GOT HERE IN APRIL OF 2019, WHAT WERE BUDGETED FOR WAS INCREASED BY APPROXIMATELY 40 STAFF MEMBERS.
WE ARE PROXIMATELY 20 TO 25 PEOPLE OVER THAT.
SO I WOULD SAY TO YOU, MY ANSWER WOULD BE WHERE WE ARE OVER THE, UH, REQUIRED STAFFING.
AND, UH, AS AN ADDED BIT OF INFORMATION, UM, FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO CALL YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THAT IT'S A CIVIL, CERTAIN, THERE WAS A LAW PASSED, UH, A MONTH OR SO AGO.
WE ARE A CIVIL SERVICE AGENCY, WHICH REQUIRES US TO WAIT EVERY TWO YEARS FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE TO PROPAGATE A LIST.
UM, THE LAW WAS CHANGED, UM, THAT ALLOWS US TO STILL FULFILL THAT LIST.
BUT IN ADDITION, WE COULD HIRE, UH, ESSENTIALLY TO PUT IT IN LAYMAN'S TERMS. WE COULD HIRE RIGHT OFF THE STREET WITH A RESUME.
UM, RECENTLY, UH, THE WEEK BEFORE LAST CAINE UNIVERSITY HAD A LAW ENFORCEMENT JOB FAIR THAT THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 35 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THERE SOLICITING.
WE, ONE OF THEM WE, UH, HAVE RECENTLY ACQUIRED A 120 RESUMES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE JOB WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED PROCESSING OUR PROPERTY WILL BE IDENTICAL TO THE EXISTING PROCESS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST.
THERE ARE SOME AGENCIES THAT ARE FOREGOING THE PROCESS TOGETHER.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE A TEST.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO MEDICAL INSIGHT.
THAT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS TO DO.
UM, SO WE ARE GOING TO DO EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE DONE.
WE WILL HIRE THOSE PEOPLE OFF A RESUME.
THEY WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A MEDICAL, UH, PSYCH, A URINE ANALYSIS, AND THEN IT WILL BE PROCESSED ACCORDINGLY.
SO, UH, TO ANSWER, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ARE NOT ONLY ALL WE STAFFED APPROPRIATELY, ACCORDING TO WHAT THE, THE, WHAT WE'RE BUDGETED FOR, BUT WE HAVEN'T STOPPED PROCESSING NEW HIRE SINCE APRIL OF 2019.
AND COMMISSIONER, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE NUANCED ANSWER, DIRECT QUESTION.
SO THE TIO, THE TABLE OF ORGANIZATION IS SET UP FOR EVERY POD AND EVERYTHING.
AND WE'VE BEEN OVER THAT BY ABOUT 20 OFFICERS FOR A LONG, WE'VE ALWAYS HIRED MORE THAN WE NEED THE NUANCES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE CHANGES IN FAMILY LAW AND OTHER STUFF.
OTHER OTHER LAWS HAVE ENABLED PEOPLE TO STILL BE EMPLOYEES, BUT NOT COME TO WORK.
RIGHT? SO AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENT HAS RELAXED, THE, THE FAMILY LEAVE LAWS, WE HAVE, WE, WE HAVE OF THAT, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE 20 OR 30 OVER, WE HAVE LESS PEOPLE ACTUALLY COMING TO WORK.
THEY ARE, THEY ARE USING THE LAWS AS THEY WERE WRITTEN TO OUR DETRIMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE SAT DOWN AND HAD A DISCUSSION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO STOP BLAMING THE LAW BECAUSE WE HAVE TO START DEALING WITH FAMILY, THE FAMILY, LEAVE LAW AND ALL THAT.
AND WE MAY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WE I'VE SAT DOWN WITH THEM AND IF WE HAVE TO HIRE 50 OR 60 OVER THE T OUT, UM, TO MAKE UP FOR ALL THE TIME THAT PEOPLE ARE USING, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING FAMILY LAW, WE IT'S LEGITIMATE.
UM, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A NUANCE TO GET TO WITH, I THINK IT'S 80 OR 70, 80 PEOPLE, UH, RECENTLY AT SOME POINT YOU SAMPLING WEEK, THERE'S A FEW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S 10 OR 20 PEOPLE WERE SUSPENDED.
SO THE TL CALLS FOR, FOR EVERY SPOT YOU HAVE TO HIRE 1.7 IS, IS, IS.
SO IF WE NEEDED ONE OFFICER TO MAN THE WHOLE JAIL, WE WOULD HIRE TWO, ASSUMING VACATION AND FAMILY LEAVE.
BUT I THINK THAT 1.7, NUMBER'S GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE TO ONE EIGHT OR ONE NINE TO, TO, UH, DEAL WITH THESE NEW LAWS.
IT'S CAUSING, WE HAVE MORE, MORE OFFICERS THAN THE TIO CALLS FOR, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AGAIN AT WHAT'S THAT NUMBER.
I'M USING A GUY WHAT'S THE FORMAL IT'S THERE, IT'S A RELIEF FACTOR.
SO IT'S THE, IT IS 1.7, BUT TO BE MORE SPECIFIC FOR WHAT THE CHIEF IS EXPLAINING OUT OF, I HAVE CURRENTLY 96 PEOPLE ON INTIMATE AND FAMILY LEAVE, WHICH MEANS THEY CAN COME THREE OR FOUR HOURS A WEEK TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THERE'S NOTHING I COULD DO ABOUT IT.
AND THEN I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 51 PEOPLE THAT DON'T COME TO WORK AT ALL.
SO IF WE ARE 20 OVER DO THE MATH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 150 PEOPLE THAT AT SOME POINT DON'T HAVE TO COME TO WORK.
[00:40:01]
REALLY NOT MUCH I COULD DO.AND BEING 20 OVERS AT 1.72, RIGHT.
AND WE'RE, WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR A REALLY FACT RUFUS.
I DO THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO UP THAT TO ONE EIGHT OR ONE NIGHT BECAUSE OF FAMILY WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THAT.
THEY'VE BEEN WATCHING THE RISE TO GO OVER THE TR UM, IS A HISTORIC RELIEF FACTOR, AND IT ONLY COVERS, UM, VACATIONS.
AND IT'S KIND OF PRORATED BASED ON HOW MANY SICK DAYS, UM, THE STAFF GET PER YEAR FAMILY LEAVE.
CAUSE FAMILY DIDN'T EXIST AT THE TIME.
IT ALSO DOESN'T TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION EMERGENCIES, HOSPITAL TRIPS, UM, CLOSE WATCH OBSERVATIONS.
THERE'S A MULTITUDE OF THINGS THAT, THAT RELIEF FACTOR DOESN'T COVER GIVES ME.
MR. CHAIRMAN FOR THE RECORD, COMMISSIONER COOPER HAS JOINED US AND COMMISSIONER SIEBEL AS JOINED US.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
UM, MAYBE THE DIRECTOR, UM, HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN IMPACTED BY THE, UM, THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER WITH THE VACCINE MANDATE? UH, THE CHIEF OF MY LIBERTY TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
WE ARE, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S BEEN EXTENDED.
SO, SO EITHER YOU HAVE TO GET VACCINATED FOR PROVIDE, UH, A RELIGIOUS OR A MEDICAL EXEMPTION AS IS PROVIDED BY THE LAW OR FACE DISCIPLINE.
SO WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE DISCIPLINE PHASE YET BECAUSE IT'S BEEN DELAYED, BUT WE WILL ABIDE BY THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.
DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF UNVACCINATED OFFICERS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED, UH, ABOUT A HUNDRED? I THINK AFFIDAVIT SUBMITTED MEDICAL AND OR RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS.
SO COMMISSIONER REQUIRE, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT, UH, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BE IN FULL COMPLIANCE, WHETHER IT BE WITH REGARDS TO PEOPLE SUBMITTING AND GETTING APPROVED FOR EXEMPTIONS AND OR PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPLIANT WITH THE VACCINATION ITSELF.
YOU WANT ME TO SAY, UH, PHIL AND WARRENSVILLE REALLY COVERED IT? I DON'T THINK I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I CAN HELP WITH THE STATE WAS NOT SPECIFIC ON WHAT WE CAN OR CAN ALLOW FOR A RELIGIOUS AND MEDICAL EXEMPT OR EVEN WHAT THE DISCIPLINE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WERE ASKING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FOLLOWING WHAT THE STATE RULES ARE, SO AND ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION.
AND THE REASON I ASKED CAUSE YOU KNOW, UM, UH, I WORKED FOR THE STATE DURING THE DAY AND WE WENT IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO, UM, DOC HAS BEEN IMPACTED, GET JJC IS NOT A STATE AGENCY, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT WORK IN THIS BUSINESS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED.
AND, UM, SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW TO THAT, TO WHAT EXTENT ARE WE IMPACTED AND ARE WE PREPARED, UM, FOR THAT, WHEN SHOULD THAT HAPPEN? WE, WE FULLY WANT EVERYONE TO GET VACCINATED.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT NOT TO VACCINATE IT, BUT AS WE'RE KIND OF OUT OF FOLDED, YOU KNOW, MY PERSONAL FEELING IS GUYS, PEOPLE, MEN AND WOMEN WHO REALLY FOUGHT IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN JOBS OVER SOMETHING LIKE THE STATE.
IF THE STATE REQUIRES THAT TO BE THE DISCIPLINE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO FALL THE STATE BOARD AND LOOKS PRETTY QUIET ON A LOT OF THAT STUFF.
WELL, WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE TWO, UH, UH, PEOPLE ALSO ON THAT ARE FROM THE ONE IS FROM THE FOP AND THE OTHER FROM THE FOP ALSO.
AND DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THIS RALPH OR NATE? NATE? OH, JIM I'LL I'LL DEFER TO THE PRESIDENT FIRST AND DENOUNCED SPEAK.
ALL RIGHT, GENTLEMEN, FIRST AND FOREMOST, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS COURTNEY, UH, MR. ELIJAH, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE CALL.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT TO BE ADVERSARIAL.
THIS IS REALLY TO GET TO THAT, TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THIS AND GET EVERYTHING CORRECT.
FIRST OF ALL, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF ISSUES, WHERE DOES THE REAL, THE, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED IN TERMS OF, OF STAFFING, YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY ONCE YOU BEND, YOU'RE SEARCHING AND TRYING TO MAKE THE PLACE SAFE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THE UNFORTUNATE THING OF ACTUALLY HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
AND WITH THE RECENT EVENTS, WE WOULD THINK THAT YOU HAD BEEN HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE LAST THREE
[00:45:01]
YEARS.SO LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT STAFFING BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE HERE CAN ACTUALLY HIRE THE SHIFT RELIEF FACTOR.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS OVER THE YEARS ACTUALLY NEEDS TO INCREASE.
WE KNEW IT SHOULD BE OVER TWO.
WE KNOW WE WEREN'T GOING TO HIRE FOR THAT.
WE KNEW THAT, BUT NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND THAT THAT ACTUALLY HAS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE WHAT WE END UP DOING IS WE'RE CREATING JOBS AND TAKING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CHIP RELIEF FACTOR AND WE'LL NEVER GET COVERED.
SO NOW WE HAVE THE PEOPLE HERE TO HELP.
WE CAN'T PROVIDE CORRECT PERFORMANCE BECAUSE WE'RE GLOSSING OVER THE SAFETY CONCERNS.
WE TALKED ABOUT TABLETS AS THOUGH THE TABLETS ARE NEW AND THE TABLETS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR AWHILE.
GTL HAS BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE.
THEY'RE NOW, UH, MOVED ON TO A NEW NAME.
UM, AND WE'VE TOLD YOU THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING EXTORTED.
THEY'RE TAKING MONEY, THEY'RE TAKING BRIBES THERE.
THEY'RE CHARGING PEOPLE TO HOUSE ON A UNIT.
AND OUR ANSWER WAS TO ACTUALLY GIVE MORE TABLETS.
THAT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE THAT INCREASES THE LEVEL OF, OF PEOPLE BEING EXTORTED.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS GTL ACTUALLY TALKS ABOUT IS ACTUALLY RESTRICTING THOSE THINGS AND PUTTING THOSE ONTO MAKING THEM DARK, WHICH I THINK MR. UH, UM, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON TALKED ABOUT, MAKE THEM GO DARK, ANYTIME OPERATION SET DOWN, THEY GO OFF.
I BELIEVE YOU CURRENTLY HAVE FROM EIGHT TO 10 45.
SO WE WOULD LIKE AS A UNION TO TRY TO HELP YOU AND ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND MEETINGS AND DO THOSE.
AND I'M NOT REFERRING TO TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT STAFFING MEETINGS WITH STAFF SO YOU CAN GET ACROSS CURRENT INFORMATION.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE WILLING TO DO? I THINK THAT THE DIRECTOR MEETS WITH THE CAPTAINS REGULARLY.
HOW OFTEN ARE YOU MEETING WITH NATE RICHARDSON? AS THE PRESIDENT? I HAD A MEETING ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, THE OTHER CAPTAIN, AND NOW WE HAVE THREE NEW CAPTAINS AND WE MEET AND TALK LIKE, SO THEY RE REGULARLY WITH THE, WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNION AS A GUEST.
IF I MAY, IF I MAY, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF U WE, UM, WE, WE TRY TO MEET, WE TRY TO TALK TO MY DATA'S
AND WHAT'S A MANAGEMENT MEETING, A UNION MEETING WITH MY UNION UNION.
WE DON'T DO THAT ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY, IF YOU OKAY.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE DO MEET MINO TEAS.
WE DO MEET, WE TRY TO MEET QUITE OFTEN, BUT I CAN'T SAY TOO, BUT I MEET WITH HIM AND TELL HIM THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE, I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN ANY, ANY MOVEMENT FOR WHATEVER REASON, ANYTHING WE DISCUSSED.
EVEN OUR LAST TOM B NOW WENT TO IN DECEMBER, WE HAD A, WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS, BUT I DON'T SEE US MOVING THE NEEDLE.
I DON'T, I DON'T MY MAIN COMPLAINT IS I JUST GETTING IN THE ROOM AND TALKING, BUT LET'S ACTUALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE IN THE DIRECTION THAT EVERYONE'S SATISFIED WITH IT.
MY STAFF, I EVEN GOT OFFICER'S COMPLAINT COMING TO ME BECAUSE NORMALLY MY PRESIDENT OF UNION BY ME, I'M A CAPTAIN CONSIDERED PART OF ADMINISTRATION, BUT I GET THE COMPLAINTS AS, AS IF I'M A PART OF DECISION MAKING.
AND I, I TRY TO SHARE WITH THE PARENTS WITH AL EVERY CHANCE I GET ABOUT THINGS THAT I'M HEARING.
AND I TALKED TO PEREZ AT TIMES ABOUT AS WELL, THE PLACE THAT I CAN'T, I CAN'T MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
I MEAN, I'M NOT PART OF THE UNION, SO I DON'T GET INTO, I DON'T, I DON'T DISCUSS THEM AS I CAN CHANGE THEM, BUT I DO SHARE THEM.
BUT MY POINT IS THAT WE DO TALK, BUT I DON'T SEE US GETTING TO ME.
I DON'T SEE ANY RESULTS FROM THE CONVERSATIONS.
WE GOT TO THAT POINT BECAUSE WE HAVE, UH, I THINK MY, MY, MY UNION REPS IS THE SUPERIORS.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE OPENINGS FOR JOBS THAT WAS PUT UP MONTHS AGO TO HAVE BEEN FILLED.
WE GOT OFFICERS FROM THE SERGEANTS JOBS AND THOSE THINGS THAT NEED TO GET ADDRESSED.
AND THIS WAS GOING ON FOR MONTHS NOW.
WE HAVE OFFICER NOW FILLING THE FILLING SERGEANT SPOT.
WE HAVE OFFICERS ON THE CERT TEAM SERGEANTS ON DUTY.
THE CHAIN OF COMMAND IS TAKEN A HIT, AND MORALE IS AT A, AT A, AT AN INCREDIBLE LOW.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE SICK CALLS THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
PEOPLE SEE THINGS FACILITY AND THEY CRY ABOUT IT AND THEY GET NO ANSWERS.
AND I, I DO, I DO A, WHAT YOU FEEL AS MALAYSIA IS A PROBLEM, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE MO THE BROWN FACILITY.
ANYBODY SITTING BESIDE YOU IS THAT AT A LOAD THAT, UM, I'VE, I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
SO WE DO NEED TO MEET AS A UNION.
DESPITE WHAT OTHER, WHAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS DO BY DEPARTMENT IS UNIQUE IN THE FACT THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH NEED TO MEET WITH THE MANAGEMENT, HAVE SOME SAY.
SO HE'S VERY CLEARLY SAYING YOU'RE,
[00:50:01]
HE'S ASKING, BECAUSE AGAIN, RALPH ASKED THROUGH MEETING, NATE SAID THAT THEY'RE MEETING REGULARLY WITH THE DIRECTOR, AL RUNS THE FACILITIES, THE DIRECTOR, THE CAPTAIN IS PLAYING THE PRESIDENT, OR YOU HAVEN'T ADDRESSED HIS CONCERNS ABOUT WE DO MOVE.UM, WE MET AS RECENTLY AS ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF OR SO.
UM, HE'S BEEN OUT AND, UM, WE COULDN'T SCHEDULE ONE.
WE'LL SCHEDULE ONE TOMORROW, IF WE HAVE TO, BECAUSE I WANT TO ADDRESS.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THE ANSWERS THAT HE WANTS TO, NOT THE ISSUES THAT HE WANTS TO HEAR, WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE IN ORDER TO RUN THE SCALE.
SO I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO IDEAS, BUT I CAN'T RUN IT BASED ON THE HAPPINESS OF THE STAFF.
I GOT TO DO IT BY THE LAW, THE REGULATIONS, AND WHAT'S A PULPIT TO RUN.
THIS IS GOING TO MEET AND WE'LL READ.
SO IF I MAY, UH, SINCE RALPH JOHNSON ASKED ME THOSE QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO ANSWER THEM.
AND I'M RETURNING TO THE STAFFING MEETINGS.
I'M NOT REFERRING TO ANY UNION MEETING.
I'M REFERRING TO A STAFFING MEETING.
THAT'S DESIGNED BY POLICY THAT YOUR STAFF MEETS WITH SUPERVISORS MONTHLY TO DISCUSS THE PERMANENT ISSUES OF THE JAIL.
THAT'S IN POLICY SYRUP AFFAIR.
BEFORE YOU BOUGHT THE ANSWER, IT IS IN POLICY FOUR HOURS OF TRAINING.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A CONTRACT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A POLICY PROVISION, AND I DON'T WANT TO TURN THIS TO ADVERSARIAL.
THAT'S WHY THIS COUNTY HAD HIRED THE AMBROSE GROUP TO COME IN, TO REVIEW THE POLICIES, TO SEE IF THEY'RE ADHERING TO THEM.
BECAUSE I'M CALLING AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN.
THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S BEEN AT LEAST THREE DEATHS IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
THINGS THAT THE, ALL THESE COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO ANSWER TO.
YOU FOUND A COMPUTER IN A CELL WHERE THE OTHER INMATE, A WHOLE STATION.
WHEN I TALKING ABOUT A COMPUTER PIECE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MONITOR, A COMPUTER.
AND IF ANY, COMMISSIONER'S LISTENING TO ME NOW WILL SAY, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? WELL, HOW WAS IT? SO I DID, THIS IS WHAT, THIS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO STAND.
YOU ASKED ME A QUESTION ABOUT DISCIPLINE.
I'VE BEEN ATTEMPTING ALONG WITH MY TEAM TO DISCIPLINE PEOPLE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AND IT'S YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT TRIES TO PREVENT IT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A COMPUTER IN A CELL, WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS YOUR POINT? ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION ALLOWED THAT? OR IT'S THE INADEQUACY OF SOME OF THE STAFF AND THE SUPERVISORS THAT ALLOW THEM? WHAT'S YOUR POINT? I WANT TO MAKE THE POINT FOR YOU SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE UPSET.
I'M JUST GIVING YOU A STRAIGHT ANSWER.
I'M ONE OF THE FEW SUPERVISORS.
YOU HAVE TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
YOU HAVE NO ARGUMENT WITH, FOR ME WHATSOEVER.
WHEN I'M SAYING TO YOU, IS THIS THERE? SO LET ME, SO LET ME ASK YOU, SIR.
CAN I ASK YOU, SIR? NO, I'M GOING TO ANSWER IT BEFORE YOU GET TO SPEAK.
LET ME, LET ME INTERRUPT FOR ONE SECOND.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT BLAMING YOU AND BLAMING YOU.
WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE SITUATIONS THAT'S GOING ON THERE.
IF WE CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE OR ASSISTANCE IN ANY WAY, WE WANT TO IMPROVE WHAT'S GOING ON AT THAT JAIL.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I HEAR STUFF OUT HERE, BUT SOME OF IT I IGNORE AND SOME OF IT I TAKE, BUT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
ALL OF US, ALL OF US COMMISSIONER WENT TO ROSE THAT I JUST WANT TO ADD.
SO ALL OF US NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
LET'S THINK FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE FIRST, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE WAY IT LOOKS WITH ALL THIS STUFF, THAT'S GOING ON, IT'LL LOOK LIKE WE AIN'T ACCOMPLISHING ANYTHING.
THAT'S WHAT THIS MEETING WAS CALLED.
I WANT US TO COME TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE, SOMETHING THAT CAN WORK THAT CAN MAKE THINGS A LITTLE BETTER FOR THE INMATES AND THE STAFF.
THAT'S ALL I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY.
SO LET'S NOT, LET'S NOT GET, YOU KNOW, FIRED UP, LIKE HE'S ATTACKING YOU.
NO, THIS IS NOT ABOUT ATTACKING BECAUSE THE FIRST QUESTION OR THE SUGGESTION WAS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCIPLINING PEOPLE FOR THREE YEARS.
IF THAT'S NOT CONDESCENDING, THEN MAYBE MY INTERPRETATION OF IS WRONG.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR MY DEFENSIVE OR PASSIONATE BEHAVIOR, BUT I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR PEOPLE TO COOPERATE FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE FACILITY FOR THREE YEARS.
I DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL LIKE I'M GETTING THAT.
THAT MAY BE MY, MY PERCEPTION.
AND I GOT TO OWN THAT, BUT I'M WILLING TO OWN IT BECAUSE I'LL SUPPORT IT WITH FACTS, NOT FEELINGS TO ANSWER.
I HAVE BEEN ALONG WITH MY TEAM ATTEMPTING TO DISCIPLINE PEOPLE WITH GREAT OBSTRUCTION.
THE OTHER, UM, THE, THE OTHER SUGGESTION OR QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE, UH, THE RELIEF FACTOR.
I'VE BEEN THE BIGGEST PROPONENT THAT THE REALLY FACTOR IS ANTIQUATED.
IT WAS 2019 BECAUSE I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
WHEN I STARTED, YOU EITHER CAME TO WORK OR YOU DIDN'T, IF YOU DIDN'T, YOU WERE FIRED.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AN ARGUMENT FROM ME ABOUT THE RELIEF
[00:55:01]
FACTOR OR THE ABILITY.IF THERE IS A, UH, ABILITY AND WILLINGNESS AND SUPPORT THE COMMISSIONERS TO RAISE THAT RELIEF FACTOR, TO INCLUDE THE DYNAMICS THAT FAMILY LEAVE HAS INTRODUCED AND CLOSE OBSERVATION AND ALL THE DYNAMICS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO LIFT BACK IN THE EIGHTIES AND THE NINETIES, I'D BE THE FIRST ONE.
I WOULD LEAD THAT CHARGE, BUT WE HAVE TO BE HONEST.
THIS IS, UH, THIS IS NOT POLITICAL FOR ME, RIGHT? I DON'T HAVE AN AGENDA.
I DON'T HAVE A POLITICAL AGENDA.
UH, I, ALONG WITH THE TEAM OR PUT IN PLACE TO RUN PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGING FACILITY IN THE STATE.
I TOOK THE JOB THINKING THAT THERE WAS AN ARMY OF PEOPLE HERE THAT WEREN'T WORRIED ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS OR WHERE THEIR OFFICES OR WHAT'S CONVENIENT FOR THEM, BUT TO HELP US KEEP THIS FACILITY SAFE.
BUT WHEN THE SUGGESTION IS THAT, BECAUSE THERE IS A COMPUTER IN A CELL THAT SOMEHOW, AND THE INADEQUACY OF THE ADMINISTRATION, THAT'S LAUGHABLE, NO ONE ACCUSED YOU OF THAT, SIR, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PUTTING INTO YOUR INNER FEELINGS.
THE QUESTION WAS SIMPLY, MAYBE I WAS REITERATING WHAT YOU STATED.
YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THE UNFORTUNATE PART ABOUT, AND AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT HELPING.
WE TALKED ABOUT FACILITY KEYS.
THE ACTUAL POSITION IN CHARGE IS THAT THAT SUPERVISOR HAS TO BE COUNSELED.
THAT OFFICER HAS TO DO A MEMO.
IT SHOULD BE STOPPED THE DAY ONE, NOT A MONTH LATER, BUT WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU.
THERE'S INTERNAL MECHANISMS TO HELP YOU.
ALL WE'RE ASKING IS IF YOU ALLOW US TO HELP.
AND PART OF THAT HELPS HER IS HAVING MONTHLY STAFFING MEETINGS.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT UNION.
THE UNION CAN DO THIS SINCE THEIR IT STAFFING MEETINGS, WHERE YOU TELL THE MISSION AND DIRECTION OF THE JOB AND HOW TO EFFECTIVELY DO.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD A PROBLEM WITH DRUGS AND CONTRABAND COMING IN THROUGH THE LEGAL MAILS.
THIS IS A CONCEPT THAT EVERYONE HAS TO DEAL WITH.
YOU DID A GREAT JOB IN BRINGING IN A MACHINE TO OUTREACH, BUT ALSO WITHIN THAT LAW IS THAT THAT MALE CAN BE OPEN IN FRONT OF THAT PERSON WHEN THEY'RE SIGNING IT.
SO YOU CAN INSPECT IT IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO THIS IS WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU, RIGHT? I UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO YOU'VE DONE SOME GREAT THINGS.
I WILL NEVER TAKE THAT AWAY FROM YOU.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS, AND WE'RE KEEP GETTING ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE NOW, AND THESE COMMISSIONERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ADD UP TO THROUGH THE LAWSUITS BECAUSE OF LACK OF SUPERVISION, NOT ENOUGH STAFFING, NOT ENOUGH TRAINING.
AND THEY'RE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN ACTUALLY HELP ME.
SO LET'S ACTUALLY ADDRESS WHAT IT IS.
YOU KNOW, THE STAFF, THE SHIFT FACTOR REALLY FACTOR IS ANTIQUATED AND IT'S WRONG.
THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT I GET IT.
CAN I GO NOW? UM, JUST ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, IF SOMEONE HAS AN ADVICE ON IS ECHOEY.
IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER DEVICE ON WHY YOU'RE ON THIS, PLEASE TURN IT OFF OR MUTE YOURSELF.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON HAD TO STEP AWAY FROM, UM, FROM THE MEETING.
SO, UM, MS. UH, CHIEF ELIJAH, YOU WANTED TO, UM, I, I THINK I, RALPH, AGAIN, I THINK WE STARTED WITH THE STAFFING AND I SAID THAT THE 1.71 WEEK BACK THERE, WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, NUMBER TWO IS THOUGH WE'VE BEEN HIRING WELL OVER 1.7.
CAUSE I THINK TODAY WE'RE LIKE 22 OR 23 OVER THE TIO AND WE'VE BEEN 40 OVER IN THE PAN.
SO I WOULD SAY OUR ACTUAL RELIEF FACTOR HAS BEEN CLOSER TO ONE NINE, AND I STILL THINK WE NEED TO GO MORE THAN THAT.
UM, SO YEAH, I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY HAD PROVISIONS TO, TO, UH, MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
SO AGAIN, WE DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU, BUT WE HAVE MORE STAFF.
WE, WE ALWAYS BEEN OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN ALL OVER THE TIO VALLEYS, 20 OR 30 OVER THE TAIL.
SO, AND THAT YEAR WAS AT 1.7, BUT IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH FOR OUT.
SO WE NEED TO REVISIT THAT TO GO EVEN HIGHER.
AS FAR AS MEETING WITH THE STAFF, WE, I HAVE A MONTHLY TOWN HALL MEETING, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WE VERY SPECIFICALLY HAVE AN AGENDA.
WE COME BACK THE NEXT MONTH, WE GO OVER THE PREVIOUS MEETING AND WE GO OVER WHAT THEY ASKED FOR AND WHAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, 70, 80% OF TIME WE'VE ADDRESSED IT OR WE'VE HAD AN ANSWER.
AND THEN THEY GO TO A NEW CONCERN.
SO, UH, I, I THINK, UNFORTUNATELY YOU HAVEN'T BEEN AT THE MEET A LOT OF THE, THE LEADERSHIP HAS IT, UH, OF DISAPPEARS AND NOT BEEN AT THE MEET AT THE TOWN HALLS.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO MEN AND WOMEN WHO'VE BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO GRIPE, TO BE UPSET, TO BE HEARD.
BUT EVERY MONTH WE GO BACK WITH THE AGENDA, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE MEETING BEFORE, AND WE SAY WHETHER OR NOT WE'VE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED WHEN WE HAVEN'T, UH, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, WAS THAT THE FIRST ONE? AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT STEP.
[01:00:01]
WE ARE MEETING WITH THE STAFF LEVEL.UM, SO I APPRECIATE THAT RALPH.
AND I KNOW, UM, AND I, I REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR OFFER TO HELP.
AND IF IT'S SINCERE LIKE OUT AGAIN, IF THEY'RE TELLING YOU AGAIN, YOU'RE TELLING ME, YOU'RE MEETING WITH THE CAPTAIN, NATE WEEKLY.
AND IF THEY ADD STUFF THAT MAKE, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A NO, LET THEM KNOW, NO, I CAN'T DO THAT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, EVERYTHING YOU'RE ASKING FOR, I THINK IT'S HAPPENING.
MAY I ANSWER IN THE TOWNHOME MEETINGS? UH, CAUSE YOU SAID YOU HAD ABOUT THREE OR FOUR OF THEM GENERALLY.
YOU'LL HAVE YOU SAID YOU HAD AN AGENDA, YOU REVIEW IT.
WHAT ARE THE ACTION ITEMS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THAT? AND THEN HOW DID YOU RESOLVE AND MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF THOSE ACTION ITEMS? WELL, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY HAD TALKED ABOUT BEST AND WITHIN THREE WEEKS WE'RE OUTFITTING EVERYONE ELSE WITH THAT, WITH THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT.
UH, DO YOU REMEMBER SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF I DON'T HAVE THAT THEY TALKED THE LAST MEETING ABOUT A RULE 30? UH, THEY IMMEDIATELY WENT FORWARD WITH RULE 30.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF LITTLE THINGS THIS WEEK.
UH, THIS LAST MEETING, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE PARKING LOT AND HOW, UM, VISITOR, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ENTER THE PARKING LOT ARE COMING IN AND OUT TO TRUCKS NEXT DOOR.
SO WE HAVE THE FACILITIES GUYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT.
WE TALKED ABOUT MANDATES, UH, AND THAT THEY'RE REVISING A SYSTEM FOR MANDATES TONY.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, THE OTHER THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT, UH, ONE OF THE OFFICERS SUGGESTED THAT, UH, THE OFFICERS, UH, THE REASON THAT THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING IN PART, UM, OR, OR APPREHENSIVE TO RESPOND IS BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME SUGGESTED THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF TRAINING AS IT RELATES TO CELL EXTRACTIONS AND, AND, AND FORCED MOVES.
UM, UH, THE TRAIN LIEUTENANT WAS IN THE ROOM AT THE TIME AND CONFIRMED THAT THE ALLEGATION WAS THAT THEY'RE NOT TEACHING CELL EXTRACTION OR ESCORTS AND THE BASIC ACADEMY, WHICH OF COURSE IS FALSE.
AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS FALSE.
UH, HOWEVER, IF IT, IF IT IS TRUE THAT THERE ARE STAFF THAT FEEL INADEQUATE WITH REGARD TO CELL EXTRACTIONS AFTER THE, WHEN THEY GO ONLINE, UM, THE TRAIN LIEUTENANT, UH, PUT INTO PROCESS FOR THE NEXT QUARTERLY TRAINING, SOME SHELL EXTRACTION REFILLING, RE FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING.
SO THE IDEA BEHIND THOSE MEETINGS AND PART IS IF SOMEONE SAYS, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, THE REPORTS LOOK TERRIBLE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STARTING TO SLACK OFF ON, UH, THE EFFICIENCIES OF THE REPORTS.
AND IN OUR BUSINESS, OF COURSE, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT REPORTS ARE THE STAPLE OF EVERYTHING WE DO.
SO IF IT'S MENTIONED IN THAT MEETING, RIGHT, UM, IT'S EASY FOR THE TRAINING LIEUTENANTS OR PROMULGATED SOME POLICY OR TRAINING AND PUT IT INTO WHAT WE REFER TO AS QUARTERLY TRAINING, UM, BECAUSE WE KIND OF IMPLEMENTED TO SOME DEGREE AS QUICKLY AS WE'D LIKE TO.
SO THAT'S JUST SOME EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE, THE, THE REAL TIME ON THE SPOT ABATEMENTS THAT CAN BE MADE AS A RESULT OF THE DIALOGUE IN THAT MEETING.
FIRST MEETING, THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT, UH, I G LIKE PEOPLE IN THERE IGTS GETTING CERTAIN ASSIGNMENTS.
I THINK WE DID THE STATISTICS.
WE SHOWED A 92% OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN ADMINISTRATIVE POST-WORK AS SIX COUNTY OFFICERS, AND THE OTHERS WERE THERE FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
BUT AGAIN, I KNOW NEXT MONTH WE HAVE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION ABOUT THE PARKING LOT.
UM, THERE'S QUESTIONS I HAD TO NOTE THEM OFF.
UM, UH, I DIDN'T GO TO THE LAST TWO MEETINGS.
THE LAST MEETING I WAS IN FIFTH, SO FOR TRAINING CLASS, BUT I CERTAINLY, I CERTAINLY ATTENDED ONGOING THE FIRST MEETING WE HAD WITH, UM, SOME, UH, COMMISSIONERS THERE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS, IT WAS A PRETTY, IT WAS INTERESTING MEETING, UM, HISTORICAL FOCUS, BUT LIKE, I ALWAYS SAY THE MEETING IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE RESULTS.
SO, AND I DON'T KNOW RESULTS IN FIRST, I'M LOOKING FOR SOME RESULTS FROM THESE MEETINGS, NOT JUST THE FACT OF SITTING DOWN, LIKE, I'LL SAY WE TALK ALL THE TIME, BUT MY THING IS, I ALWAYS SAY ALL THE TIME ATTENDING TODAY BEING IS ONLY AS GOOD AS WHAT COMES FROM THE MEETING.
SO THE FACT THAT WE TALK ON THE PHONE DOESN'T CONSTITUTE POSITIVE CHANGE.
IT'S KIND OF STUDENT THAT WE SEE FILLING SPACE, BUT, UM, AS FAR AS THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, I DIDN'T GO TO THE LAST COUPLE.
LIKE I SAID, I WAS IN TRAINING CLASS FOR THE LAST ONE, BUT PEOPLE, BUT I DO SEE THEM, SOME OF MY BOARD MEMBERS TO GO THE LAST ONE, THE FOP WAS SUING US THOUGH.
YOUR UNION WAS SUING US FOR BLOWING.
THEY THREATENED TO FILE A GRIEVANCE NUMBER.
TRIOSI SENT US SOMETHING ABOUT, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE ANY SUPER NOT HAVING THEM EXCLUDE CERTAIN MEMBERS FROM BEING THERE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT
[01:05:01]
THEY'RE NOT ACTIVE IN FACILITY ANYMORE.AND THAT'S NOT, WE, THAT STILL DON'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T.
I MEAN, I DON'T MIND ATTENDING.
I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOME MEMBERS CAN ATTEND, BUT THAT'S, BESIDES THE POINT POINT, THE THINGS I BROUGHT BACK TO ME FROM THE MEETING WAS, UH, THE ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT I ISSUES IS THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE COMMUNICATION, A GREAT LITTLE SAFE.
SO WE HEAR ABOUT THINGS AFTER THEY HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S FROM A CAPITALIST POINT OF VIEW.
AND THAT'S FROM, FROM ME BEING PRESENT A UNION, I THINK I KEEP SAYING, IT'S A FEELING IF YOU SAID TO OUR, WELL, LISTEN, WE'D, WE'D BE MORE INCLUSIVE IN OUR DECISION-MAKING.
AND I HEAR ABOUT THINGS AFTER THE FACT, AND WE HAVE SOME INSIGHTS TO INCLUDE, AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS ADVERSARIAL.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T ALWAYS GOT TO AGREE WITH THE WARDENS AND, AND THE OTS OR FEELING ANYBODY ELSE.
BUT MY THAT'LL MEAN THAT MY, MY VOICE SHOULD BE NOT HEARD OR I SHOULDN'T BE.
I PUT IN PART DECISION MAKING PROCESS, WE GO ALONG THE WAY WE GET MORE INCLUSIVE.
AND I KEEP SAYING THAT EVERY MONTH AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN THAT REGARD OR NEED TO CHANGE.
I GOT FROM THE FIRST WEEK, IT WAS, UH, A WEEK LATER, MY, MY, MY, UH, ALL THE OLDEST CHANGED.
AND SO IT WAS OTHER CATHERINE.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY KID IN CONCRETE COMING.
AND ONE OF THE PENTAGON FROM THE LAST MEETING WAS FOLLOWING THEM AROUND BUSTING.
AND I TOLD HIM ALL THIS DATA, HOW CAN I CALL HER HOME? I SAID, OH, IT'S NOT REALLY A UNION ISSUE FOR ME, BUT I CAME TO WORK IN IT.
I HAD A 10 OFFICERS STOPPED ME WANTING TO KNOW WHAT'S CONSIDERED CONSIDERING PARTY ADMINISTRATION.
WHY IS IT? WE GOT SO MANY JUNIOR OFFICERS WORKING IN THE WOODS OFFICE.
AND WE GOING INTO THE HUMAN'S BEEN IN 5, 6, 7 YEARS.
THEY'LL GO TO UNITS AND COUNT INMATES.
AND WE GOT, WE GOT FIVE OR SIX OFF OFFICERS IN THE WARDEN'S OFFICE, LESS THAN A YEAR IN THE JOB.
WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THESE UNITS AND CHAIRMAN, IF YOU DON'T JUMP IN HERE, MR. ROSS, A MORALE PROBLEM, IT IS.
AND FOR FOLKS, AND THAT'S WHY I DON'T COME TO WORK.
AND THEY SAID THAT I WAS IN THAT FIELD FOR, THEY SAID THEY BROUGHT UP IN A, IN A, IN A SPIN.
THEY BROUGHT UP IN A TOWN MEETING AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO RESOLVE IT, BUT I THINK THAT WAS JUST TO ADD SOMETHING TO THIS.
NO, I JUST WANTED TO JUMP IN, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN TO SEE IF WE'VE GOT A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH, AND IT'S KIND OF LOST ITS SHAPE A LITTLE BIT INTO SOME PERSONAL DISCRETE ISSUES AND BY DISCREET, I MEAN, PERSONAL TO SMALL GROUP.
SO IT WAS ANYTHING MORE TO DO WITH THE FACILITY OR THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP, WHETHER IT'S EMPLOYEE, EMPLOYER.
UM, THAT'S FINE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO TRY TO GET IT BACK ON TRACK IF YOU WANT ME TO GO THAT WAY, MR. CHAIRMAN.
YOU HAVE THE DELANEY HALL STAFF HERE.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I SAW THE COMMISSIONERS, THE PUBLIC ARE WONDERING IS HOW DOES, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LANEY HALL IN THE COUNTY JAIL, AND THEN HOW ARE INMATES SELECTED TO GO AND HOW ARE THEY TRANSPORTED? MAYBE YOU CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I CERTAINLY CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I'M JUST HERE TO CALL MR. WILLIAMS OR MR. MCCRACKEN.
I'M JUST GOING TO ASK IF YOU, MR. JOHNSON, IF YOU COULD JUST PUT THAT IN MR. RALPH JOHNSON, PUT THAT THROUGH OUR COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMITTEE CHAIR, RUFUS JOHNSON.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'LL TRY TO JUST ORGANIZE THROUGH HIM AND LET HIM, UH, UH, SET THE TONE A LITTLE BIT.
AND ALSO, UM, JUST, UH, MR. CHAIR, UM, UM, COMMISSIONER COOPER IS ALSO WAITING WITH THE QUESTION.
WE'LL LET COMMISSIONER COOPER, MR. COOPER.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF QUESTIONS, UM, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THE JAIL, UM, HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS OFF AND ON.
UM, SINCE MY TENURE, SINCE I'VE JOINED THE BOARD, ONE OF MY FIRST QUESTIONS SO THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE.
THIS WOULD BE DIRECTED, MR. CHAIRMAN, I GUESS MR. ELIJAH WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERALL DIRECTION AND OPERATIONS OF THE JAIL.
IS IT THE, THE DIRECTOR OR THE WHARTON? THE RECTOR IS IN CHARGE OF THE GL OVERALL, THE AWARD IS, ARE, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CUSTODY OF PROPERTIES.
YOU PUT ALEX IN CHARGE AWARDED REPORT TO OUT.
I SAID THE WATER REPORT TO OUT WHAT'S IN THE FACILITY.
ARE THERE CAMERAS THROUGHOUT, YOU KNOW, NATURALLY LEGALLY TO PLACES THAT WE GO, WE COULD PUT THEM UP.
I'M SURE WE COULDN'T PUT THEM IN A BATHROOM, BUT ARE THERE LIKE IN THE CORRIDOR SO THAT YOU CAN SEE ALLEGEDLY, I'M GOING TO USE THE WORD ALLEGEDLY, IF AN INMATE ALLEGEDLY DID HAVE A COMPUTER, ARE THERE CAMERAS IN THE
[01:10:01]
HALLWAYS? YOU COULD SEE HOW A COMPUTER POTENTIALLY GOT TO AN INMATE.UH, SO YES MA'AM, BUT IT DEPENDS ON IS HOW I WOULD ANSWER THAT.
SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED POUNDS FACILITY.
SOME OF THEM ARE 360 DEGREE MOVABLE CAMERAS.
UH, SOME OF THE AREAS, UM, ARE UNDER SURVEILLANCE IF THE CAMERA HAPPENS TO BE POINTED IN THAT PARTICULAR DIRECTION, BUT, BUT NOT ALWAYS.
SO I KNOW TO SOMEONE FROM THE OUTSIDE, IT'S AS SIMPLE AS WE'LL JUST PULL THE, THE, THE VIDEO FOOTAGE.
AND THAT WILL KIND OF AUTHENTICATE WITH DETERMINE THE VALIDITY OF THE ALLEGATION, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.
SOMETIMES THE CAMERA'S NOT IN AN AREA THAT WOULD, UM, THAT WOULD FOCUS ON A PARTICULAR AREA, OR IT'S NOT POINTED IN THAT DIRECTION.
THE OTHER THING, SO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS TOO, IS THERE WAS AN INCIDENT A FEW YEARS AGO WHERE AN ICE DETAINEE CLAIMS SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THE SHOWER.
UM, SO ALL EVIDENCE, PROSECUTORS, EVERYTHING DIDN'T, IT IS NOTHING THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN.
WE INSTALLED 40 OH EQUIPMENT IN THOSE AREAS, YOU KNOW, SO WE CONSTANTLY ADD TO THE FACILITY.
SO NOW WE, SO EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T SELL THEM IN THE SHOWER AREAS, WE HAVE AUDIO BECAUSE THE THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE WAS GETTING ASSAULTED OR SOMETHING, YOU WOULD HEAR IT.
AT LEAST WE CAN GO THROUGH THE AUDIO TAPE.
WE ADDED SOME VIDEO CAMERAS IN SCENARIOS THAT WE THOUGHT WERE A LITTLE UNDER, OH, WE COULD HAVE DONE MORE.
SO, UM, AS WE LEARNED, AS INTERNAL AFFAIRS IS OUTSIDE AND SAY, HEY, YOU HAVE A LITTLE BLIND STUFF HERE.
WE'VE ADDED AT LEAST A HUNDRED CAMERAS IN THE LAB OR 80 CAMERAS IN THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
BUT COMMISSIONER COOPER, I GUESS YOUR POINT IS, UM, PART OF THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS, THE INITIAL INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS, WHEN THERE'S AN ALLEGATION, WHETHER IT BE SOMETHING LIKE THE COMPUTER OR AN ASSAULT OR ANYTHING THAT, THAT IS 72 INVESTIGATIONS.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT'S DONE IS, UM, VIDEO WAS PULLED TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS VIDEO AVAILABLE OF THE INCIDENT.
THAT'S PART OF THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS.
UM, UM, YOU SAID EARLIER, ONE OF YOU PLEASE FORGIVE ME.
SO I'M TRYING TO GO FOR WATCH ELECTION THAT YOU ARE HAVING CHALLENGES DISCIPLINING IN AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS.
I'M GOING TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, NOPE, STRIKE THAT.
AND I'LL ASK HER THAT AT A LATER TIME, UM, I GOT, I WAS STOPPED ON THE STREET BY INMATE ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, A FORMER INMATE ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO.
AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD PREFER IF HE'S EVER HAD TO GO BACK THEN TO BE IN THE REGULAR JAIL, BECAUSE THE LANEY HALL, THE STRUCTURE THAT THE REGULAR JAIL.
NOW, I WAS REALLY CONFUSED BY THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT WAS JUST ONE JAIL.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? ARE THERE TWO PLACES? YES, MA'AM SO, SO WHAT I'LL DO FOR THE SAKE OF EVERYBODY ON THE CALL, UM, IF I MAY I'LL EXPLAIN, UM, THE PROCESS IN WHICH THE PROCESS IS IMPLEMENTED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR DELANEY HALL, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION QUICKLY AND ABRUPTLY.
YES, IT IS TO SHEPHERD BUILDINGS.
THEY ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO ONE ANOTHER.
THERE'S A PARKING LOT, ESSENTIALLY THAT SEPARATES THE TWO.
THEY ARE, ONE IS A COUNTY FACILITY.
UM, WHEN AN INMATE COMES INTO OUR CORRECTIONAL FACILITY FROM THE STREET, THEY GO THROUGH A CLASSIFICATION PROCESS THAT IN AMONGST OTHER THINGS, UM, WOULD DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR DELANEY HALL, WHICH IS LARGELY PROGRAM-BASED, UM, THAT THE INDIVIDUAL THAT EXPLAINED TO YOU THAT, UM, IT IS LESS STRUCTURED.
IT'S, IT'S LIKE THAT BY DESIGN AND BY LAW, UH, BECAUSE IT'S CONSIDERED SOMEWHAT OF A RE-ENTRY PRO AND I'LL I'LL ALLOW, UH, MR. WILLIAMS AND MELISSA CREIGHTON WHO ACTUALLY RUN THAT FACILITY TO KIND OF ELABORATE ON THAT, UM, UH, A HIGH PROFILE INMATE OR AN INMATE, UM, THAT HAS, UH, ONE OF THE SEVEN CRIMES THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER NOT ELIGIBLE, UM, TO BE, UM, ASSIGNED TO DELANEY HALL WOULD PROHIBIT THEM FROM BEING ASSIGNED THERE.
BUT ONCE THEY ARE DETERMINED TO BE ELIGIBLE WITH REGARDS TO CLASSIFICATION, THEY ARE SENT THERE, BUT THERE ARE, AND AGAIN, THE ONLY REASON I COULD SPEAK SOMEWHAT AND TELLS ME IS BECAUSE I, I WORKED THERE IN 2017 AS A DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
UM, SO BY DESIGN, UM, IT'S ALL DORM SETTINGS.
UM, THERE'S ONLY A FEW CELLS THERE THAT AT LEAST WHEN I WAS THERE WAS, UH, IDENTIFIED FOR THE GROUNDS WORKERS THAT, WHICH WE NO LONGER HAVE.
UM, THE, UH, THE DORM SETTING IS DESIGNED FOR THEM TO SPECIFICALLY MEET AND CONGREGATE SETTINGS FOR THERAPEUTIC REASONS.
UM, CAN'T LOCK THEM IN, UH, BY DESIGN.
SO THE DYNAMICS ARE CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT, BUT THEY ARE, THEY ARE DESIGNED LIKE THAT INTENTIONALLY.
SO THE RIKERS ISLAND, PEOPLE THAT ARE WITH YOU GUYS, NOT WHERE
[01:15:01]
ARE THEY IN THE COUNTY JAIL OR THE PRIVATELY RUN JAIL? OH, THEY ARE IN THE COUNTY JAIL.UM, THEY ARE, THEY ARE OFFICIALLY FEDERAL INMATES.
THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE SENT OVER TO GLEAN.
THERE ARE SERVICES, ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT THERE THAT WE BELIEVE SHOULD HELP REDUCE RECIDIVISM, UH, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, DRAGGING OUT MORE INTENSIVE, DRIVING OUT MORE INTENSE, UM, AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
W W W WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU DESCRIBE PLEASE, YOUR, UM, UM, PROTOCOLS OR ASSESSMENTS THAT YOU DO RELATED AROUND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES FOR INMATES WHEN THEY FIRST COME INTO, UM, THE ORGANIZATION? UM, SO, SO, UH, DIRECTOR, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TAKE THAT? OKAY.
UH, SO, UH, THIS IS JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW MA'AM BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT PART OF THE, UH, THE MEDICAL PROCESSES, BUT JUST IN TERMS OF KNOWING WHAT THE PROCESS IS IMMEDIATELY, WE'RE AT OUR FACILITIES COMMISSIONER, BOTH, BOTH PLACES, PLEASE.
SO I COULD SPEAK ON, UM, ON THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, THE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IMMEDIATELY UPON INTAKE, UM, THEY GO INTO WHAT'S, WHAT'S CALLED, UH, THE PRE-BOARD AREA OF THE FACILITY.
THAT'S, AS SOON AS THEY COME THROUGH THE DOOR, THERE'S AN ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY ARE EITHER HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED OR HAVE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WOULD IDENTIFY THEM AS A PREDATOR, AS IT RELATES TO SEXUAL ASSAULT, OR IF THEY'VE BEEN PREVIOUSLY VICTIMIZED OR HAVE A PROPENSITY TO BE VICTIMIZED AS A RESULT OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, THEY GO THROUGH A, UM, A, UH, THERE WAS A PRE-BOOK NURSE, UM, THAT DOES A MEDICAL TRIAGE, UH, IMMEDIATE MEDICAL TRIAGE TO SEE IF THE PERSON IS IN NEED OF SOME SPECIALIZED MEDICAL, UM, UH, TREATMENT OR, UH, ATTENTION.
THEY GO THROUGH A, A MENTAL HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE.
AND THEN THERE WAS A PERIOD OF, UH, WITHIN, UM, WHAT'S THE PERIOD OF TIME FOR MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION, 72 HOURS WITHIN 72 HOURS, THEY MEET WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN THAT DOES A COMPLETE W WHAT I WOULD KNOW IN THIS AS A COMPLETE WORKUP ON THEIR MENTAL, THEIR MEDICAL HISTORY, AS IT RELATES TO MENTAL HEALTH, UH, AS FAR AS, SO THAT'S THE SHORT ANSWER I WOULD DEFER TO, UH, MEDICAL EXPERTS THAT TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT'S INVOLVED IN THAT QUESTION.
HOWEVER, MENTAL HEALTH CARE HE'S REFERRED TO MEDICAL AND, OR A MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST THAT WILL BE ON BOARD IF DEAL WITH THE INDIVIDUAL AS NECESSITY REQUIRES.
SO, AS IT RELATES TO DELANEY HALL, IF THE PERSON WAS IDENTIFIED AS A MENTAL HEALTH RISK, OR A MEDICAL HEALTH MEDICAL RISK FOR THAT MATTER, UM, THAT'S ONE OTHER VARIABLE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THEM FROM BEING ELIGIBLE FOR DELANEY HALL.
SO I GUESS MY POINT IS THEY WOULDN'T COME IN AND GO DIRECTLY TO DELANEY HALL TO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT ON THERE.
IT WOULD BE DONE AT THE COUNTY FACILITY, AND IF THEY WOULDN'T BE SENT TO DUANE, YOU ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER HOTTEST ISSUES IS THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY YEARS AGO HAD 10 OR 11 MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY RIGHT NOW.
THEY HAVE ONLY ONE, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, IT STATEWIDE AND PROBABLY NATIONALLY, THEY ARE LEANING ON CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES TO BECOME THE DE FACTO MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTION IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND AS GREAT AS OFFICERS AND OUR STAFF ARE, THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY, THEY DO, RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT SOCIAL WORKERS, THEY'RE NOT A MENTAL HEALTH PSYCHIATRIST.
YOU KNOW, 40 YEARS AGO SOMEONE WOULD HAVE AN EPISODE AND THEY WOULD BE BROUGHT TO A MENTAL HOSPITAL.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT PERSON SHOULD SET TO PRISON OR JAIL.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHERE THEY ARE SET UP TO GET SERIOUS PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.
WE HAVE A VERY GOOD MENTAL HEALTH STAFF, BUT A LOT OF THEM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE CRUX OF THE STATE NATIONAL POLICIES THAT THEY SHOULD, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
AND CERTAINLY THEY SHOULD BE SENT TO PRISON.
SO I'M SORRY, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
AND IT'S NOT JUST SINCE THAT'S SOMETHING STATEWIDE AS THE TASK FORCE IS GOING AROUND THIS THING, THAT MORE AND MORE AROUND THE STATE.
UM, THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT SINCERELY NEEDS TO BE AT A FORENSIC UNIT, IT TAKES
[01:20:01]
US MONTHS TO GET AN EMPTY BED, TO SEND THEM TO.SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT PERIPHERALLY WITH OUR WITNESS SINCE WE HAD SUCH A GREAT PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL.
IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN DO FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY AND GET INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OUT OF THE PRISONS, IN THE JAILS AND INTO HOSPITALS, WHICH IS HARD ENOUGH.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU JUST SAID.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I ASKED THIS QUESTION.
I ASKED IT TWO MONTHS AGO AT A BOARD MEETING, WHAT IS OUR PROGRAMMING AROUND MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW DO WE MANAGE THE INMATES THAT EXHIBIT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKING THE WAY IT IS.
YOU COULD BRING IN AN INMATE, DO AN ASSESSMENT AND NOT RECOGNIZE IT, REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND THEN THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS THE PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE AND HOW CAN WE MANAGE THOSE, THOSE EMMYS.
UM, THE DELL IS SUPPOSED TO BE BACK BEFORE US IN ABOUT A MONTH, SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT HIS MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A REALLY DETAILED ANSWER FOR WHAT IS THE PROGRAMMING, BECAUSE THE REALITY IS WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM AS YOU SO ELOQUENTLY DESCRIBED.
UM, ONE OF MY OTHER QUESTIONS IN, AND, UM, KIM AND JOSH, PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR ASKING A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS, BUT I'M THINKING ABOUT THE INMATE WHO UNFORTUNATELY LOST HIS LIFE, UM, RELATED AROUND A MICROWAVE OR SOMETHING WHEN THIS, ANY PROTOCOLS CHANGED, UM, AFTER THAT INCIDENT TO ENSURE SOMETHING LIKE THAT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN.
ALTHOUGH I CAN'T HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
ACCORDING TO GASSY ON ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL, IF YOU'LL JUST ALLOW ME, I WILL CERTAINLY, UM, DEFER TO WARDENS REALLY TO ADDRESS THE PROTOCOL ISSUE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, ANY PARTICULARS OF THAT CASE CANNOT BE DISCUSSED ON THIS CALL AND AN OPEN MEETING.
UH, BUT JUST ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION, THE INDIVIDUAL INVOLVED IN THAT INCIDENT DID NOT DIE.
UM, HE, HE GETS SURVIVE HIS INJURIES.
UM, SO JUST TO, TO CLARIFY THAT ONE POINT, UH, COMMISSIONER
YES, MA'AM THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
I'M NOT LOOKING FOR ANY PARTICULARS RELATED TO THE INCIDENT ITSELF, BUT MORE SO ABOUT WHAT MEASURES HAVE WE PUT IN PLACE TO MINIMIZE THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPENING.
SO, YES, SO, UM, THE MICROWAVE HAVE BEEN CURED WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE DETAILS THERE OF GLASS AND THE WATER TO THE WALL.
SEMI-PERMANENTLY EITHER ITEMS CANNOT BE DISLODGED FROM THE WALL.
SOME, SOME PRETTY EXTREME MEASURES, ANYTHING IS PERMEABLE, BUT IT'S NOT LIKELY, AT LEAST IT'S LESS LIKELY IN TERMS OF THE OFFICER HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.
IF IT WERE, I THINK EVEN THE MONEY, A LOT OF, A LOT OF FACILITIES DO NOT HAVE MICROWAVE, RIGHT? A LOT OF FACILITIES.
AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE, THE COMMISSIONERS AND EARLIER, AND, AND STAKEHOLDERS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WAS FOOD AND HEATING UP FOOD.
AND THERE WAS A CONCESSIONAIRE, WHETHER THE, AGAIN, THE OFFICERS WILL TELL US WHETHER THE MICROWAVE IS FAST AND WE'RE NOT, AND THEN MAY CAN BOIL WATER WITH OATMEAL OR WHATEVER, AND THAT HE COMES TO A VERY DANGEROUS WEAPON, BUT THERE'S A BALANCE THERE.
I MEAN, CLEARLY IF WE TOOK EVERYTHING OUT OF THIS FACILITY, RIGHT? EVERY TABLET, EVERY MICROWAVE, EVERY WATERCOOLER, EVERY, EVERY PIECE OF RECREATION EQUIPMENT AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WE COULD TREMENDOUSLY LOWER ASSAULTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT THE QUALITY OF LIGHT FOR THE INMATES, AGAIN, WHO LIVED THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT.
UM, AND THE TAB, LIKE I SAID, THE TABLETS, YOU KNOW, ARE AN UNBELIEVABLE MEANS OF ENTERTAINMENT, COMMUNICATION.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR INMATES USE THEM AND USE THEM PROPERLY.
AND THEY GO A LONG WAY TO, UM, HAVING THEM HAS THEIR TIME IN A PRODUCTIVE MANNER.
THEY CAN READ, THEY CAN DO STUFF, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BALANCE THERE, RIGHT? WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE WHILE WE PROVIDE A WHOLE, WE DON'T PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, CAN I ASK A QUESTION BEING THAT WE'RE IN THAT
[01:25:01]
AREA, BUT I WANT COURTNEY AND MICHAEL TO TELL ME IF, IF, IF THIS QUESTION CAN BE ANSWERED AS FAR AS THE TIMING, BECAUSE I WATCHED THE VIDEO, OF COURSE, THE TIMING OF SOMEONE GETTING THERE TO HELP.IS THAT A QUESTION I CAN ASK? WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC QUESTION YOU'RE ASKING? IS IT SPECIFIC TO THAT INCIDENT OR A GENERAL RESPONSE TIME? YES.
TO THAT, TO THAT GENERAL RESPONSE TODAY, I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
AND AGAIN, JUST GENERAL TO RESPONSE TIMES TO CODES THAT ARE CALLED AND THE FACILITY, NOT TO THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION OF COMMISSIONER.
UM, UH, ONE OF THE ANALYSIS IS THAT WE, ONE OF THE, UM, ANNOUNCED THAT WE DID, UM, WAS BECAUSE THAT HAD BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION IS, UH, IDENTIFY TO NOT ONLY THE AMBROSE GROUP, BUT, UM, TO THE MCGREEVEY WHEN THEY WALKED THROUGH THE FACILITY, UH, WHERE THE OFFICERS HAVE TO RESPOND TO RE DEPENDING UPON WHERE THE INCIDENT IS, BECAUSE THIS BUILDING IS ALMOST A MILLION SQUARE, THE FACILITY IS ALMOST A MILLION SQUARE FEET.
SO WE ACTUALLY WALKED WHERE THE OFFICERS WOULD HAVE TO BE DRAWN FROM FOR THE MOST PART, BECAUSE THE OFFICERS, HOW IT WORKS IS THE OFFICERS THAT GO ON BREAK, TAKE THEIR BREAK IN THE OFFICER'S DINING ROOM AND ESSENTIALLY BECOME THE RESPONSE TEAM BECAUSE THEY ARE THE OFFICERS THAT ARE NOT ASSIGNED TO A PARTICULAR AREA AND WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO REMAIN ON POSTS IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S A DISTURBANCE, THE OFFICER'S DINING ROOM IS LOCATED IN THE, UH, THE FURTHEST MOST FRONT OF THE FACILITY.
AND IN SOME CASES WOULD HAVE TO TRAVEL OVER A HUNDRED YARDS, IF NOT MORE, DEPENDING UPON WHERE THE ANSWER IS.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, WE DID AN ANALYSIS.
WE ACTUALLY DID AN EXPERIMENT WHERE WE MEASURED BOTH IN LINEAR FEET AND IN TIME, HOW MUCH TIME IT WOULD TAKE FROM AN OFFICER TO RESPOND FROM THE OFFICER'S DINING ROOM TO EVERY SINGLE, UH, HOUSING AREA IN THE FACILITY.
AND THE AVERAGE IS BETWEEN TWO MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS AND TWO MINUTES AND 40 SECONDS TO THE FURTHEST POINT IN THE FACILITY.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH, BECAUSE I DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO START DIGGING INTO IT BECAUSE I KNOW I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO QUESTION.
UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES ARE ABOUT RESPONSE I'M IN TRAINING.
SO I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE ALLUDE TO THAT EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING HAS A GREAT DEAL OF RESPONDING OF DEALING WITH SITUATIONS.
DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF YOUR STAFF IN TERMS OF YEARS OF SERVICE, HAVING TO OFFICERS OR A 20 YEARS OF SERVICE, 15 YEARS AND SO ON? I, I DON'T, I'M SURE THE STATISTICAL DATA EXISTS, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE, I HAVEN'T SEEN A CAPTURE IN A REPORT, BUT I'M SURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS ABOUT RIGHT.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS I ALLUDED TO THAT IS IN TERMS OF TRAINING AND GETTING PEOPLE TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW A POD WORKS AND WORKING APART AND LEARNING THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE THOSE THAT'S THAT'S MAJORITY OF SOME OF YOUR ISSUES, AS YOU ALLUDED TO IS OFFICER ACCOUNTABILITY, WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT DO.
AND SO MUCH IS TIED TO AS MR. ELIJAH MENTIONED, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE AMENITIES GO TO THE INMATES AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE.
THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING THE HAVING MEETINGS WHERE YOU CAN NOW DRAW THE LINE TO SAY, THIS IS OUR MOST CRITICAL AREAS.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.
THOSE ARE THINGS I'M TALKING ABOUT.
AND MR. LODGE, AGAIN, I WOULD LOVE TO COME, I'VE BEEN RESTRICT DIFFERENT COMING, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THOSE MANAGEMENT MEETINGS ARE FOR.
SO WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE PROBLEM AREAS, THOSE CHROMATIC AREAS, AS SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS, JUST ALLUDED TO HOW DO WE TRAIN? HOW DO WE CHANGE THINGS WHEN WE HAVE AN EVENT AND YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR NEW PROTOCOLS, SO MR. LODGE, I WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU.
I'M SINCE RETIRED, I'M NOT HERE FOR A UNION.
I'VE SENT RECOMMENDATIONS SEVERAL TIMES, AND I WOULD LIKE TO HELP MADE NATURE AROUND THOSE, WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY ARE.
AND NOW LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP YOU IMPLEMENT THE ONES THAT MAKE SENSE FOR US.
UH, CHAIRMAN, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
[01:30:01]
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.UM, SO THE WARDEN GAVE AN OVERVIEW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PRISON AND THEN DELETING HALL DO, DO, DO THE COUNTY OFFICERS EQUALLY PROVIDE SECURITY TO THE DELANEY HALL? IS THAT COMPLETELY PRIVATE? AND BY ITSELF, UH, THIS ONE'S TRILLO AGAIN, MA'AM, UM, UH, THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS NO COUNTY CORRECTIONS OFFICERS DO NOT WORK OVER AT THE PRIVATE FACILITY.
HOWEVER, UH, AS PART OF OUR SECURITY PROTOCOL, ONCE PER SHIFT, A SERGEANT ALONG WITH, UH, ADDITIONAL CUSTODY STAFF MEMBER DOES A TOUR OF DELANEY HALL.
THERE IS A, UM, A SPECIFIC, UM, SECURITY SEARCH FORM OR CHECKLIST, I GUESS, IF YOU WILL IDENTIFYING THAT THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE, WHICH STAFFING FOOD, MEDICAL PROCESSES, ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN THAT THOSE REPORTS GET BROUGHT BACK TO THE FACILITY.
BUT THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS, UM, THE FACILITY IS COMPLETELY PRIVATE IN TERMS OF THEIR CUSTODIAL, UM, RESPONSIBILITY, AS WELL AS THEIR THERAPEUTIC AND CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITY.
AND IT'S ONE SET OF SLPS OR BOTH PLACES.
NO, NO, MA'AM THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WE HIRE THEM TO, TO, TO RUN THEIR FACILITY.
AND DO SHE HAVE SOME PERSPECTIVE COMBINED TODAY WE HAVE 25, 2600 INMATES AND ONLY 200 ABOUT TWO 20 OR TWO 30, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE 90% OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE UNDER OUR CARE SHOW, MAP SHOW COMMISSION.
THE BULK OF THE PEOPLE IS IN THE COUNTY PLACE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF IS DELANEY HALL.
AND AGAIN, IT'S, IT IS, IT CAN ONLY BE INMATES WHO HAVE CERTAIN LEVELS OF CHARGES, YOU KNOW, MURDER SAID, SO CERTAIN, CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU CANNOT GO OVER THERE FOR, AND IT WAS ORIGINALLY, IT'S ORIGINALLY THE DESIGN.
AND THE IDEA IS, IS PEOPLE WITH THESE LOWER CHARGES, UM, TO GET, YOU KNOW, MORE HANDS-ON INTENSIVE, MORE, MORE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT, ANGER MANAGEMENT TREATMENT TO TRY TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM.
NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S EVOLVED, BUT THAT'S THAT'S, THAT WAS THE WHOLE THING.
YEARS AGO, WE HAD UPWARDS OF SIX OR 700 INDIVIDUALS AT DELANEY HALL.
UM, BUT BECAUSE OF BAIL REFORM AND SOME OTHER STUFF, THERE ARE NOT AS MANY ELIGIBLE INMATES TO GO TO DELANEY.
SO COMMISSIONER COOPER, JUST TO KIND OF EXPOUND ON THAT.
SO IN TERMS OF ELIGIBILITY, IF SOMEONE WAS CHARGED WITH MURDER, SEXUAL ASSAULT, UM, UH, A CRIME AGAINST A CHILD, UH, ASSAULT ON A POLICE OFFICER OR A, A HIGH PROFILE CRIME SPECIFIC TO THE AREA, AS WELL AS, UH, ESCAPE, AS WELL AS, UM, SOMEONE WHO WENT TO COURT AND WAS ACTUALLY SENTENCED A STATE SENTENCE, THEY WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR DELANEY HALL.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IF THERE IS AN INMATE, UM, WHO WAS ASSIGNED TO DELANEY HALL, UH, WE DO THE PICKUP, WE TAKE THEM TO COURT IT'S AT, IF HE'S SENTENCED AT THAT TIME, HE DOESN'T GO BACK TO DELANEY.
UM, MAYBE, MAYBE WE SHOULD KIND OF SHIFT THIS OVER TO DELANEY HALL NOW BECAUSE I'M MR. JOE WILLIAMS AND I'M GETTING BORED SITTING HERE, JUST LISTENING TO ALL OF THIS AND LET'S LET THEM TAKE THE FLOOR AND LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH DELANEY HALL OVER THERE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS JOE WILLIAMS. THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONERS ON THE PHONE WITH ME TOO.
SHE'S OUR SENIOR AREA MANAGER.
SHE'S DIRECTLY OVER, UM, THE DIRECTOR OF DELANEY HALL.
SHE'S ACTUALLY OFFICE AT THE PLACE.
LET ME GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND LET ME DO A DISCLAIMER.
THIS IS UNSCRIPTED AND UNPREPARED.
SO, UH, I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE MEETING TODAY.
SO, UH, DELANEY HALL IS A THOUSAND BED FACILITY.
UM, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH ESSEX COUNTY FOR 500 BEDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE CHALLENGES THAT I'VE HEARD ON THE PHONE FROM THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT AT ESSEX.
UH, WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE AND WE DON'T HAVE SOME OF THOSE ESSEX CORRECTIONS DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB IN A VERY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT.
AND WE'RE PLEASED TO BE A PART OF THAT.
AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO BE CLEAR THAT WE WORK FOR YOU GUYS.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO, AND WE TRY TO DO THE BEST JOB WE CAN.
UM, WE HAVE A STAFFING PLAN WHERE WE HAVE THREE SECURITY FOLKS ON DUTY AT ALL TIMES.
AND ONE, I HAVE A DIRECTOR OF SECURITY
[01:35:01]
AND A DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS OVER AT THE FACILITY.KEITH UBER IS OUR DIRECTOR OF SECURITY.
KEITH IS ACTUALLY AN ALUMNI BY ALUMNI MEANS YOU'VE ACTUALLY DID SOME TIME 20 YEARS.
AND HE REALLY BELIEVES IN THE MISSION OF WHAT WE DO THERE.
WE TRY TO FOCUS ON OUR PROGRAMMING CLINICAL OR TREATMENT, BUT WE HAVE TO RUN SECURITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SINGLE FENCE, NO CLIMB, A PERIMETER.
WE HAVE A BUILDING THAT'S ALARM WHERE THE BUILDING IS ACTUALLY PART OF THE PERIMETER.
AS STATED EARLIER, WE ARE WORKING ON NETTING SO WE CAN STOP THE CONTRABAND PEOPLE, TRYING TO THROW IT OVER AND INTRODUCE THEM INTO OUR YARD.
UM, WE DO PERIMETER ALARM CHECKS, EVERY SHIFT.
UH, WE INSPECT OUR LIGHTING ON EVERY SHIFT.
UM, WE INSPECT AREAS OF VULNERABILITY.
SEE WE HAVE, WE HAVE AN ACTUAL SECURITY TEAM THAT COMES IN AND DOES AN ASSESSMENT OF DELANEY HALL.
UM, AND THEN WE TRY TO ADDRESS ANY DEFICIENCIES.
THEY FIND, OF COURSE, WE HAVE A CAMERA SYSTEM, WE HAVE A SECURE BUILDING.
UH, WE BRING OUR CANINE UNIT IN AT LEAST EVERY TWO WEEKS TO DO A SEARCH OF THE PLACE.
UH, WE HAVE AN INMATE PHONE SYSTEM.
AND YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HEARD EARLIER, WE DON'T HAVE BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF INMATE WE HAVE IS A LITTLE LOWER CUSTODY.
YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO CARE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOT TO CARE ABOUT THEIR FOOD.
THEY'RE GOING TO CARE ABOUT THEIR MEDICAL.
THEY'RE GOING TO CARE ABOUT THEIR RECREATION.
WE TRY TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THAT.
WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO A FUTURE.
COMMUNICATING WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD, ACCESS TO LAW LIBRARIES, ACCESS TO THE COURTS, ACCESS TO ESSEX COUNTY FOLKS.
WE BELIEVE PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAFETY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN A RESIDENT GOES TO BED AT NIGHT AND CAN LAY DOWN AND HE FEELS SAFE, WE BELIEVE IN THAT WE BELIEVE IN TREATING THEM WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY.
WE NEVER WANT TO INFLICT ANY FURTHER AND GETTING TEASED UPON THEM.
WE WORK HARD AT OUR FOOD SERVICE.
WE WORK HARD AT OUR MEDICAL, SO WE TRY TO BRING THE CLINICAL ASPECT AND THE SECURITY ASPECT, UH, TOGETHER.
UH, WE HAVE AN ION SCAN MACHINE THAT DETECTS MOLECULES OF CONTRABAND COMING INTO THE FRONT FOR DRUGS.
UM, WE HAVE A METAL DETECTOR UPFRONT, AND THAT'S HOW YOU ENTER THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
AND THEN INSIDE, SOMEBODY SAID EARLIER, WE DON'T HAVE SHELLS WHERE AN OPEN BAY FACILITY, WE HAVE LARGE GROUP ROOMS WHERE WE TRY TO DO SOME WORK GROUP AND TREATMENT.
AND YOU KNOW, OUR MOTTO IN OUR COMPANY IS ON THE GEO CARE SIDE.
WE WANT TO CHANGE LIVES AND CHANGE BEHAVIOR.
SO THIS TIME I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MELISSA CRANE, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CLINICAL AND THE TREATMENT, AND THEN WE'LL STAND FOR QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WHEN THEY DO COME TO US FROM SS COUNTY, THEY DO GO THROUGH WHAT WE CALL A MEDICAL INTAKE.
FIRST, THEY SEE OUR MEDICAL STAFF, WHICH ARE LICENSED STAFF ORIGINS, LPN.
WE DO HAVE A DOCTOR ON SHIFT HERE.
UM, THEY DO HAVE SERVICES TO PSYCHIATRIC TO SEE OUR PSYCHIATRIC DOCTOR ALSO, UM, WITHIN THAT FIRST 24 HOURS, THEY MEET WHAT WE CALL A CASE MANAGER, WHICH IS BASICALLY THEIR LIAISON TO THE SERVICES THAT THEY WILL BE PROVIDED HERE.
UM, THEY DO AN INTAKE PACKAGE WITH THEIR CASE MANAGERS, SUCH AS AN EMERGENCY CONTACT, YOU KNOW, THEIR HOME ADDRESS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THEY DO THEIR PRIUS SCREENER, SCREENER INTAKE.
AFTER THAT, OUR BASE OF OUR TREATMENT IS AN ASSESSMENT BASED TREATMENT.
THEY ARE PROVIDED WITHIN 72 HOURS.
WHAT IS CALLED THE TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT OR TCU THAT ASSESSOR ASSESSES THEM FOR THEIR DRUG ABUSE HISTORY.
UM, AND THEN WITHIN 30 DAYS OF BEING IN THIS FACILITY, THEY ARE GIVEN WHAT IS CALLED THE LSIR THAT FOCUSES MORE ON A MUCH BOARDER, UM, CHARACTER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESIDENT, SUCH AS IT DOES INCLUDE SOME PARTS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE, BUT IT ALSO DOES, UH, CRIMINAL THINKING, RELATIONSHIPS, LEISURE, RECREATIONS, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UM, FROM THOSE A BEHAVIORAL EVALUATION IS CREATED.
AND THAT IS WHAT OUR CASE MANAGERS USE TO FOCUS ON THEIR TREATMENT WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, THEY ARE SEEN AT LEAST WEEKLY BY THEIR CASE MANAGER
[01:40:02]
FOR A SESSION, AND THEN THEY ARE PROVIDED A CERTAIN GROUPS.I THINK, UM, MR. SORELLO HAD MENTIONED THEM SUCH AS JOB SKILLS, ANGER MANAGEMENT, HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GROUPS, RECOVERY MANAGEMENT, UH, HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND THINGS OF THAT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO COVID, WE WERE SOMEWHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, SHORTENED BY WHAT WE COULD PROVIDE, BECAUSE WE COULD ONLY HAVE A CERTAIN PRESET PERCENTAGE IN OUR AREAS, BUT HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE, THAT WILL CHANGE ONCE WE GET CLARITY FROM THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
I MEAN, WHEN WE'RE QUESTIONS FIRST, LET'S GO WITH MY, UH, COLLEAGUES FIRST AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I JUST THOUGHT, UH, WELL, WHAT'S THE AVERAGE THING TO STAY FOR, UH, FOR THE FOLKS OVER AT THE LADY, I CAN TAKE THAT, JOE, UM, USUALLY WE'RE THERE WITH US AND IT VARIES BECAUSE OF COVID TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BUT THEY'LL LINK TO STAYS USUALLY ABOUT 48 DAYS PREVIOUS TO COVID REALLY, I'M SORRY.
IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, DELANEY OR, UH, THE ESSEX COUNTY FACILITY FOR THAT MATTER.
YOU GUYS WORK FROM A REENTRY STANDPOINT WITH, UM, UH, LIKE THE NEW JERSEY RE-ENTRY CORP OR, OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ASSIST INMATES AND TRANSITIONING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I, I CAN ANSWER FOR DELANEY.
UH, WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL AN ALUMNI PROGRAM.
OUR ALUMNI COME INTO THIS FACILITY PRIOR TO COVID ONCE A MONTH AND DO WHAT'S CALLED ALUMNI MEETINGS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO COVID, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE SEEN AS OUTSIDE INDIVIDUALS COMING IN THE BUILDING.
UM, BUT THEY ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
AND I KNOW SPECIFICALLY TWO OF OUR ALUMNI MEMBERS DO REACH OUT TO THEM QUITE OFTEN.
THANK YOU, KAREN AND I HAVE A OKAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE JAIL AND DELANEY HALL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE VISITED BOTH.
I HAVE BEEN TO BOTH MANY TIMES.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF SOME HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, THEY ALL BE GIVEN A TOUR OF BOTH FACILITIES SO THEY CAN SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT IT'S LIKE INSIDE THOSE FACILITIES AND WHAT IS HAPPENING.
AND AGAIN, I WOULD SAY, AND I THINK YOU GUYS HAD, DID THAT OPEN SUMMER.
HERE'S KNOW YOU GUYS HAD BEEN THERE ALL THE TIME.
YOU DON'T NEED TO LET US KNOW YOU DON'T NEED TO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIKE TO FEEL THAT, THAT WE NEED TO, YOU NEED TO GIVE US WARNING SO WE CAN GET READY.
THE J YOU KNOW, BAR, NONE, EVERYONE WALKS THROUGH THE JAIL THAT I'VE DONE IS AMAZING HOW CLEAN AND HOW ORGANIZED AND HOW, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, WELL, HOW GOOD IT LOOKED.
SO, UM, THERE ARE ISSUES, AGAIN, WE ARE, WE ARE FIVE OR SIX TIMES BIGGER THAN ANY OTHER JAIL IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
I THINK THE NEXT DAY GETS, HAS ABOUT 500 AND WE'RE AT 20, 2500 WITH DELANEY WALL.
RIGHT? SO THAT WOULD SAY FIVE TIMES MORE ISSUES THAN ANY OTHER FACILITY, JUST NOT NUMBERS.
UM, WE ALSO, BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE HAVE THOSE MARSHALS AND THAT REMEMBER WE HAVE, UM, UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE IT'S AT SIX AND ALL THAT, WE HAVE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST INMATES IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
OUR POPULATION IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE JAIL POPULATION, UH, SUSSEX COUNTY, OR, UH, IN SIZE AND IN PRICE.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR OFFICERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH EVERY DAY.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, UM, WHAT YOU SEE GOING ON GLOBALLY WITH POLICE OFFICERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IS HAPPENING IN THE JAIL TO THE JAIL IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS 3, 4, 5 YEARS AGO.
IT'S, COVID, IT'S A LOT OF OTHER FACTORS.
UM, SO I AGREE WITH, WITH RALPH AND WITH, WITH MR. JOHNSON AND, AND, AND PRESIDENT RICHARDSON, IT'S, I RESPECT IMMENSELY THE JOB THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN THERE HAVE TO DO.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I COULD NOT DO.
AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEY DO, BUT, BUT IT'S, EVERYONE HAS REALLY, SO NOT THE JAIL THAT IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO OR 12 YEARS AGO, OR 15 YEARS AGO.
[01:45:01]
NOT THE DOING ROLE.IT WAS 10 OR 12 OR 15 YEARS AGO.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY OFTEN WOULD SAY THE PENDULUM SWINGS BACK AND FORTH.
AND, AND RIGHT NOW IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, LISTEN, WE HAD A RASH OF, OF, OF, OF ASSAULT LAST SUMMER, UH, WHERE INMATES WERE SPLASHING OUR OFFICERS WITH YOREN AND WITH DCS, UH, HIGHER THAN IT'S EVER HAPPENED BEFORE THEN AGAIN, SO THEY CAME UP, THE STATS, CAME UP WITH AN IDEA ABOUT THAT, THE MAIN PORTS AND THAT WE IMMEDIATELY WITH THE HELP OF THE STAFF, UH, CLOSED ALL THE FLU PORTS AND THAT THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF DONE DUMBED DOWN, BUT AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
I'M SURE MR. JENNER TOO, WOULD TELL YOU 10 OR 20 YEARS AGO, WHEN THAT NUMBER SWITCHING, THERE'S NOT A, STILL A LODGE AND JODY ADMINISTRATION ISSUE, IT'S JUST AN ISSUE.
AND I AGREE, WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
IT'S A TOUGHER ENVIRONMENT THAN IT WAS A WHILE BACK.
AND I NEED MR. JOHNSON EXCEPT THE OLIVE BRANCH AND THE OFFER TO WORK TOGETHER AS WE ALWAYS HAVE.
AND, AND I RESPECT THE COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, BUT IT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT JOB.
LIKE THE MEN, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DO IT EVERY DAY AND THINK ABOUT HOW FUN IT WAS MORE COZY, RIGHT.
WHEN YOU'RE IN THOSE SMALL ENVIRONMENT WITH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE VIRUS WAS SPREADING AND, UH, THEY DIDN'T, THEY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, MANNING THAT, COMING TO WORK, DEALING WITH IT.
AND DON'T, WE AGREE ON SOME STUFF I TRULY, FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE PARTY TO APPRECIATE PRESIDENT AND RALPH, WHAT YOUR GUY, YOUR, THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT WORK THERE HAVE DONE.
SO AGAIN, IT'S THOSE THINGS WE CAN DO THE VEST, RIGHT? YES.
AND THE, THE, THE EQUIPMENT IN THE BEDROOM.
WE WILL EAT SPARE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE CAN DO, EVEN NOW, RALPH, WE HEAR HERE, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STAFFING, I JUST DID SOME THAT, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE AT ONE OVER 1.8, BECAUSE WE OVER HIRE, WE NEED TO DO MORE THAN THAT.
BECAUSE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, HOW FAMILY LAW HAS, UH, HAS AFFECTED THE, UM, THE, UH, THE FACT THAT IT WILL DO THAT, I BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID, TOTALLY, I COMPLETELY AGREE, BUT I STILL THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE PLANNED TOURS.
THE FEEL OF ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION FROM THAT MEETING.
WHEN I WENT TO THAT MEETING IN THAT ROOM, THERE WAS ABOUT AT LEAST 20 OR 24, 25 WHITE SHIRTS OUT OF ALL THOSE WHITE SHIRTS.
NOW I KNOW THE POPULATION IN THAT JAIL IS AROUND 75 TO 80% BLACK AND BROWN, I THINK ALSO TO HELP THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AT LEAST PROMOTING OR GETTING SOME AFRICAN-AMERICANS THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY CAN ALSO RELATE TO.
THAT MIGHT HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH IT TOO.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YOU KNOW, AND I FIGURED THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD PUT ON OUR RADAR SCREEN TOO.
WELL, THE DIRECTOR OF OUR FACILITY IS LATINO OR ASSOCIATE WARDEN IS AFRICAN-AMERICAN OUR, ONE OF OUR OTHER ASSOCIATE WARDEN IS A PORTUGUESE AND WE HAD, AND SO WE HAVE ORLANDO CAMACHO WHO'S THERE IS LATINO.
SO WE HAVE A DIVERSE GROUP, BUT I SEE, UNFORTUNATELY, A TECH, YOU KNOW, THE PATH IS LIEUTENANTS AND SERGEANTS.
IT'S ALL OFF OF THE LIST AND YOU HAVE TO MEET A CERTAIN CRITERIA.
IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN DISCIPLINE, YOU CAN'T GET PROMOTED.
IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY TO SIX MONTHS, YOU CAN'T, ONCE THEY CLEAR ALL THAT, WE'VE PROMOTED THEM, BUT I DO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
OKAY, WELL, LET'S GET BACK TO DELANEY, UH, WITH JOE AND THEN, BECAUSE, UH, I KNOW THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS FOR DELANEY HALL.
WHAT QUESTIONS FOR DELANEY HALL IS THERE, IS THERE ANYONE? YES.
UH, MR. WILLIAMS, MR. MCCRACKEN QUESTION, YOU MENTIONED THE RIGHT TO SAFETY FOR THESE.
UH, WE WANT TO CALL THE RESIDENTS ONCE THEY GO OVER TO YOUR INMATES, ONCE THEY GO THERE, AND YOU MENTIONED YOU HAVE A THOUSAND BED OPEN BAY, BUT WE'RE CONTRACTED FOR 500.
IF MY MATH DOESN'T SERVE ME, RIGHT? AND YOU HAVE THREE OFFICERS OR SECURITY TEAMS THAT ARE NOT OFFICERS, YOU'RE TELLING ME, THEY'RE LOOKING AT EACH, PERSON'S LOOKING AT SUPERVISING 166.7 PEOPLE EACH AND AN OPEN AREA THAT DOESN'T HAVE SECURITY.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, AND AS MR ELIJAH MENTIONED, WE CAN'T AVOID PROBLEMS. SO IN EMERGENCY RESPONSES WHO RESPONDS TO THAT, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
IF WE HAD A VERY SERIOUS EMERGENCY RESPONSE, WE WOULD CONTACT ESSEX COUNTY AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND COMING OVER
[01:50:01]
AND RESPONDING TO OUR INSTITUTION, YOU KNOW, OUR SUPERVISOR WOULD BE ABLE TO SEEM, THEY TRY TO DEESCALATE IT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE HANDCUFFS AND VEST AND GAS AND ALL THE SECURITY DEVICES THAT HIS JAIL HAS.WE HAVE THE SECURITY APPROVED, PERMITS, CONSISTENT WITH WHAT A TREATMENT PROGRAMMING TYPE FACILITY WAS HAVE.
SO WE TRY NOT TO RUN IT LIKE A JAIL.
WE TRY TO RUN IT AS A TREATMENT FACILITY.
AND WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE AND DEESCALATE.
AND WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WHERE WE'VE HAD TO ASK THE JAIL TO COME OVER AND REMOVE PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE, SO WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP.
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH RESPONSES.
UM, I THINK WE RUN A SAFE AND SECURE FACILITY.
I'M SORRY TO JUMP IN, BUT THAT NUMBER STOOD OUT AND THE IPHONE, WHEN WE HAD THE, THE CONTRACT MORE THAN THREE PEOPLE WORKING THERE AT A TIME, I'M SORRY, IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY FOR YOU ALL, WHAT JOE WAS REFERRING TO IS WHAT IS CALLED UNIT FIVE, WHICH IS PRIMARILY WHERE YOU, YOUR INMATES OR RESIDENTS ARE HOUSED RIGHT NOW, THERE WAS THREE, WHAT IS CALLED THE MINIMUM OF THREE MONITOR ONES, WHICH IS SEMI, UM, CONDUCIVE TO YOUR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS.
YOU CAN THINK OF THEM AS THE SAME, ALMOST THE SAME TYPE OF INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A SHIFT COMMAND, A SHIFT COMMANDER, AND A SHIFT SUPERVISOR ALSO ON THE UNIT.
WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE IN OTHER UNITS AS WELL.
SO YOU HAVE UNIT TWO ALSO, MR. ELIJAH.
AND THAT IS OUR QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION UNIT.
THERE'S OFFICERS HERE AS WELL.
UH, EMPLOYEES, YOU ARE LIKE 11 AND 12, 11 OR 12 PER SHIFT MINIMUM.
I WON'T, WE PUT IN THE CONTRACT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A FEMALE UNIT FOR YOU ALL TO, WHICH IS UNIT ONE.
WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER COOPER.
UM, I WAS ASKING FOR CLARITY, UM, SINCE I STARTED HEARING ADDITIONAL NUMBERS, THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS WHEN I LISTENED TO THEIR PRESENTATION AS WELL, WAS THE SECURITY COMPONENT.
HOW MANY PEOPLE, SO PHIL, DID YOU JUST SAY TOTAL? THE TOTAL NUMBER IS 11 TO 12 PER SHIFT, BUT I KNOW THAT WE WERE VERY SPECIFIC AND IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THREE PEOPLE WORKING AT A TIME.
THE DIRECTOR OR THE, OR THE OTHER, THE OTHER PERSON RESPOND WITH, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, UNIT FIVE CAN HOLD UP TO 360.
AT ALL TIMES WE HAVE THREE MONITOR ONCE A SHIFT SUPERVISOR AND A SHIFT COMMANDER FOR THAT UNIT UNIT ONE HOLDS 74, I BELIEVE, BUT DON'T HOLD ME TO THAT NUMBERS.
OTHER 74, 76, WE ALSO HAVE A MONITOR ONE ON THAT UNIT.
UM, CURRENTLY WE ONLY HAVE 10 FEMALES, SO IT'S A VERY SMALL POPULATION.
AND THEN THE SHIFTS, A SHIFT SUPERVISOR WHO ROTATES BETWEEN UNIT ONE AND OUR ISOLATION UNIT AND THE SHIFT COMMANDER ROTATES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUILDING COMMISSIONERS THAT CHEAT AND THE CONTRACT THAT DETAILS THE MINIMUM STAFFING LEVELS.
SO SAY THAT QUESTION ONE MORE TIME.
THERE WAS IN THE CONTRACT THAT THEY, THAT WE, WE, WE, TO THEM REAL, THIS SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ABOUT MINIMUM STAFFING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PUBLIC.
SO CAN YOU SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMISSIONERS, AT LEAST ON THE MINIMUM STAFFING LEVELS THAT WAS IN THE CONTRACT? I DON'T HAVE THAT WITH ME, BUT IF THEY WOULD LIKE RUN IT THROUGH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND GET IT THROUGH THEM.
YOU'LL HAVE THE SPECIFICS, MR. LODGER, THAT SORT OF POINTS OUT WHEN I'M REFERRING TO.
I REALLY WANTED TO, RELIGIOUS MENTIONED THAT HE NOW HAS A SUPERVISOR AND AN OFFICER OR TWO OFFICERS THAT GO OVER TO DELANEY HALL TO DO A SECURITY ASSESSMENT, BUT WE'RE HERE WITH ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS.
WE CAN'T GET THE MINIMUM FAIR NUMBER.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
SO HOW ARE THEY ACTUALLY HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE IF THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE MINIMUM STAFFING LEVEL IS? I'M NOT DOING THE TOURS.
THEY ARE, I'M SURE THEY HAPPEN, BUT I DON'T THINK I LIKE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO, THIS IS, I'M NOT ASKING YOU THAT WHAT I'M PAYING TO YOU, SIR, IS IF WE'RE HERE AND WE ARE THE TOP BRASS, THAT ADMINISTRATION LEVEL, WE ARE RIGHT.
WE'RE SITTING OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS THAT ON THIS CHANNEL SAID THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE WELL-TRAINED.
HOW ARE YOU DOING AN ASSESSMENT OF AN AREA? AND HOW, HOW
[01:55:01]
CAN I SAY TO THE PUBLIC THAT THEY'RE SAFE? THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING ON THE CHURCH ON THE CHURCH FORM ITSELF.IDENTIFY IDENTIFIES WHAT THE REQUIRED STAFFING LEVELS ARE AND ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN PLACE AND IN COMPLIANCE ON THE ACTUAL SEARCH FORM.
SO DEFICIENCIES, THAT REPORTING TO THEIR IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR WILL RECTIFY IT.
UM, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING.
I'M SORRY IF THERE'S A DEFICIENCY, IF THE, I'M NOT SAYING ANSWER THE COMMISSIONER'S QUESTION, IT'S NOT THE PUBLIX SARAH, SO I'M A HERO TO THE PUBLIC AND THEN THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ATTITUDE.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE EXPLAINING IT TO YOU.
I'M JUST ASKING A VERY SIMPLE FOR THE COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT TO THE PUBLIC.
EH, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GO BACK AND FORTH HERE, COME ON, BUT IT'S ASKING SAFETY QUESTIONS.
I WANT THE COMMISSIONERS TO RUN THE MEETING.
WELL, UH, I WANT TO ASK THIS QUESTION TO, UH, JOE AND KAREN IS THE LAST NAME, IF IT'S CORRECT.
AM I CORRECT? UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN EACH ONE OF YOUR PODS THERE AND, BUT THAT DORM TYPE SETTING, HOW MANY INCIDENTS HAVE YOU HAD IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS? THREE, FOUR MONTHS.
UH, MELISSA, I'LL LET YOU TAKE THAT ONE, MELISSA.
SO, UM, OUR ROOM, WE CALL THE ROOMS. THEY'RE NOT REALLY PODS, IT'S A LARGE UNIT.
UM, THEY CAN HOLD ANYWHERE BETWEEN SIX AND 12, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THAT INDIVIDUAL ROOM.
SO IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON WHICH ROOM THE RESIDENT IS IN AND THE SIZE OF THAT ROOM.
UM, LIKE I SAID, UNIT FIVE IS NOT FULLY, IT'S NOT AT MAX CAPACITY NOW.
SO WE HAVE SPACED OUT THE RESIDENTS.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE AVERAGE OF ABOUT SIX RESIDENTS IN EACH ROOM, EVEN IF IT'S A LARGER ROOM, BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT SPACE RIGHT NOW TO DO SO.
IS THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR DELANEY HALL? YES.
MA'AM MR. CHAIRMAN, LAST QUESTION FOR DELANEY HALL IN TERMS OF AN INMATE THAT VIOLATES YOUR POLICY OR SOP, IS THERE, DOES YOUR STAFF ACTUALLY CHARGE THEM, BUT THE DEPARTMENTAL CHARGES TO GO BACK TO LOCK UP AT THE JAIL? HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO WE WILL WRITE BLUE SHEETS, UM, AND THEN SS COUNTY WILL COME AND PICK THEM UP AND TRANSPORT THEM BACK TO THE COUNTY.
SO THAT'S FOR MORE OF OUR, YOU KNOW, FOR SMALL INFRACTIONS, SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT A TINY CARRIER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL AIDS AND MERIT AND MERIT SYSTEM.
SO MERITS OR POSITIVE BEHAVIOR, WHICH WE TRY TO WRITE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO REINFORCE THE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR THEY HAVE IN THE BUILDING.
LIKE IF A RESIDENT DOES A REMARKABLE JOB IN A GROUP, WE WILL WRITE HIM A MERIT, UM, BECAUSE WE WANT TO REALLY SHOW THEM THAT THEIR POSITIVE BEHAVIOR IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE GOING FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN IT'S A MERIT OR A WRITEUP IS, OR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, I THINK IT WAS WHAT IS REAL, IS REALLY MORE OF THOSE NUISANCE CHARGES, UM, THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH.
UM, ALSO HOW HAS THE TREATMENTS GOING FOR THOSE, UH, AND THOSE THAT ARE GETTING READY TO COME BACK OUT IN SOCIETY? YOU KNOW, THOSE THAT YOU ARE PREPARING TO COME BACK ON THE OUTSIDE, HOW ARE THOSE GOING? ARE YOU GETTING FULL POTENTIAL PATIENTS? DO THEY HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IT? OR IS IT A CHOICE? THEY MAKE, IT IS A CHOICE THEY MAKE, WE CANNOT FORCE THEM TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, THEY WILL COME HERE AND ONCE THEY BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH OUR PROGRAM AND WHAT WE OFFER, YOU WILL SEE MORE AND MORE RESIDENTS GOING TO GROUP THE LONGER THEY'RE.
UM, WHEN THEY FIRST GET HERE, THEY'RE NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO ONCE THEY GO THROUGH THE INTAKE PROCESS AND THEY DO THE ASSESSMENT, THEY UNDERSTAND MORE OF WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE AND THEN THEY WILL START PROGRAMMING AND DOING TREATMENTS IN THE BUILDING.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY THAT TRANSITION FROM THERE TO BACK OUTSIDE HERE AND INTO THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME PEOPLE REACT.
WE HAVE DILATATION WORKS FOR SOME PEOPLE WITH, I AGREE, A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON MYSELF, I CAME FROM ONLY RE-ENTRY SITES.
I HAVE OVER ALMOST WELL LAST WEEK, I JUST HIT 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN RE-ENTRY SITES.
SO THAT IS MY PRIMARY FOCUS HERE AT DELANEY.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE CLOSE THIS MEETING CHAIRMAN? YES.
[02:00:02]
HOW LONG CAN SOMEONE ANSWER? HOW LONG HAS THE PRIVATE CONTRACT HAD BEEN IN A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, MANAGEMENT BUSINESS, 38 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN DOING IT.WE HAVE FACILITIES AROUND THE WORLD AND SOUTH AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, UH, ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
WE'RE A DIFFERENT ENTITY WHERE THE GEO CARE SIDE OF THINGS.
SO I RUN PRO PRIMARILY TREATMENT AND HALFWAY HOUSES.
MY FARTHEST EAST IS BRONX, NEW YORK.
AND MY FARTHEST WEST IS BETHEL ALASKA ON A 40 YEAR VETERAN OF CORRECTIONS, FORMER COMMISSIONER FROM THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.
WE'D BEEN AROUND, WE THINK WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND WE TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, WE WORK FOR YOU FOLKS.
IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM OR NEED SOMETHING DONE, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS IT AND TRY TO ADDRESS IT AND TRY TO GET IT DONE FOR YOU.
UH, WE WANT TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR MISSION.
YOU GUYS HAVE A VERY CHALLENGING JOB.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH ESSEX COUNTY WITH WARDEN.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A TOUGH PLACE, A LOT OF ISSUES, BUT YOUR PROBLEMS THAT I'M HEARING ARE NOT UNIQUE TO ESSEX COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE SAME ISSUES HAPPEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I TRIED TO GET UP THERE AS OFTEN AS I CAN.
WE HAVE OTHER ASSETS THAT ARE FLYING IN THAT BE THERE.
UH, THIS WEEK, UH, DEREK SCOFIELD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT WILL BE UP THERE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER SENIOR AREA MANAGER GOING INTO THE PLACE JUST TO INSPECT IT AND TRY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE NEED TO DO TO FULFILL OUR CONTRACT AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
MR. CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN SENDING, UH, INMATES TO THE REHABILITATION TAINTED SERVICES AT DELANEY HALL SINCE 1997.
I BELIEVE JOE WAS COUNTY EXECUTIVE THAT THEY'VE HAD THIS CONTRACT AND IT'S BEEN CONSISTENT FOR OVER FOR ABOUT 25 MINUTES.
UM, IF I MAY, I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR DELANEY HALL, UM, THE STAFF YOU DO HAVE OVER THERE, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
I KNOW WE DO, UM, WE DO RESPOND WILL BE CALLED FROM THE FACILITY, BUT ARE YOUR GUYS TRAINED TO RESPOND AS WELL? OR THEY HAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY IF ALTERCATION BREAKOUT, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ISOLATE AND CONTAIN ANYTHING.
IF IT'S A MAJOR INCIDENT, OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO NOTIFY ESSEX COUNTY, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO TALK AND DEESCALATE, BUT WE WILL ISOLATE, CONTAIN AND RESPOND.
AND, UM, AND, AND BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, THESE MEETINGS, WE OFTEN, OFTEN, UH, SOMETIMES WE GET OFF TANGENT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO DISCUSS IT, DISCUSS THINGS.
AND, UM, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, I, THAT'S WHY I HOPE WHILE WE ARE HERE, AS FAR AS PEOPLE'S FACILITIES, WE CAN COME UP WITH THE TIME BECAUSE, SO I'M MEETING MORE OFTEN WHERE THEY CAN TALK I'LL I WAS, I ACTUALLY EMAILED YOU ON MONDAY.
SO WE HAVE A MEETING WHEN SUMMER WE GOT A LOT OF YOUNGER BOARD MEMBERS COMING UP.
I STARTED GETTING THEM INVOLVED IN THE BEACON BECAUSE NO, THIS IS MY LAST YEAR.
AND MOST OF MY BOARD MEMBERS ARE RETIRED.
SO I'D LIKE TO START GETTING THE NEWER GUYS INVOLVED.
SO IT CAN RELATIONSHIP WITH FEELING YOU GUYS SO THEY CAN CARRY THE TORCH AND GET THIS STUFF MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS.
I FEEL AS THOUGH WE STAGNATED FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW, I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR A WHILE, NOW WE NEED TO MOVE PAST THAT.
SO MAYBE TOMORROW WE CAN MEET WITH SOME OF THEM, THE, THE ORGANS THAT ARE IN THE FACILITY TOMORROW.
MAYBE WE CAN MEET TOMORROW AT THE TIME.
I'LL MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE DIRECTOR, NOT A PROBLEM.
HEY CYNTHIA, IS THERE ANY, I SEE A PRESIDENT WAYNE RICHARDSON AND GOT BACK ON MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I'M SORRY, I'VE BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME.
I WAS OFF CAMERA, HAS SOME OTHER THINGS TO DO.
I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE WHOLE MEETING.
SO I JUST CAME BACK ON CAMERA, A GOOD LIVELY DISCUSSION.
I THINK, UM, WE HAVE SOME, UM, SOME, SOME AREAS OF CONCERN, BUT I THINK THERE'S NOTHING THAT WASN'T TALKED ABOUT TODAY AND NO ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, THAT CAN'T BE WORKED OUT IF WE WORK TOGETHER AND WE JUST GOTTA, YOU KNOW, JUST GOTTA GET IT DONE, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S, THERE'S WAYS TO DO IT.
AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON FOR HOLDING THIS MEETING.
I WANT TO THANK HIM ADMINISTRATION AND EVERYONE WHO'S ON THE CALL WHO PARTICIPATED, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE CAN, UM, WORK SOME THINGS OUT.
[02:05:02]
I AGREE.YES, CHAIRMAN, UH, AGAIN, UM, THE PRESIDENT STOLE MY PHONE THAT I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
UM, IT WAS A VIBRANT DISCUSSION AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY.
I WANT TO TAKE THE ADMINISTRATION, MR. JACKSON, CHIEF ELIJAH, AND DIRECTOR, HOW AND WHARTON AND, UM, MR. JOHNSON AND MR. RICHARDSON, AS WELL AS, UH, UH, THE DELANEY HALL FOLKS, MR. WILLIAMS AND MELISSA.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE FLOOR.
THIS IS, THIS IS REAL IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US.
AND WE KNOW WE ALL HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HEAR IT, YOU KNOW, FROM WHERE I'M SITTING AND WHERE I'M LISTENING.
LIKE YOU HEAR THE PASSION TO HELPING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, GET THEIR LIVES BACK ON TRACK, YOU KNOW, KEEP THEM IN A SAFE, CLEAN, SECURE FACILITY.
AND WE ALL HAVE OUR ROLES TO PLAY.
AND I THINK LIKE THE, LIKE THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT THERE'S NOTHING IN A DISCUSSION TODAY THAT WE CANNOT RESOLVE.
AND I THINK THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT WE CAN ALL PUT, YOU KNOW, UH, ALL OF THE PAST ASIDE AND, AND MOVE FORWARD AND START REALLY TAKING MORE CONCENTRATED, TARGETED AREAS THAT ARE OF CONCERN.
WE, AS A BOARD, WANT TO BE A SUPPORT.
WE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORTIVE OF OUR ADMINISTRATION.
AND, UM, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO MOSTLY THANK THE, THE STAFF AT THE FACILITIES TO THE CENTRAL STAFF, THE OFFICERS, THE FRONTLINE FOLKS, AND BOTH OUR FACILITY, AS WELL AS THE, MAYBE BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING THE HARD WORK.
SO, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO ALL OF THEM FOR THE PHENOMENAL WORK THEY'VE DONE, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, DURING THESE PAST TWO YEARS.
SO WE, AS A BOARD ARE HERE TO SUPPORT ADMINISTRATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING COLLECTIVELY, UM, TO SEE SOME PROGRESS, TO IMPROVE THE AREAS OF CONCERN THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY AND LET US KNOW WHERE WE CAN HELP.
AND MY FINAL WORDS BEFORE WE CLOSE THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED THIS TOWN HALL MEETINGS, OUR NEXT ONE IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 7TH AT THE JAIL AT 10:00 PM.
WE'VE TRIED TO OFFER THE TIMES BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THAT PLACE IS OPEN 24 7, SO 10:00 PM.
UM, SO IT'S A COMMISSIONERS, UH, COMMISSIONERS AND ALL ACTIVE STAFF ARE A CIVILIAN OR, OR, UM, OR, OR, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT STAFF ARE INVITED TO ATTEND APRIL 7TH, 10:00 PM AT THE JAIL.
WE'VE DONE THEM ON ALL DIFFERENT DAYS TO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE OUR DOS, TO TRY TO COME IN.
AND WE'VE DONE, WE'VE DONE ONE AT 6:00 AM AND NOW THEY JUST WANT TO BE AT 10:00 PM.
SO LIKE YOU SAID, NATE, I DO THINK WE ARE MEETING.
AND WHEN YOU SENT ME THAT FOR THAT 6:00 AM MEETING, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, I LAUGHED, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THE GUYS WHO WORKED MIDNIGHT, THEY WANT IT, THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT TWO TO 10 SHIFT THEIR WORK.
AND SO WE TRY TO MOVE IT AROUND.
I LAUGH THE MORNING PERSON AT 10:00 PM.
I MIGHT BE SLEEPING I'M HOME AT THAT TIME.
DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING RALPH, BEFORE WE CLOSE? YEAH.
UH, UH, I BELIEVE WE'VE KIND OF ESTABLISHED THAT WE WERE ALL HERE AND TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER AND ESTABLISH THAT ONE.
THERE WERE TWO GENTLEMEN BEHIND WATER SORELLA WHO WERE IN THE, I JUST WISH THEY INTRODUCED THEMSELVES.
AND SECONDLY, I JUST LIKE TO KNOW, CAN MR. ELIJAH COMMIT TO ME COMING TO A MEETING BECAUSE HE SPECIFICALLY TO SAY A NON-ACTIVE MEMBER WITH MY 25 YEARS OF SERVICE, A SOCIAL WORKER, I'M A PRINCIPAL.
I BELIEVE I KNOW THIS JOB VERY WELL.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY I'M EXCLUDED.
ALSO BEING YOU REMEMBER FROM A PANEL MEETING, I WOULD DEFINITELY LOVE TO SET UP A MEETING WITH YOU SEPARATE FROM THAT ONE.
I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY WORKING THERE, BUT I WILL DEFINITELY SET UP A MEETING WITH YOU OUT.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM HEARING WHAT YOU SAY AND WHO ARE THE TWO PEOPLE BEHIND WHARTON.
CIRILLO SURE TO MY RIGHT, I GUESS, WOULD BE TO YOUR LEFT.
THAT'S, UM, ASSISTANT WARDEN BROWN.
AND THEN, UM, THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL IS ASSOCIATE WARDEN.
WELL, I WANT TO, I WANT TO SAY THIS TOO, BEFORE I CLOSE TO THAT, I'M HOPING THAT IF, IF I HAVE TO CALL THESE MEETINGS ONCE EVERY OTHER MONTH TO GET US TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO PINPOINT AND RESOLVE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN ANY WAY, WE ALL CAN HELP.
[02:10:01]
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO BECAUSE, UH, I MADE THAT STATEMENT TO YOU PHIL A WHILE BACK THAT THAT'S WHY I, THAT I WANTED TO HELP.SO I'M GOING TO PUT MY BEST FOOT FORWARD ON THIS AND TRY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THINGS BETTER THERE.
BECAUSE ME AS A COMMISSIONER, I'M OUT ON THE STREETS ALL THE TIME, PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY CONFRONTING ME WITH THINGS.
AND, UH, UH, I THINK IT WAS, I THINK IT WAS SURREAL.
THOSE WHO SAID, COULD I BE DEFINITE ABOUT IT? I DON'T LIKE TO BRING EVERYBODY OUT ON IT.
YOU KNOW, IF IT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE'RE HAVING THERE AND YOU TELL ME, IS THIS, AND WE, WE DONE DID THIS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
I'M GOING TO FOLLOW YOUR LEAD, BUT MAKE SURE YOU'RE GIVING ME THE RIGHT LEAD TO FOLLOW.
THAT'S ALL I ASKED FOR SOME HONESTY AND HEY, WE ALL KNOW THINGS HAPPEN, BUT WE NEED TO TRY TO LEARN HOW TO, WHEN THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, HOW TO FIX THEM AND NOT GIVE PEOPLE THE WRONG STORIES, GIVE THEM THE RIGHT STORIES AND LET US DIGEST IT.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING AND FOR SHOWING UP.
AND I'M HOPING THAT THIS MEETING BRINGS SOME MORE UNITY BETWEEN US TO HELP THEM FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT WE SERVE AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHAIRMAN.