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COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, ABSENT OF COMMISSION OF PRESIDENT, WAYNE.
I HAVE BEFORE WE CERTIFICATION FOR THE CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS AT, UM, THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMITTEE MEETING IS TO REVIEW THE ACTIVITY FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES.
AND TODAY WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND WE'RE LOOKING TO GET AN UPDATE ON, UM, THE AMBROSE REPORT.
FOLLOWING UP FROM OUR LAST COMMITTEE MEETING IS CERTAINLY ONE TOPIC THAT WE, UH, WANNA HEAR FROM THE ADMINISTRATION RESPONSES FOR IN ADDITION TO SOME OTHER TOPICS WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA.
SO ANY ABSENCE OF MR. JACKSON? WE HAVE MR. CORY.
SO, MR. CORY, MADAM CHAIRWOMAN, UH, JULIUS POULTRY, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
MR. JACKSON IS OUTTA TOWN AND IS NOT AVAILABLE TODAY, SO I AM IN HIS PLACE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS DIRECTED TO ME WILL LEGAL TO ANSWER THEM? UH, WE HAVE DIRECTOR RON CHARLES, UH, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HERE TO PRESENT HIMSELF.
UH, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, RON CHARLES, DIRECTOR ESUS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
UH, WITH ME IS, UH, MY DEPUTY DIRECTOR, REGINA MARROW.
UM, IN THE VESTIBULE IS, UH, I HAVE CAPTAIN CE, CAPTAIN ALII, AND GUY SIRO, THE DIRECTOR AT THE POLICE ACADEMY.
VEGA, THEY MUST BE CAUGHT IN, IN TRAFFIC.
LET'S, UM, BEGIN WITH THAT, PLEASE.
BUT BEFORE I GET, BEFORE I GET INTO THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION, I JUST WANT, ONCE AGAIN, THANK EVERYBODY FOR HAVING US HERE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING WITH THIS COMMITTEE, THE STATE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
UM, BEFORE I GET INTO THE FORMAL PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE TEAM, WHICH I JUST DID AFTER MY APPOINTMENT 10 MONTHS AGO.
I TOOK A 90 DAY REVIEW OF OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
THIS WAS A TOP-DOWN REVIEW THAT INCLUDED REVIEWING POLICY AND PROCEDURES REVIEW OF THE BUDGET STATISTICAL DATA.
I MET WITH THE COMMAND STAFF, THE RANK AND FILE CIVILIAN STAFF, AND OUR KEY VENDORS FOR INPUT INTO THE AGENCY.
I WANTED TO HEAR WHAT WAS, WHAT THEY FELT, THE THINGS THAT WE DID WELL, AND THE THINGS WE NEEDED TO IMPROVE ON.
I ALSO MET WITH THE THREE BARGAINING AGENCIES AT THE JAIL.
I WANTED TO KNOW FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE WHAT WE DID GOOD, WHAT WE NEEDED IMPROVEMENT ON.
ONE OF THE IMMEDIATE THINGS I DID WAS BRING BACK, BRING IN THE NAKAMOTO GROUP, AN OUTSIDE CORRECTIONAL CONSULTING FIRM TO REVIEW THE STAFFING, THE ASSIGNMENTS OF STAFFING AND WAYS TO MAKE THE STAFFING MORE EFFICIENT.
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AMBROSE GROUP, WHO WAS BROUGHT IN BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, COMPLETED THEIR REVIEW AND PUBLISHED THEIR REPORT.
WITH THESE TWO REPORTS AND THE ANALYSIS THAT I HAD CONDUCTED MYSELF, I DESIGNED A PATHWAY TO IMPROVE OPERATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
I DEVELOPED A PLAN THAT INCLUDED IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS, SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS.
AFTER MY REVIEW AND NOTES FROM THE AMBROSE GROUP, I RESTRUCTURED THE TABLE OF ORGANIZATION, ORGANIZATION.
THE OLD ONE, WHICH IS SHOWN HERE, DID NOT MEET INDUSTRY STANDARDS OF SPAN OF CONTROL OR UNITY OF COMMAND.
THE NEW TABLE SHOWN HERE, YOU SEE THAT THERE ARE DIVISIONS AND UNITS, EACH DIVISION AS A COMMANDING OFFICER WHO WAS A CAPTAIN, RANK AN EXECUTIVE OFFICER WHO WAS LIEUTENANT.
THE CO OR COMMANDING OFFICER, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DIVISION.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE AMBROSE GROUP.
THIS SET A CLEAR LINE OF SPAN OF CONTROL AND AUTHORITY.
THE SECOND THING THAT I DID WAS TO SET UP A FAIR SENIORITY BASED BIDDING PROCESS.
DURING THE REVIEW PROCESS, WHAT I HEARD OVER AND OVER FROM STAFF WAS THEY FELT THE OLD SYSTEM DID NOT ALLOW FOR GROWTH WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND WHEN AT NOT TIMES WAS NOT FAIR TO EVERYONE.
THE NEW SYSTEM OF BIDS IS A FAIR, TOTALLY BASED ON SENIORITY SYSTEM, WHICH ALLOWS FOR OFFICERS TO GROW WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
NEXT, I TOOK A LOOK AT THE PHYSICAL MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT.
I FELT GETTING THE DEPARTMENT'S PHYSICAL HOUSE IN ORDER WAS NECESSARY.
MY APPOINTMENT, THE OVERTIME PROJECTION WAS 14 MILLION.
THROUGH A SERIES OF MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES AND CONTROLS, WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THAT OVERTIME BY 2.8 MILLION LAST YEAR.
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WE ARE PROJECTING A REDUCTION IN OVERTIME OF NEARLY 33% COMPARED TO 2022.NEXT, I TOOK A LOOK AT THE STAFFING.
OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS, STAFFING HAS, HAS AT TIMES BEEN CHALLENGING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF SEPARATIONS, THE NEW HIRES, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A VERY HIGH NUMBER OF STAFF ON LEASE.
AS AS, AS YOU CAN SEE AS WELL.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE GRAPH, THE TOP PART, WE HAD 32 OFFICERS WHO RETIRED 95, WHO FOR ONE REASON, ANOTHER RESIGNED.
AND WE HAD 26, UH, TERMINATIONS.
WE HIRED THROUGH THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST AND THE NON-CIVIL SERVICE LIST OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THE BOARD HAS ASKED IN THE PAST, THEY NEEDED A BREAKDOWN OF THE NEW HIRES.
I PROVIDED THAT.HERE FOR YOU TO THIS AFTERNOON, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE ENDEAVORED AND TRIED TO DO AN EXCELLENT JOB ON HIRING FAIR, EQUITABLE, AND DIVERSE IN OUR HIRING.
YOU SEE THE COLUMN ON THE LEFT IS WHAT WE HIRE FROM THE NEW JERSEY CIVIL SERVICE LIST, THE 39, UH, TOTAL, AND THE NON-CIVIL SERVICE LIST, WHICH WAS 143.
AND THE DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN FOLLOWS UNDERNEATH.
SO ON THE NON-CIVIL SERVICE LIST, HOW MANY OF THOSE FOLKS HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE ACADEMY AND HOW MANY OF 'EM ARE STILL WORKING OKAY.
OR ARE STILL EMPLOYED? UM, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER WITH ME, BUT THERE ARE, I HAVE SET UP, WHEN WE GET TO THE TRAINING PORTION OF IT, UM, THERE ARE ABOUT, AS OF TODAY, 82 OFFICERS WHO, WHO HAVE NOT GONE TO THE POLICE ACADEMY.
BUT WE ARE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE ATION AS FAR AS TRAINING, AS FAR AS, UH, NEW JERSEY STATE LAW.
BUT IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THAT TRAINING OR THAT MANDATE IS GOING TO CHANGE IN 2024.
AND MAKE, UH, MAKE IT MANDATORY FOR FOLKS TO GO THROUGH THE ACADEMY BEFORE THEY HIRE THAT.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ACADEMY, MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT.
BUT THAT, THAT'S IT IN A NUTSHELL.
NEXT YEAR, JANUARY, UH, THE GAME CHANGES.
UH, NO LONGER WILL, UH, CORRECTION OFFICERS, CORRECTIONAL, POLICE OFFICERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO START WORK BEFORE PROBABLY GO INTO THE ACADEMY.
NEXT THING WE TOOK A LOOK AT WAS, UH, TRAINING.
EACH YEAR, OUR STAFF ARE REQUIRED TO GO TO DOZENS OF HOURS OF TRAINING, WHICH IS COVERED UNDER THE IN-SERVICE TRAINING CALENDAR, THE QUARTERLY TRAINING, THE ANNUAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS, BUT ALSO REQUIRE THE ATTENDING AND GRADUATING OF THE POLICE ACADEMY.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE OFFICERS OR WHO OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS HAVE ATTENDED THE ACADEMY YOUTH FIRST COLUMNS IS WHAT WE START.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE PLEASE? ALRIGHT.
SHE WANTS, WHAT DOES YOUR TO CALL FOR RIGHT NOW? CORRECTIONS OFFICER SAYS FIVE 80.
NOW THE, THE PLAN NUMBER IS WHAT THE BUDGET'S CALLED FOR THE FIELD IS WHAT WE, WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE.
SO YOU SEE FROM THAT CHART THERE, THE DIRECTOR HAS ONE PLAN, THERE'S ONE, THERE'S ONE PERSON TO CO OH, OKAY.
WHEN, WHEN IT GETS, THEY HAVE MORE.
AND, AND, AND I, I WANNA, UH, PUBLICLY, YOU KNOW, THANK ELIJAH AND THE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE, UH, IN APPROVING THE NEW HIRES, UM, AS WE NEED IT.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE 178 OFFICERS WHO ARE OUT ON SOME KIND OF LEAVE.
IF YOU COUPLE THAT WITH THE SICK CALLS EACH DAY, SOMEWHERE AROUND 80 EACH DAY, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF STAFF.
I DON'T WANNA CALL 'EM SHORTAGES, BUT STAFF THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE, UM, TO COME TO WORK FOR THE DAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE BACK AT THE ACADE ACADEMY SLIDE NOW.
HOW COME YOU DON'T HAVE THIS BROKEN DOWN? BROKEN DOWN IN, UM, ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GET THAT FOR YOU ALL.
SO THAT WOULD BE EXACTLY THE SAME, THE NEW HIRES.
IT IS, UM, I, IT, IT WOULD BE ON A, ON A BIGGER SENSE, BUT I, I THINK, UH, YOU, YOU WANT THE, LIKE, THE CLASS FOR 3 11 22.
YOU WANT TO SEE THE BREAKDOWN THERE? SURE.
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WE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CLASS THAT STARTED, UH, JUNE THE NINTH, THAT'S IN THERE NOW.AND WE HAVE TWO MORE CLASSES SET FOR SEPTEMBER AND DECEMBER OF, OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN, LIKE WE MENTIONED BEFORE, THE GAME CHANGES, UH, JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR, WHERE WE WENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AG DIRECTIVES.
NEW TRAINING INITIATIVES THAT WERE CONDUCTED IN 2022 AND 23 WERE ICAT AND ABLE, THOSE ARE REQUIRED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERALS.
THE ICAT IS THE TRAINING, WHICH PROVIDES THE OFFICERS WITH THE TOOLS TO SAFELY DIFFUSE CRITICAL INCIDENCES.
AND THE ABLE TRAINING PREPARES OFFICERS TO SUCCESSFULLY INTERVENE OR PREVENT HARM THAT SUPPORTS PEER INTERVENTION.
WHAT WE DID IN THE DEPARTMENT AT THE END OF 20 20, 22 AND BEGINNING OF 2023, IS WE TRAINED ALL OFF SUPER SUPERVISORS IN NARCAN TRAINING.
I FELT THAT THAT WAS IMPORTANT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE BROUGHT, UM, THAT I DID IN UNION COUNTY.
UM, THE OFFICERS CARRIED ANAR, NARCAN SUPERVISORS CARRIED A NARCAN WITH THEM, UM, SHOULD THEY NEED THAT IN, IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
ANOTHER ITEM THAT CAME FROM THE AMBROSE GROUP WAS THE, UH, THEIR REPORT WAS THE PURCHASE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POWER DMS. POWER DMS IS PRETTY MUCH A LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDARD, WHICH YOU CAN LOAD POLICY AND PROCEDURES ON.
YOU CAN LOAD TRAINING SEGMENTS ON, UM, MEMOS, DIRECTIVES SO THAT THE STAFF ELECTRONICALLY CAN SIGN FOR THEM.
THE ADMINISTRATION KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE READ IT, UM, AND THAT WE HAVE AN ARCHIVE, UH, ARCHIVE SYSTEM, UM, SHOULD WE NEED 'EM FOR INSPECTIONS OR ACCREDITATIONS.
WHAT WE STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO WAS SOMETHING THAT I, I WANNA BRING TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION WAS HANDCUFFING TRAINING AND OC TRAINING, MAC TRAINING FOR NON ACADEMY CERTIFIED OFFICERS.
UM, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I GOT FROM THE RANK AND FILE WAS THAT THEY FELT WITH THE HANDCUFFING AND THE OC, THEY, THEY WOULD FEEL A LITTLE MORE SAFE WITH THAT.
UM, I LOOKED, I SPOKE TO THE POLICE TRAINING COMMISSION.
I SPOKE TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE ACADEMY.
UM, OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, WE HAVE TRAINED, WE'RE FINISHING UP TRAINING TOMORROW, EVERYONE WHO HAS NOT GRADUATED FROM THE ACADEMY WITH THE OC AND THE HANDCUFFING TRAINING.
SO THEY, THEY'LL, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO BE CERTIFIED IN THAT, AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT, UH, MECHANISMS IN USE, UH, WHEN, WHEN THEY FINISH SAFETY AND SECURITY.
WE'VE DEVELOPED AN 18 POINT PLAN TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND COMBAT VIOLENCE IN THE FACILITY.
I BROKE IT DOWN TO THREE INITIATIVES.
IMMEDIATE ACTION, SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM BULLET.
POINT NUMBER ONE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A DEDICATED SEARCH TEAM.
20 OFFICERS AND TWO SUPERVISORS ARE NOW PART OF WHAT I CALLED THE SEARCH AND SECURITY DIVISION.
IT'S HEADED BY CAPTAIN STEVEN OI, WHO'S IN THE VESTIBULE.
UM, THAT TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SEARCHING BOTH TARGETED SEARCHES ON INTEL AND RANDOM SEARCHES THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY.
THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION, UM, THAT CAME OUT OF THE AMBROSE GROUP AS WELL AS WELL, THE EXPANSION OF THE CLASSIFICATION BUREAU.
THAT WAS ANOTHER, AN ANTHONY AMBROSE, UH, RECOMMENDATION.
WE NOW HAVE CLASSIFICATION STAFF THERE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 16 HOURS A DAY.
WE CREATED AN INTEGRATED HOUSING STRATEGY, WHICH IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CLASSIFICATION BUREAU, WE STARTED HOUSING INMATES OF LIGHT CLASSIFICATIONS AND LIGHT CHARGES IN A MORE SAFELY MANNER.
THE NEXT BULLET POINT, INSTALLATION OF 77 ADDITIONAL CAMERAS.
WE TO, WE HAVE TOTAL NOW 427 CAMERAS IN THE FACILITY.
THOSE 77 ADDITIONAL CAMERAS WERE AN AMBROSE, A REPORT CRITICAL FINDING, WHICH WE, UH, FINISHED MAYBE ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO.
THE EXPANSION OF ETERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION, THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THE AMBROSE GROUP.
UM, THE ETERNAL AFFAIRS, UM, DIVISION, WE SELECTED AND APPOINTED A CHIEF OF STAFF THERE, OR A CHIEF OF OF THE DEPARTMENT.
WE ASSIGNED THREE MORE INVESTIGATORS TO THE UNIT, WHICH BRING A TOTAL TO SIX.
WE, WE HAVE, WE ASSIGNED CIVILIAN SUPPORTS, UH, SYSTEM, UM, IN THERE AS WELL.
EACH OF THEM HAVE TRAINING EXCEPT FOR THE TWO NEWEST ONES, WHICH THEY'RE SCHEDULED.
GO IN THE TRAINING COME DECEMBER.
THE REESTABLISHMENT OF THE INTELLIGENCE UNIT, THAT WAS A AMBROSE REPORT AS WELL.
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THE INTELLIGENT UNIT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GATHERING INTELLIGENCE THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY, WHETHER THAT BE FOR, UH, INVOLVING STAFF, WHETHER THAT'S INMATE, INMATE.SOMETHING THAT WE, WE DID OVER THE LAST MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF, IS THAT WE MADE IT.
WE WERE GONNA NOW PROSECUTE AND CHARGE ANY INMATE IN FACILITY CRIMES, ESPECIALLY THE CRIMES OR ASSAULT INVOLVING STAFF.
PRIOR TO THAT IMPLEMENTATION, IT WAS UP TO THE OFFICER OR, OR THE STAFF MEMBER TO WANT TO PRESS THE CHARGES.
NOW WE ARE DOING IT THEMSELVES, OURSELVES AS A DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS TO THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
UM, AND WE'RE CHARGING THEM, UM, WITH SERIES OF CRIMES.
UM, MOSTLY AGGRAVATED ASSAULT ON OFFICERS, UM, OR ON STAFF PEOPLE.
UM, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AGGRAVATED ASSAULT.
IT COULD BE CRIMES OF, UH, OF, OF, OF BRIBERY AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL.
SO WE WE'RE, WE'RE PROSECUTING THAT MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY, MR. PRESIDENT.
WHAT ABOUT INMATE ON INMATE? UH, INMATE ON INMATE.
IF, IF IT'S A CRIME OF A THIRD OR FOURTH, A THIRD SECOND, AND ONE FIRST DEGREE, WE TURN IT OVER TO THE PROSECUTOR, WHICH IS MANDATED.
UM, WE ALSO INVESTIGATE IT, AND IT'S REFERRED TO THE PRO PROSECUTOR FOR REVIEW AT THIS, AT THIS POINT.
SO, SO WHY ISN'T THAT AUTOMATIC? IS THE STAFF AND OFFICER LIVES MORE IMPORTANT THAN SOMEONE WHO'S A PRISONER IN THE JAIL? NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
SO WHY THE DISPARITY? UM, WHAT WE, WHAT WE FOUND THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF HAS BEEN THAT THE ASSAULTS ON THE STAFF, UM, HAVE, HAVE INCREASED.
AND WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT, UM, TO TAKE THAT, UH, MEASURE TO TRY TO CONTROL OR, OR, OR CONDENSED THE, THE VIOLENCE OR DETERRENT OF IT.
UM, ANY INMATE ON INMATE CRIME, THAT'S OF THE THIRD DEGREE, OR SECOND OR FIRST IS REQUIRED BY LAW, UH, TO BE PROSECUTED, UH, UH, SENT TO THE PROSECUTOR FOR REVIEW.
IT'S THE FOURTH DEGREE, WHICH ORDER, THE DISORDERLY, UH, PERSON STUFF ON, WHICH THERE IS SOME, I GUESS SOME DISCRETION THERE.
UM, BUT ALL OF THAT IS INVESTIGATED THROUGH THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS UNIT.
AND THEN IF THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS PASS IT ON TO THE PROSECUTOR FOR, FOR, SO YOU SAID LATELY THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE ON INMATE ON STAFF AND OFFICER, UH, INCIDENTS.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE ON INMATE ON INMATE INCIDENTS AS WELL.
I KEEP READING ALL THESE NEWS ARTICLES AND ALL THESE THINGS KEEP COMING OUT.
SEEMS LIKE THAT HAS INCREASED AS WELL.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION BASED ON, YOU SAID IT'S GOING TO BE AUTOMATIC FOR STAFF AND OFFICERS.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC FOR EVERYBODY.
PEOPLE GET INCARCERATED, SOME PEOPLE FOR MORE HEINOUS CRIMES THAN OTHERS.
UH, SOME PEOPLE JUST CAN'T GET OUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND THEY SHOULD BE SUBJECTED TO, TO VIOLENCE.
I THINK ANY VIOLENCE ON ANYBODY IN THE JAIL SHOULD BE AUTOMAT, UH, AUTOMATICALLY PROSECUTED IN, IN MY VIEW THAT, THAT'S MY 2 CENTS.
I DON'T THINK SOMEBODY'S, ANYBODY'S LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN, THAN OTHERS.
SO WHY IS THERE DISCRETION? WE CAN'T MAKE IT THE SAME FOR WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN.
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO SET A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY, WE DON'T WANT VIOLENCE TO HAPPEN TO ANY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT WORK THERE, AS WELL AS THE INMATES.
AND, AND THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY REFER EVERYTHING TO THE PROSECUTOR.
IT'S THAT IT'S THEIR, IT, IT'S AT THEIR DISCRETION IF THEY'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH CHARGES.
BUT WE CAN, AS A MATTER OF POLICY, REFER EVERYTHING TO THE PROSECUTOR.
HOW, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THIS 18 POINT PLAN? SO THE IMMEDIATE STUFF HAS, UH, BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
THE SHORT TERM STUFF HAS, UH, JUST STARTED TO, UH, UH, DESIGN.
AND THEN THE LONG START, UH, IS, IS A LITTLE LONGER, MAYBE ABOUT FIVE, SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD.
THE SHORT TERM, ABOUT THE NEXT 30 OR 60 DAYS, THE IMMEDIATE STUFF HAS, HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED OR IS IN PLACE ALREADY.
SO WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, LET'S SAY EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE LISTED UP THERE ON YOUR 18 POINT PLAN SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AND UP AND RUNNING.
WHAT IS THE DEVELOPER RELEASE TO INCLUDE? NO PRISONERS WORK DETAIL IN THE KITCHEN.
SO W WHAT THAT IS, RIGHT, CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 38 INMATES WHO WORK IN THE KITCHEN.
WE ARE GOING TO DEVELOP, UM, A R F P, WHICH A LOT OF THE JAILS IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY HAVE GONE TO THAT.
THEY GO TO A NON INMATE WORKFORCE.
THEY HAVE ALL CIVILIANS WORK AS OPPOSED TO INMATES.
WHAT THAT DOES IN A FACILITY IS YOU'LL PE PE JAILS ARE SEEING CONTRABAND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED, UM, BECAUSE OF NOT THE KITCHEN WORKERS USED THAT AS A MEANS OF TRANSPORTING CONTRABAND FROM ONE PART OF
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THE FACILITY TO, TO THE OTHER.SO WE'RE, WE'RE PREPARING AN RFP TO, TO BE PUT OUT PROBABLY THE NEXT 60 DAYS, UM, FOR, UM, ANY VENDOR WHO WOULD WANNA OPERATE THE KITCHEN SERVICES WITHOUT ANY, UH, INMATE WORKERS.
SO, SO, MR. PRESIDENT, SO, SO LET, LET ME BE ASKED ANOTHER QUESTION.
SO YOU THINK THAT'S GONNA MAKE THE JOB THE JAIL SAFER? I THINK SO, YES.
THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE BEEN GETTING FROM HUDSON COUNTY AND FROM MIDDLESEX COUNTY, UM, THEY'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN CONTRABAND AND, AND, AND ISSUES, UH, AS FAR AS, UH, VIOLENCE IN THE, IN THE JAILS.
FROM TAKING THE PRISONERS OUT OF THE KITCHEN.
FROM GIVING THEM LESS ACTIVITY AND LESS THINGS TO DO TO OCCUPY THEM BUYING.
BUT, BUT IF YOU, IF YOU, YOU'RE TAKING THE JOB AWAY FROM IT MM-HMM.
AND YOU THINK THAT'S MORE CONDUCIVE TO OCCUPYING THEIR MIND AND KEEPING THEM? UH, UH, WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S ONLY 30 OR SO THAT WORK IN THE KITCHEN, BUT, UH, AND WE'RE GONNA SUPPLEMENT THAT.
THE AMOUNT OF PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE, WE'VE INSTITUTED OR, OR BE, WE'VE GONE AND WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THAT A LITTLE LATER.
UM, WILL CERTAINLY COMPENSATE FOR ANY, ANY PRO ANY, ANY WORKING PROGRAM, UM, THAT YOU HAVE IN, IN THE JAIL.
SO THE KITCHEN, THE KITCHEN WORKERS, ARE THEY COMPENSATED MONETARILY? THEY'RE PAID A VERY SMALL, SMALL FEE.
YEAH, I KNOW, BECAUSE WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS SLAVERY IS STILL ON THE BOOKS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE INCARCERATED YOUR PROPERTY OF PROPERTY OF THE STATE, OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE WHERE THEY DIDN'T WIPE OUT SLAVERY WAS WHEN YOU ARE INCARCERATED.
SO YEAH, YOU CAN, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PAY THEM BECAUSE THEY BECOME THE PROPERTY OF THE COUNTY, THE CITY, THE STATE, OR WHOMEVER.
BUT PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT MODERN DAY SLAVERY IS ALIVE AND WELL WHEN YOU'RE INCARCERATED.
SO THE PRISONERS CURRENTLY WORK IN THE KITCHEN.
THEY EARN, WHAT, 50 CENTS AN HOUR? WHAT, WHAT THEY EARN? NAH, IT'S, I THINK IT'S LIKE A DOLLAR 50.
AND WE HAVE A OUTSIDE VENDOR WHO WORKS THIS KITCHEN FOR US NOW, OR NO.
UM, I WOULD AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT THAT, TO REMOVE THAT DETAIL, IT'S A DOLLAR 50 TO YOU AND ME, BUT THAT'S MONEY THAT THE PRISONER GETS TO CREATE TO HELP OFFSET THINGS THAT THEY WANNA BUY IN A COMMISSARY, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, UM, DO YOU, DO THE ALTERNATIVES THAT YOU'VE COME UP WITH, BALANCE THAT OUT? THEY BALANCE IT IN EVEN MORE.
WE HAVE THERE, THEY DON'T RECEIVE COMPENSATION.
THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, TRUSTEES, UH, JOBS, PAINTERS THAT WE HAVE CO COMING UP.
ARE ALL THOSE CURRENTLY FILLED RIGHT NOW? OR YOU'RE CREATING A NEW 30 POSITIONS IN THOSE AREAS? OH, WE WE'RE GONNA TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS OF THE KITCHEN.
OH, WE'RE GONNA CREATE MORE THAN 30 MORE CREATE MORE THAN 30.
AND, AND WHAT'S YOUR TIMELINE FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE? SO RIGHT NOW, THE, WE HAVE TO DEVELOP THE RFP.
SO I I, I IMAGINE SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER-ISH, BY THE TIME WE GET THE, SO MY OTHER QUESTION IS, SO THIS RFP THAT'S GONNA GO OUT AND YOU'RE GONNA PAY THIS OUTSIDE VENDOR, ARE, ARE THEIR EMPLOYEES GONNA MAKE MORE THAN A DOLLAR 50 AN HOUR? UH, I DON'T, IMA I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY PAY, WHAT THEY PAY, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE MORE THAN A DOLLAR 50 A DAY, I WOULD SAY.
SO NOW COUNTY AND THE TAXPAYERS ARE GOING TO INCUR A EVEN COSTLY SYSTEM? THAT IS CORRECT.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY OF THE, THE RESULTS BACK FROM THE R THE RFP.
WE HAVEN'T PROPOSED ANY OF THAT OUT.
CAUSE I'M, I'M INCLINED NOT TO SUPPORT THAT AT THIS POINT.
I HAVE TO SEE REALLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO, HOW ARE THESE, UH, PRISONERS GONNA BE, UH, AFFECTED.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE MORE ACTIVITY IS GOOD AND THEN YOU GOTTA PAY ALL THIS OTHER MONEY.
I HAPPEN TO LIVE HERE AND I DON'T WANT TO PAY MORE.
AND I, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
WELL, DIRECTLY, I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS TO HELP GUIDE THE CONVERSATION WOULD BE THESE, UM, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT'S TAKING PLACE WITH THE INMATES.
UM, WHAT IS THAT NUMERICAL VALUE THAT'S ASSIGNED TO THAT VIOLENCE? UM, SINCE YOU SAID THAT THE OTHER JAILS WHO REMOVED INMATES FROM THE KITCHEN SAW A REDUCTION
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IN CRIMINAL, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR.CAN YOU QUANTIFY THAT WITH THE NUMBER TO SAY, HEY, WE ARE, WE'RE GONNA, IT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, BE A SAVINGS OF THIS, ALTHOUGH THE CONTRACT IS, IS GONNA GO OFF.
MAYBE IF YOU COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT TO HELP FRAME THE, THE CONVERSATION.
UM, CUZ I AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THOUGHTS THAT OCCURRED TO ME.
LIKE, YOU'RE GONNA MOVE THOSE 30 BODIES.
HOW MUCH MORE IS THE CONTRACT GONE TO GO UP WHEN, WHEN YOU DO THAT? UM, WHAT DOES UPGRADE OF THE GUARD ONE OFFICER TOUR SYSTEM MEAN? OKAY.
THE, THE GUARD ONE OFFICER TOUR SYSTEM, WHICH IS IN THE SPECIAL HOUSING UNIT RIGHT NOW, IS A, WHAT THEY CALL A OFFICER MONITORING.
IT'S VERY, UH, THE OFFICER WHEN HE'S DOING HIS OR HER ROUNDS HAS TO, UH, TAP ON THE, THE, WHAT THEY CALL A PIPE ON, ON A LITTLE, UH, UH, METAL PIECE TO PROVE THAT THEY HAVE DONE THEIR TOURS AND THEY'VE DONE MADE THEIR CHECKS.
UM, NOW WITH, UH, TECHNOLOGY, THE WAY AS EVENTS, UM, WE ARE, WE'RE GOING TO A, A NEWER MODERN SYSTEM THAT NOT ONLY AUTOMATES THE REPORT WRITING OF, OF THAT, BUT THE ACTUAL VERIFICATION THAT THE OFFICERS MADE, MADE THE, MADE THE ROUNDS.
IF THEY DIDN'T MAKE THE ROUNDS NOTIFICATION ELECTRONICALLY, THEN WOULD GO TO THE SUPERVISOR IN THAT AREA THAT, HEY, OFFICER SO-AND-SO DID NOT MAKE HIS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE ROUND AT, AT, SAY, FIVE EIGHT, 5:00 PM.
UM, AND, AND, AND ACTION WILL BE REQUIRED.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, TOO, IS THAT THE ARCHAIC STYLE OF USING A HANDWRITTEN LOG BOOK, EVERYTHING WILL THEN WILL BE DONE ELECTRONICALLY.
THAT DOES THAT GO BACK THROUGH THAT NEW SYSTEM THAT YOU IMPLEMENTED? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THAT CAME OUT OF THE, THE AMBROSE REPORT AS WELL.
THE, THE RECOMMENDATION TO, TO, TO GET THE, A SYSTEM LIKE THE GUARD ONE.
WILL THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY FOR THE CAPTAINS, LIEUTENANTS AND SERGEANTS, UM, ASSIST PEOPLE IN, UM, BEING PROMOTED? OR IS THAT PURELY FOR TRAINING THAT IS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN PROMOTED ONCE THEY'RE TRAINING? I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB, UH, A MORE THOROUGH JOB OF, OF TRAINING THE CAPTAINS LIEUTENANTS AND THE SERGEANTS.
YES, THEY HAVE, UH, THEIR TRAINING WHEN THEY GET PROMOTED, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THERE'S, THERE'S SOME MORE TRAINING THROUGH THE ACA, UH, THE N IIC, UM, THOSE TYPES OF TRAININGS, UM, THAT THEY, PEOPLE MANAGEMENT, PEER MANAGEMENT, UM, DIFFUSING THE SITUATION, UH, REPORT REPORT WRITER FOR EXECUTIVES E EVEN SO FAR AS THE CAPTAINS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CAPTAINS ARE SUCCESSION PLANNING.
I, I THINK THAT THOSE, THOSE THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
UM, HAVING THEM UNDERSTAND, UM, THE, THE BUDGET, RIGHT, AND HOW THAT AFFECTS, UM, SOME OF THE, UH, DEPARTMENT'S, UH, ACTIONS, RIGHT.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, THO, THO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, I THINK THAT, UH, WE NEED TO DO, DO A BETTER JOB ON.
UM, IF I COULD CONTINUE ON THE IMMEDIATE, UH, ACTION, UM, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE, UH, FACILITY COMPLIANCE UNIT, THAT WAS A AMBROSE RECOMMENDATION AS WELL.
UM, THAT COMPLIANCE UNIT REVIEWS, VIDEO REVIEWS POLICY TOWARDS THE FACILITY EACH DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH POLICY AND PROCEDURE.
UM, SOMETHING THAT, UH, YES SIR.
SO WHO, WHO IS GONNA BE REVIEWING THESE, UH, VIDEOS AND MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION? THIS'LL BE DONE BY WHOM? WE HAVE, UM, THREE PEOPLE IN THAT, IN THAT UNIT RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE, UM, A RETIRED LIEUTENANT.
WE HAVE OUR ACA COORDINATOR, AND WE HAVE A OFFICER AS WELL.
UM, THEY REPORT TO, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR MERRILL, UH, SITTING NEXT TO ME.
UM, EACH DAY THEY GET THEIR ASSIGNMENTS FROM HER.
UM, AND THEY, THEY HAVE, THEY GET, SUBMIT THEIR FINDINGS TO A REPORT TO HER OFFICE.
AND HOW LONG DO THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT THE REPORT? I WOULD LIKE IT TO GET IT TO DALEY, BUT WE NOW, WE'RE, WE'RE ABOUT 48, 48 HOURS.
UM, THE, THE, THE LAST BULLET POINT ON THAT IS THE, WE AMENDED THE STAFFING PLAN TO INCLUDE SERGEANTS ON EVERY, UH, ON EVERY FLOOR.
SO NOW EVERY FLOOR IN THE FACILITY, THERE IS A SERGEANT WHO WAS ASSIGNED TO THAT UNIT, UH, TO THAT FLOOR.
THAT IS THEIR PRECINCT, THAT IS THEIR SMALL JAIL.
UM, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE JAIL ON THEIR SHIFT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON THE SHORT TERM INITIATIVES.
UM, WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT IS, IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MENTAL HEALTH STEP DOWN UNIT.
UM, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORD, UH, UH, WE HAVE DEDICATED A AREA, A HOUSING UNIT IN THE FACILITY, UM, TO TAKE THE INMATES WHO ARE BEING TREATED ON A MENTAL HEALTH, UM, COMPONENT.
[00:30:01]
NOT OUR MOST SERIOUS, PUT THEM IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN GET THEM GROUP TRAINING, GROUP COUNSELING, INDIVIDUAL HOUSING, BRING THE PROGRAMS TO THEM AND GET THEM OUT OF, GET THEM OUT OF THE, UH, THE SHOE, THE SHOE AREA, THE SPECIAL HOUSING UNIT.UM, THOSE WHO ARE, WHO ARE OUR MOST SEVERE, THOSE, THOSE WILL RE REMAIN IN A SINGLE, UH, CELL AREA, WHICH IS THE, UH, THE SHOE.
UM, BUT THIS, THIS MENTAL HEALTH, WE BELIEVE IS, UH, IS, IS, IS, IS A GAME CHANGER.
FLEMING, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, CAUSE DR.
FLEMING IS, UH, IS MOST EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS WELL AS I AM ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THAT AS WELL.
FLEMING SOME TIME SO HE CAN EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS.
NO, MR. THE PRESIDENT, WE WERE THINKING THE SAME WAY.
FLEMING TO SPEAK NOW OR WERE YOU MADAM CHAIR? UM, SURE.
FLEMING CAN SPEAK NOW, PLEASE, DOCTOR.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
I'M THE MENTAL HEALTH DIRECTOR AT, UH, ESUS COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
I'VE BEEN THERE ALMOST THREE YEARS NOW.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALIZED WHEN I FIRST GOT TO ESUS COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IS THAT THERE WASN'T, WASN'T A, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY TO PUT IT, A DESIGNATED SPACE OR AREA OR HOUSING UNIT, CREATIVE TREATMENT MIL FOR OUR, OUR MENTALLY ILL INCARCERATED MEN AND WOMEN.
UM, WHAT WOULD END UP HAPPENING IS THAT THOSE WHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING MENTAL, SEVERE ENOUGH MENTAL ILLNESS, AND THIS IS, THIS IS TOO SEVERE TO BE ABLE TO FUNCTION IN THE GENERAL POPULATION.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE MENTALLY ILL ON SOME FORM OF PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATIONS ARE ACTUALLY IN THE GENERAL POPULATION ON MANY OF THE UNITS AND BUILDINGS AND FLOORS.
UH, THERE'S A SET, THERE'S A SMALLER GROUP OF THAT THAT, THAT MENTALLY ILL POPULATION.
AND I'LL SAY, LET'S CALL IT LIKE ABOUT A HUNDRED, WHO BY DUE TO THEIR MENTAL ILLNESS REALLY WOULD BE UNSTABLE, UNSAFE, UH, VULNERABLE AT RISK FOR HARM TO OTHERS, OR HARM TO DONE TO THEMSELVES AS A RESULT OF THEIR PLACEMENT IN THE GENERAL POPULATION.
SO WHAT HAPPENED, OR WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IS THAT THEY WOULD BE PLACED IN THE SHOE, WHICH IS A SPECIAL HOUSING UNIT.
UM, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, MY MENTAL HEALTH TEAM, UH, ASSESSES THEM WEEKLY, PROVIDES TREATMENT.
UM, BUT THEY'RE VARYING LEVELS OF IN THE SHOE, THEY'RE VARYING STATUSES OF OTHER INMATES.
YOU KNOW, THE SHOE ALSO HOUSES THOSE INMATES WHO GET DISCIPLINARY INFRACTIONS.
THE SHOE ALSO HOUSES THOSE INMATES WHO ARE INVOLUNTARY PROTECTIVE CUSTODY OR INVOLUNTARY PROTECTIVE CUSTODY.
AND THE SHOE ITSELF, IT'S REALLY SORT OF TWO UNITS GETS FILLED UP PRETTY QUICKLY.
ONE MADAM CHAIR, UM, FOR RECORDING PURPOSES, IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK RIGHT, SPEAK RIGHT INTO, OKAY, I GOT YOU.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT WHAT'S ESSENTIALLY ENDED UP HAPPENING IS THAT, AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THIS, WE HAVE MORE AND MORE AND MORE SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE COMING TO JAIL.
AND SO WE'RE NOW PAST THE POINT WHERE WE CAN FIT ALL THOSE FOLKS IN THE SPECIAL HOUSING UNIT ALONG WITH THE OTHER INMATES, WHICH ARE ON THOSE OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS OR STATUSES.
SO, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT BY SHEER NUMBERS, THOSE INMATES, THEIR PLACEMENT IS SPILLING OUT OF THE SHOE INTO VARIOUS OTHER HOUSING UNITS, CREATING REALLY A NEED FOR EVEN MORE SO THAN EVER BEFORE.
A NEED FOR THEM THERE TO BE A, A SPECIAL DESIGNATED AREA WHERE MENTALLY IN INMATES WHO'VE BEEN, UH, UH, DEEMED APPROPRIATE FOR THAT UNIT.
CUZ IT'S NOT NECESSARILY GONNA BE FOR EVERYONE.
WE HAVE SOME VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY ILL, UH, MENTALLY ILL, UH, INMATES WHO REALLY DO NEED THE CONFOUNDS, THE STRUCTURE, THE SAFETY, THE ENVIRONMENT, THAT IS THE SHOE.
BUT THERE'S A, A, A NUMBER OF THEM WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM MORE LIKE A UNIT AS OPPOSED TO LIKE A SORT OF CELL BLOCK SORT OF, UH, ENVIRONMENT.
THOSE, THOSE INMATES WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME OUT FOR REC MORE OFTEN, ACTUALLY COME OUT AND, AND, AND ACTUALLY IN THE, THE GROUP DAY SPACE, CUZ IT'S A WIDE OPEN UNIT, ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR GROUPS RIGHT ON THE UNIT.
IT WOULD ALSO BE SOMEWHAT MOTIVATIONAL BECAUSE SOME OF THE INMATES WHO AREN'T AS HIGH ON, AND I COULD GO THROUGH THE LEVELS AND THE TIERS, BUT I'M NOT GONNA FORWARD WITH YOU GUYS WITH THAT HERE TODAY.
BUT EACH INMATE WOULD BE ASSIGNED A CERTAIN STATUS LEVEL IN THIS, IN THIS STEP DOWN UNIT THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM, YOU KNOW, MORE PERKS AND PRIVILEGES DEPENDING ON THE, THE STATUS THAT THEY'RE ON AND THE LEVEL THAT THEY'RE ON.
SO HAVING THAT MILIEU AND ENVIRONMENT WOULD ALSO ALLOW FOR INMATES TO SEE SOME OTHER, THEIR PEERS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? WHY ARE THEY OUT, WHY ARE THEY WATCHING TV? WHY ARE THEY WATCHING MOVIES? WHY ARE THEY GET TO COME OUT MORE THAN I, WELL, SIR OR MA'AM, THAT'S BECAUSE MR. SO-AND-SO'S TAKING HIS MEDICATION.
THAT'S BECAUSE MR. SO-AND-SO IS ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROUP AS BEST HE CAN.
HOW HARD IS YOUR STAFF? SECOND, HOW HARD DOES YOUR STAFF, HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK WITH YOU TO MANAGE THIS A HUNDRED PEOPLE? WELL, MY MENTAL HEALTH STAFF, INCLUDING MYSELF, IS EIGHT.
AND THEN THE EIGHT IS BROKEN UP.
THE HUNDRED IS BROKEN UP AND I GUESS SIGNED AMONG THE EIGHT, SO EIGHT FOR THE WHOLE JAIL.
[00:35:01]
OKAY.I NEED TO, GLAD I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT ALSO.
SO YOU SOUNDS LIKE, I'M SORRY, I'M NOT CHAIR MR. PRESIDENT.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE WOEFULLY UNDERSTAFFED.
SO MAYBE THAT INSTEAD OF GETTING NEW KITCHEN STAFF AND GOING OUTSIDE, MAYBE THAT MONEY WOULD BE BETTER SPENT WITH THE DOCTOR IN HIS UNIT TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH.
THROUGH YOU MADAME PRESIDENT OR THE STATE CAN REBUILD THESE MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTIONS.
I'M SORRY, MR. ELIJAH, PLEASE.
PHIL ELIJAH, CHIEF OF STAFF, AND NOT PUT THE BURDEN ON OUR CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM AND DO WHAT THE STATE NEEDS TO DO AND HAVE MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES INSTEAD OF CLOSING 15 OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.
I UNDERSTOOD, AND I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT IN THE INTERIM, WHILE WE'RE HOUSING THEM AT ESUS COUNTY, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE THERE.
SO ABOUT 10% OF THE POPULATION, UM, NO, YEAH, ABOUT 10.
A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 10% FALL INTO YOUR CATEGORY OF SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN'T BE IN GENERAL POPULATION.
OH, THIS IS JUST THE SEVERE OH, YES.
I HAVE ANOTHER 700 INMATES WHO ARE ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH RADAR, WHICH MEANS THEY RECEIVE SOME KIND OF PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION.
THEY HAVE SOME DEGREE OF CONTACT, UH, BIWEEKLY, MONTHLY EVERY THREE MONTHS WITH A PSYCHIATRIST.
SOME OF THEM ARE DOING REALLY WELL AND BEING MANAGED WELL ON MEDICATIONS SO THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO BE MEET WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH MONTHLY, BUT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUALLY RENEWED ON MEDICATIONS.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE MANAGE A LOT.
MOST OF THE TIME WE SPEND OUR TIME, FORTUNATELY, BUT ALSO UNFORTUNATELY, MANAGING THIS VERY SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL.
SO, YOU KNOW, MR. MRS SO-AND-SO WHO ARE IN GENERAL POPULATION IN A RANDOM UNIT WHO ARE ONLY DEPRESSED OR ONLY ANXIOUS, YOU KNOW, DON'T GET THE ATTENTION THAT THEY WOULD ALSO DESERVE, OR THAT THE ATTENTION THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO COPE BETTER ONCE THEY GET BACK INTO SOCIETY.
BECAUSE MY EIGHT MENTAL HEALTH STAFF ARE SPENDING A MAJORITY OF OUR TIME MANAGING PEOPLE WHO REALLY SHOULDN'T BE AT ESIS COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
CONTINUING ON WITH THE SHORT TERM, UM, REESTABLISHING THE CORRECTIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM, THE CERT TEAM.
UM, SOMETIME MID JULY, BEGINNING OF AUGUST, WE ARE GONNA HOLD TRYOUTS FOR THE TEAM.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THAT I WAS TOLD AS I WAS INTERVIEWING PEOPLE MY FIRST TWO MONTHS HERE, WAS THAT THEY FELT THAT THE CORRECTIONAL TEAM, UH, THE RESPONSE TEAM, UM, UH, NEEDED TO BE UPGRADED.
IT NEEDED TO BE, UH, HAVE TRYOUTS OR ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR BECAUSE, UH, TEAM MEMBERS WANTED EITHER OFF THE TEAM, THEY WANTED ON THE TEAM, AND THEY WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY.
SO, UM, MID-JULY, END OF JULY, BEGINNING OF AUGUST, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TRYOUTS AND WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA, UM, PUT THE TEAM BACK TOGETHER.
DO YOU, MADAM CHAIR, MR. PRESIDENT? SO THAT PARTICULAR TEAM, HOW MANY MEMBERS ON THE TEAM? UM, CURRENTLY, I THINK THERE'S 50, UM, BUT I'M MAYBE LOOKING TO EXPAND IT TO 75.
I'D LIKE TO GET THAT BREAKDOWN.
UM, THE EXPAND TARGETED TRAINING FOR OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS.
SO WHAT WE DID TWO WEEKS AGO WAS WE SENT OUT A SURVEY AND A QUESTIONNAIRE TO ALL STAFF.
UM, IT'S AN ANONYMOUS, UH, QUESTIONNAIRE, AND WE ASKED THEM A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, WHAT TRAINING THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.
UM, SO ONCE THE RESULTS COME IN AT THE END OF THIS WEEK, UM, WE'RE GONNA, UH, COMPILE THE DATA.
UM, I KNOW SOME OF TAKING A QUICK LOOK AT SOME OF 'EM HAVE BEEN INCREASED TRAINING HOURS AND LIKE, UM, DEFENSIVE TACTICS, UH, DEESCALATION, THAT'S SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S COMING OUT OF THAT.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S A GOOD TOOL FOR MANAGEMENT TO USE.
WE'VE HAD OVER 120, UH, RESPONSES NOW.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE, BUT, UM, COMPARED TO THE ONE WE DID YEARS AGO, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MUCH MORE.
SO, UM, THE LAST BULLET POINT IS THE COLLABORATION WITH THE ESUS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO BEGIN HEPATITIS C AND S T D SCREENING, UH, THROUGH A GRANT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, UH, RECEIVED.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN, UM, TESTING FOR HEPATITIS C AND ST D SCREENING.
WE WILL BE THE ONLY J COUNTY JAIL IN NEW JERSEY THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT DOES THAT.
ANZE IS HERE, UH, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT PROGRAM IF YOU, IF YOU WISH.
ANZE, PLEASE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
LIONEL ANSET, THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR.
YEAH, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA GET TALL, RIGHT,
LIONEL ANSET, AND I'M THE, UH, MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR THE SES COUNTY CORRECTIONS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE DIRECTOR HAS STATED, THIS PROGRAM IS NOVEL, IT'S UNPRECEDENTED.
WE KNOW THAT THE JAIL IS A RESERVOIR FOR THESE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
[00:40:01]
THREATEN NOT ONLY THE HEALTH OF THE INMATES, BUT ALSO THOSE OF THEIR ASSOCIATES.AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO SEE CHILDREN.
SO THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE PREVALENCE OF SYPHILIS AND THEREFORE CONGENITAL SYPHILIS.
SO BABIES ARE BEING BORN WITH THESE SAME CONDITIONS.
SO IF WE CAN MAKE THE INROAD AND START DOING SCREENING, WHICH WOULD BE, AGAIN, WE SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE STATE.
THEY HAVEN'T DONE THIS ON ANYWHERE.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE SCREENING EVERY UNIVERSAL SCREENING FOR COMMUNICABLE DISEASES.
AND NOT JUST SCREENING, BUT TREATMENT.
SO WE'VE PROGRAMMED THIS TYPE CUZ WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE PAST.
SO WE WILL BE SCREENING, WE WILL BE WRITING A PRESCRIPTIONS AND TREATING ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
VOLUNTARY, VOLUNTARY, BUT WE'RE MAKING IT OPT OUT.
OUR FOLKS TEND TO OPT, THEY DON'T TEND TO OPT IN.
SO IT WILL BE, IT WILL BE OFFERED TO YOU.
THE NURSES WILL BE AVAILABLE, THE MEDICATIONS, THE EDUCATION.
IF YOU SAY YOU DON'T WANT IT, THEN YOU CAN AGAIN, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTARILY, UM, JUST DECLINE IT.
BUT WHAT WE FOUND IS IF WE HAVE THAT SYSTEM, MOST TEND TO DO IT RIGHT.
UM, SO, SO WE'RE ENCOURAGING THEM TO DO IT, AND WE'RE LOOKING ALSO FOR SOME INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO IT.
THAT WAS GONNA BE MY NEXT QUESTION.
HAVE YOU DESIGNED WHAT THOSE INCENTIVES ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE? ONE, ONE OF THEM IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET UNIVERSAL DISCHARGE PLANS.
SO IF WE LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE TYPICAL INMATE THAT COMES IN, OR THE PERSON WHO'S JUST DISCONNECTED, THEY COME IN LACKING A WHOLE LIST OF SERVICES.
SO BRINGING IN SOCIAL SERVICES ALONG WITH THE CLINICIANS, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GO RIGHT AWAY AND SAY, YOU NEED HOUSING, YOU NEED TRAINING, YOU NEED ALL OF THESE OTHER, UM, SUPPORT SYSTEMS. SO BASICALLY IT'LL BE A FORM OF WRAPAROUND CARE BEING OFFERED RIGHT AT THE DOOR.
AND SO DISCHARGE PLANNING WILL START RIGHT AT INTAKE.
UM, THE, THE, THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE AND WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT WE ARE PETITIONING THE STATE TO, UM, OPEN UP 33 BEDS AT, UH, A LOCAL HOSPITAL.
UH, USED TO BE FORMERLY KNOWN AS COLUMBUS HOSPITAL.
IT'S NOW SILVER LAKES, AND THERE'S 33 BEDS, AND THEY'RE OPEN TO HAVING OUR FORENSIC PATIENTS THAT DR.
UH, FLEMING IS TAKING CARE OF THE ONES THAT ARE MOST DECOMPENSATED AND PLACING THEM THERE.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND THE CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, TO WORK TO GET THAT, UH, HOSPITAL CERTIFIED FOR MEDICAID SO THAT THOSE PATIENTS CAN GET PLACED THERE.
SO WE'VE BEEN MAKING QUITE A BIT OF PROGRESS WITH THAT.
WELL, 33 BEDS IS STEPPING RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT NOW WE STILL NEED MORE.
UM, THANK YOU MADAM CLERK, UM, DIRECTOR.
CONTINUING WITH THE, UH, STARTING WITH THE LONG TERM.
WE SPOKE ABOUT THE GUARD ONE, THE CREATION OF THE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION UNIT.
UM, THROUGH MY MEANS WITH SOME OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARDS OF BOTH THE UNIONS AND WITH THE COMMAND STAFF, UH, THERE WAS A SUGGESTION OF CREATING WHAT WAS CALLED, UH, THE WRAP UNIT, UH, WHICH WE HAD IN PLACE, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, THIS BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION UNIT IS FOR THOSE WHO ARE, UM, ON, UH, DISCIPLINE BEFORE THEY ARE PUT BACK INTO GENERAL POPULATION.
THE WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA PUT THEM IN, UM, THE BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION UNIT.
UM, AND WE'RE GRADUALLY GONNA INCREASE THEIR, THEIR PRIVILEGES SO THAT, UM, THEY DON'T GO FROM DISCIPLINE DIRECTLY TO GENERAL POPULATION.
AND THEN THEY COMMIT ANOTHER, UH, INSTITUTIONAL, UH, INFRACTION AND THEY'RE BACK IN IT.
AND THE LAW REALLY, UH, LIMITS OUR HANDS NOW, UH, IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF WITH, WITH THAT.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THE CREATION OF THIS UNIT, WE, WE CALL IT BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION, THAT ONCE YOU COME OUT OF DISCIPLINE, YOU WILL THEN BE MOVED INTO THIS UNIT.
YOU WILL SPEND A SHORT TIME THERE, AND THEN YOU'LL BE MOVED INTO GEN, INTO GEN GENERAL POPULATION.
PARDON? MR. SO THIS BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION UNIT CONSISTS OF WHAT EXACTLY? SO IT, IT'S THE UNIT JUST THE SAME.
UM, JUST THE AMOUNT OF, OF, OF PRIVILEGES, LIKE THE TV MAY NOT BE ON 10 HOURS AND MAYBE ON ONLY SIX HOURS OF A DAY.
UM, RECREATION, UM, WILL STILL GO ON, VISITS WILL STILL GO ON.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE, OF THE LAW LIBRARY WILL STILL GO ON, BUT JUST A MATTER OF THOSE, THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVE.
SO, SO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE DISCIPLINARY, UM, UNIT.
SO WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE TALKING? SO THE DISCIPLINE UNIT IS PART OF WHAT WE CALL THE SHOE, WHICH IS SPECIAL HOUSING UNIT.
IF THERE IS A, AN INFRACTION, UM, CREATED, UM, BY AN INMATE IN THE FACILITY, UM, HE OR SHE IS THEN WRITTEN
[00:45:01]
UP.UM, IT'S WRITTEN UP ON A, UH, WHAT WE CALL BLUE, A BLUE SHEET.
THAT PERSON THEN, UM, THERE'S TWO CHOICES THAT HE CAN GO OR SHE CAN GO TO PRE-HEARING DETENTION, WHICH PHD, WHICH MEANS THE PERSON IS, IS, GOES TO THE SHOE AND IS LOCKED IN, UM, FOR 22 HOURS IN A DAY.
OR HE OR SHE MAY REMAIN IN HIS CURRENT, UM, STATUS, WAITING TO GO THROUGH A ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, HEARING.
THE HEARING IS JUST LIKE ANY COURT PROCEEDING.
UM, THERE IS A HEARING OFFICER, UM, THE ENEMY IS ALLOWED TO BRING WITNESSES, UH, IF HE OR SHE, UH, NEEDS, IF THAT PERSON NEEDS A, WHAT THEY CALL A COUNSEL SUBSTITUTE.
A COUNSEL SUBSTITUTE MAY ACT AS HIS OR HER, UH, LEGAL LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE.
AND THEN THE, UM, A SERGEANT OR LIEUTENANT PRESENTS THE, THE CHARGES, THE HEARING OFFICER WHO WAS AN INDEPENDENT PERSON, UM, MAKES A JUDGMENT AND THEN RULES ON, ON SANCTIONS.
AND THEN THAT PERSON SERVES THE SANCTIONS IN, IN THE, IN THE HEARING.
SO THE JUDGE HAS NO AFFILIATION TO THE JAIL WHATSOEVER? NO, THAT'S DESIGNED BY, BY PURPOSE LIKE THAT.
THE INSTITUTE ACADEMY, WE SPOKE ABOUT, UH, THE RELEASE OF THE RFP.
AND, AND HERE'S SOMETHING THAT I, THAT I JUST ADDED THIS MORNING ON, BECAUSE I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS.
UM, THEY ARE THE NATIONAL THROUGH THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT IS THE, THE FEDERAL, UM, BRANCH OF, OF, OF, OF THE GOVERNMENT THAT HANDLES THAT THEY ARE GOING TO COME IN, IN THE NEXT 30 OR 40 DAYS TO DO A SECURITY ASSESSMENT ON THE FACILITY, UH, FREE OF CHARGE.
UM, THEY, THEY, THEY SEND A TEAM OF EXPERTS, UM, IN, FROM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND THEN THEY DO AN ASSESSMENT.
THEY FILE A REPORT WITHIN 30 OR 60 90 OF THESE, UH, AFTER.
SO I RECEIVED CONFIRMATION OF THAT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THIS MORNING OR YESTERDAY.
UM, SO I WANTED TO, WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT.
MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE WENT TO THAT BEFORE WE HIRED THE AMBROSE GROUP.
AMBROSE GROUP, RIGHT, IS FREE MADAM CHAIR.
POINT CLARIFICATION, DISRESPECT.
UM, WHEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT, WHEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION COMES, YOU'RE ABLE TO RESPOND AND ASK ALL YOUR QUESTIONS THEN.
SO, UH, THE NEXT, THE NEXT SCREEN IS THE, THE BUILDINGS, UH, OPENED ON MARCH 27TH, 2004.
UM, SO WE HAVE OVER THE YEARS HAVE DONE, UM, SOME UPGRADES, BUT SOME, UM, RECENT UPGRADES.
I WANTED TO, TO SHOW THE COMMITTEE ON, UM, AND, AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS, THE BEGINNING PROCESS OF RETI, UH, OF REPLACING THE ENTIRE FACILITY ROOF.
WE HAVE COMPLETED THE INSTALLATION OF A SALLY PORT SECURITY FENCING IN THE BOOKING AREA.
IT'S MORE OF A, A VEHICLE S SALLY PORT THAN, THAN A PERSONAL ONE.
THE HA WE, WE'VE BEGUN HOUSING UNIT REFURBISHING, WHICH YOU'LL SEE THE PICTURES ON THE LEFT.
UH, THAT'S THE HOUSING UNIT COMPLETED.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THE, THE PAINTING OF THE FLOORS, THE PAINTING OF THE CELLS, UH, THE REFURBISHING OF THE TABLES, UM, AND, AND THE OFFICER STATION, THE CONTACT VISIT ROOM, WHICH, UM, WE WILL ASSUME, UH, BE STARTING CONTACT VISITS, UM, IS THE TWO PICTURES ON THE RIGHT.
WE, UM, WE REFURBISHED THE TABLES, THE WALLS, WE PAINTED THE WALLS, WE FINISHED THE FLOOR.
UM, AND WE'RE GETTING READY FOR, UM, CONTACT VISITS.
AND WE'RE IN THE PROTOTYPE STAGE OF CREATING AN OFFICER'S WORKSTATION WITH A MORE SECURITY REDESIGN.
UM, AS OPPOSED TO IT BEING ON THE FLOOR.
AS YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT, WE'RE LOOKING TO RAISE IT ONE OR TWO STEPS HIGH AND PUT A, A SMALL RETAINING WALL AROUND IT, UM, AS DESIGN NOW IN, IN, IN NEWER N NEWER FACILITIES.
UH, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WHAT WE HAVE DONE, UH, FOR OUR FACILITY.
UM, MR. PRESIDENT TO, UH, NEXT SCREEN, PLEASE.
TO YOUR, TO YOUR, TO YOUR QUESTION, UH, TO YOUR COMMENT BEFORE ABOUT, UH, I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO FIND, UH, THINGS FOR THESE INMATE POPULATION TO OCCUPY HIMSELF.
RECREATION PROGRAMS, UM, ARE, ARE GOOD.
VEGA, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF OUR INMATE PROGRAMS IS HERE.
I WANT HER TO SPEAK ON SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE ROLLED OUT.
UM, YOU'LL SEE A PRETTY EXPANSIVE LIST OF PROGRAMS ON BOTH AT WHAT WE STARTED IN UPCOMING.
I AM THE DIVISION HEAD OF INMATE PROGRAMS AT THE ESSEX COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, WE ALREADY ALREADY LAUNCHED THE CULINARY PROGRAM.
THEY RECEIVE AN EIGHT WEEK MODULE TRAINING.
IT'S OPEN TO EVERYONE IN THE FACILITY.
[00:50:01]
IT, IT, IT OCCURS TWO DAYS A WEEK FOR TWO HOURS EACH TIME, TWO HOURS IN CLASS, TWO HOURS IN THE KITCHEN.THE SECOND PART OF THE TRAINING, UM, THEY RECEIVE THEIR, UM, WHAT'S IT CALLED? UM, GOOD.
THEY RECEIVE THEIR SERVE SAFE, THE FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATION.
IF THEY DECIDE THAT THEY WANT THEIR MANAGER CERTIFICATION, THAT HAS TO BE RENEWED EVERY FIVE YEARS.
UM, THE PROGRAM, AFTER THE EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM, THEY WILL HAVE A COOKOFF.
WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE SOME CELEBRITY JUDGES AFTER THE COOKOFF.
THEIR ANTICIPATED GRADUATION DATE IS AT THE END OF JULY.
WE ALREADY ARE THE, THE, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE KITCHEN, THEY GO THROUGH THAT PROGRAM TOO.
THEY CAN, THEY CAN NOT REQUIRED.
THEY CAN, THEY CAN, THERE'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS.
UM, WE GIVE IT OUT TO EVERY, AN APPLICATION TO EVERYONE IN THE JAIL.
THEY WILL APPLY IF THEY ARE INTERESTED.
IF THEY'RE INTERESTED, THEY GO THROUGH, UH, EXTENSIVE INTERVIEW PROCESS WITH MYSELF, THE RECREATION DIRECTOR AND THE CULINARY TRAINER.
CLASSIFICATIONS ALSO GOES THROUGH A VETTING PROCESS, LETS US KNOW IF THERE'S ANY KEEP SEPARATES OR ANY REASONS WHY THEY CANNOT BE IN THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN THERE IS A FINAL, UM, INTERVIEW WITH THE TRAINER.
SHE, SHE DECIDES ON HER LAST 10 PARTICIPANTS, UH, DR.
HOW MANY PEOPLE GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM OR IN, AT, AT A TIME? I'M SORRY? HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN A CLASS AT A TIME? 10.
SEE? SO DUE TO SPACE, SEEMS TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THIS WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE FOR SOME OF THOSE 30 PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN OP GO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND ACTUALLY GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN THE KITCHEN AND BE COMPENSATED A LOT MORE THAN A DOLLAR 50 A DAY.
INSTEAD OF JUST TAKING THOSE JOBS AWAY AND GIVING THEM TO AN OUTSIDE VENDOR.
SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A PERFECT PROGRAM FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE TO ME INSTEAD OF CUTTING OUT THOSE JOBS.
IF THERE THERE AREN'T ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THE CULINARY PROGRAM, I'LL MOVE ON TO THE OCEAN CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM.
IT IS HEADED, UH, BY GAIL CANNON.
ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE PROVIDES THE TRAINER AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, THE ESSEX COUNTY DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY FULLY FUNDED THE PROGRAM.
THE OCEAN CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 10 FEMALE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM, AND THEY ARE WORKING ON THE OSHA 30.
THAT'S SIX HOURS A DAY OF CLASS, A HALF HOUR LUNCH.
SHOULD I CONTINUE A HALF HOUR LUNCH AND 10 MINUTE BREAKS EVERY TWO HOURS THAT THE OSHA 30 IS FOR SEVEN DAYS.
AFTER THE SEVEN DAYS, THEY'LL GO ONTO THE HAS WHOPPER.
AFTER THE HAS WHOPPER, THEY WILL GO ONTO SCAFFOLDING, FALL PREVENTION AND FIRST AID AND CPR.
SO, AND THIS IS OPEN TO THE WHOLE POPULATION.
VEGA, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, YES.
ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS UP HERE, UH, THE INMATES HAVE TO APPLY YES.
THEY ALL APPLY TO OPEN TO EVERYONE.
DO THEY RECEIVE ANY, LIKE, UH, I GUESS THE ESUS COUNTY, THERE'S ANY COLLEGE CREDITS OR ANYTHING FOR ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS UP HERE? SO THE PARISH CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, IT IS GOOD POST-RELEASE AS WELL.
SO ONCE THEY ARE RELEASED, THEY CAN CONTINUE THE PROGRAM AFTER THEY'RE RELEASED.
THE G E D ESL, UM, IN THE GED PROGRAM ALL THE WAY UP, THEY CAN CONTINUE WITH, THEY DON'T HAVE TO REGISTER AT ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE.
THEY CAN CONTINUE AT ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE.
IT WILL COUNT POST-RELEASE AS WELL.
BUT PARTICIPATION IN THESE PROGRAMS, THEY EARN SOME KIND OF CERTIFICATION, A CERTIFICATE, I GUESS THEY WILL GET A CERTIFICATION WITH THE CULINARY PROGRAM, THE OSHA CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, THEY WILL GET, AS LONG AS THEY GET THEIR HOURS, LIKE OSHA 30, THEY'LL GET A OSHA 30 CERTIFICATION.
THEY'LL GET THEIR HAS SWAPPER CERTIFICATION, THEY'LL GET THEIR FALL PREVENTION CERTIFICATION, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY COMPLETE.
UH, THE G E D E S L, ONCE THAT'S COMPLETED, WHETHER IT'S IN-HOUSE OR POST-RELEASE, THEY CAN GET, THEY CAN COMPLETE THEIR G E D GET THEIR CERTIFICATION AS WELL.
UM, THEN ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M SORRY.
YES, MR. PRESIDENT, DO YOU CHAIR, SO ARE ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE OFFERING THE CULINARY OR OSHA, THE CONSTRUCTION, UH, TRAINING PROGRAM CONNECTED TO ANY EMPLOYMENT? YES.
SO THE CULINARY PROGRAM, THEY CAN, ONCE THEY RECEIVE THEIR FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATE, UM, GOURMET DINING IS CONNECTED TO A COUPLE OF, UM, VENDORS ON THE OUTSIDE.
[00:55:01]
CAN GET JOBS THROUGH THEM, THEY CAN WORK, THEY CAN ACTUALLY APPLY ANYWHERE WITH A FOOD HANDLER CER CERTIFICATION, SORRY.UM, WITH THE OCEAN CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, WE, THROUGH ESSEX COUNTY, THEY CAN, UM, THEY HAVE THE ONE STOP PROGRAM WELFARE TO WORK.
WE HAVE, WE JUST HAD A JOB FAIR IN ESSEX COUNTY.
THEY CAN APPLY FOR C D L TRAINING OPPORTUNITY AFTERWARDS.
THEY CAN WORK WITH THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
SO MY, MY QUESTION WAS SPECIFIC TO THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND THE, ARE THERE ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO CONNECT WITH THE BUILDING TRADES, LET'S SAY, OR TO, UH, ANY CONTRACTORS THAT DO WORK IN THE COUNTY? SO, SO, SO WITH THE OCEAN CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, WE, I'M SORRY, DID YOU FINISH, DID I INTERRUPT YOU? I'M SORRY.
WITH THE OCEAN CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, WITH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UM, THEY WILL OFFER ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS IS THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWED POST-RELEASE SO THAT THEY CAN SET THEM UP FOR EMPLOYMENT.
THE REASON WHY I ASK, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM.
OKAY, WELL, THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO DODGE THE QUESTION.
I I DON'T FEEL LIKE I DODGED, MAYBE I DIDN'T ANSWER.
YOU GAVE, YOU GAVE THE ANSWER THAT YOU HAVE.
BUT SO SHORT ANSWER IS THEY GO THROUGH YOUR PROGRAM.
THERE IS NO JOB DIRECTLY CONNECTED.
OH, I MISUNDERSTOOD THE QUESTION.
SO THE QUESTION BECOMES, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY THE MATCHING GAME? YOU KNOW, WE GIVE, WE AWARD A LOT OF CONTRACTS OUT HERE MM-HMM.
AND, UH, WE COLLECTIVELY HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB AT MATCHING OUR CONSTITUENTS TO SOME OF THE VENDORS THAT WE AWARD CONTRACTS TO.
YOU KNOW, LEGALLY WE GOT SOME NUANCES THAT STOP US FROM SAYING, WE WILL COMPEL YOU TO HIRE, BUT WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY HOW WE CONNECT THE DOTS SO THAT OUR EMPLOYMENT RATES CAN DROP DOWN.
THAT'S WHAT, UM, COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT IS DRIVING AT.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING HOW BE CONNECTED.
CONTINUE ON IN THE LAST, THE LAST, UH, UH, SLIDE THAT WE HAVE, UM, IS ABOUT THE POLICE ACADEMY.
UH, WITHIN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THE POLICE ACADEMY, UH, HAS BECOME A DIVISION, UM, UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF OF CORRECTIONS.
UM, IN APRIL, WE HAD A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP, UH, FORMER WARDEN, UM, OF THE FACILITY.
GUY CILLO, WHO WAS THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE POLICE ACADEMY IN SEGERT, IS NOW THE DIRECTOR OF THE POLICE ACADEMY, UH, DIVISION.
I'M GONNA ASK, UH, MR. SARILLO COME UP AND SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, THE, THE CHANGES OF WHAT'S HAPPENED AT THE POLICE ACADEMY AND WHAT TO EXPECT, UH, IN JANUARY, 2024 WITH THE, THE MANDATED TRAINING.
UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, GUYS.
CILLO, UH, ESSEX COUNTY POLICE ACADEMY.
SO AS THE DIRECTOR HAS SAID, UM, WE, UH, THE POLICE ACADEMY FELL UNDER THE GUISE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
I WAS APPOINTED, UM, IN APRIL OF 2023 AS THE POLICE ACADEMY DIRECTOR.
UH, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, I, I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BUT SPECIFIC TO THE MANDATED TRAINING AND THE CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO DETECTIVE FACT, UH, JANUARY, 2024, UM, IT'S REFERRED TO AS LICENSING.
AND WHAT IT, WHAT IT REQUIRES IN PART IS THAT ANY CORRECTIONAL POLICE OFFICER THAT'S HIRED MUST GO THROUGH THE BASIC COURSE AND COMPLETE IT AND SUBSEQUENTLY BE LICENSED BEFORE THEY BE ALLOWED TO WORK AT THE FACILITY.
UH, WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT, OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS, BECAUSE IT'S GREAT PRACTICE TO TRAIN PEOPLE BEFORE WE SEND THEM INTO THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, UH, THE POLICE TRAINING COMMISSION IS DEVELOPING THE COURSE CURRICULUM THAT WILL ALSO GO INTO EFFECT JANUARY.
SO IT'S NO LONGER GONNA BE INDEPENDENT BASED ON DIFFERENT POLICE ACADEMIES, WHICH ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT THERE'S, EACH POLICE ACADEMY IS TEACHING SOME VARIANCE, UH, BASIC COURSES.
THE POLICE TRAINING COMMISSION IS GONNA DEVELOP ALL THE POWERPOINTS AND THE LESSON PLANS.
SO THERE IS GONNA BE A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH THROUGHOUT THE STATE FOR ALL COUNTY CORRECTIONAL POLICE ACADEMIES.
SO I THINK THAT THEY ARE GOING TO REQUIRE IS THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL, UH, HOURS, APPROXIMATELY 160 ADDITIONAL HOURS OF TRAINING INCLUDED IN THE BASIC COURSE.
AND WHAT THAT EQUATES TO FOR ESSEX COUNTY IS CURRENTLY OUR BASIC COURSE IS 13 WEEKS AND TWO DAYS.
IT'S GONNA EXPAND IT TO 19 WEEKS AND TWO DAYS.
AS PART OF THE BASIC COURSE, THERE ARE QUITE, QUITE ALL OF IT'S ACADEMIC.
UM, THE ONLY, UM, PHYSICAL ADDITION WAS ADDITIONAL DEFENSIVE TACTIC TECHNIQUES THAT WHICH IS ALREADY BUILT INTO THE PROGRAM.
ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL, UM, UH, COMPONENTS ARE ALL GONNA BE ACADEMIC.
AND THEY ARE, UH, THINGS SUCH AS UH, INCREASED, UM, DOME, UM, AWARE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND,
[01:00:01]
AND, UM, HOW TO DEAL OR MITIGATE, UH, EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS, UH, BEING ON THE JOB.SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY BEING CATERED TOWARDS WHAT WE'RE SEEING AS FAR AS TRENDS THAT ARE BECOMING A DETERRENT FOR, UH, APPROPRIATE POLICING.
MR. PRESIDENT, SO DEESCALATION IT SOUNDS LIKE, IS GONNA BE A YES, SIR.
BIG COMPONENT IS, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL.
A LOT OF, A LOT OF TIMES, SITUATIONS DON'T HAVE TO GET AS HEATED AS THEY DO IF CERTAIN FOLKS ARE TRAINED IN DEESCALATION AND THEY ACTUALLY USE IT.
SO IT'S ENCOURAGING TO, UH, HEAR.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, UM, THERE IS A SPECIFIC COMPONENT THAT'S GOING TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE BASIC COURSE THAT HELPS, UH, CORRECTIONAL POLICE OFFICERS SPECIFICALLY DEAL WITH THE DYNAMICS IN A SPECIAL HOUSING ENVIRONMENT, WHICH, WHICH DIDN'T EXIST PRIOR TO, UH, QUESTION A COUPLE OF SLIDES BACK.
UM, IT SHOWED THAT WE HAD HIRED, UH, 150 PLUS PEOPLE.
I THINK SOME ARE IN THE ACADEMY.
WILL ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO WE'VE HIRED NOW, UM, BEFORE THIS MANDATE, WILL THEY BE TRAINED BEFORE THAT TAKES EFFECT? NO, MA'AM.
THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT BE SENT TO THE ACADEMY BEFORE, AND I ALSO HAVE A CLASS SCHEDULED IN SEPTEMBER.
OF COURSE, THERE'S A CLASS IN NOW, THERE ARE 44 INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL NOT GET THE UPDATE.
THERE'S A CLASS COMING IN, UH, SEPTEMBER 22ND, I BELIEVE.
AND THEN THERE'S A, OUR LAST CLASS IS GOING IN DECEMBER 22ND.
SO WE'LL BE REQUIRED IN MY, I BELIEVE I'M RUNNING A CLASS IN TWO, IN 2024, MARCH, I BELIEVE.
THAT'S WHERE THE UPDATE WILL START.
IS THERE ANY PLANS THAT WE CAN DO THIS AFTER THE FACT? I'M SORRY, JUST THE ADDITIONAL PARTS.
ARE YOU DIRECTING THAT QUESTION TOWARDS ME? YES.
THERE IS A WAY FOR US TO INTRODUCE IT AFTER THE FACT AS PART OF IN-SERVICE TRAINING.
BUT THAT, THAT WOULD BE A COORDINATED EFFORT.
AND, UH, ONE, AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE WHAT THE DIRECTOR JUST EXPLAINED IN TERMS OF, WE JUST RECENTLY DID TWO, UH, TRAINING BLOCKS, UH, UM, ME, UH, MECHANICAL STREET TRAINING, UH, RESTRAIN TRAINING AND CHEMICAL AID FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT, UM, TRAINED IN THE BASIC COURSE YET.
THE GOOD THING ABOUT THAT IS WE COULD DO THAT WITH OTHER BLOCKS OF INSTRUCTION.
AND, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, ALTHOUGH THE DIRECTOR, UM, TRAINED THOSE NON-CERTIFIED PEOPLE BOTH IN CHEMICAL AGE AND HANDCUFFS, THEY WILL STILL BE REQUIRED TO DO IT ONCE AGAIN.
SO IT'LL BE ALMOST LIKE A REFRESHER.
WHEN TO GO THROUGH THE BASIC COURSE.
AND, UH, IN CLOSING, UH, YOU SEE, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 10 MONTHS, WE'VE UNDERTAKEN MANY INITIATIVES AND REFORMS TO IMPROVE AND MAKE THE DEPARTMENT WHAT I CALL CENTER OF EXCELLENCE.
BUT THERE'S MORE TO DO, NO DOUBT.
AND IT CANNOT BE DONE ALONE OR BY A SMALL FEW.
UH, I WANT TO FIRST PUBLICLY THANK THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS ADMINISTRATION AND HIS CHIEF OF STAFF AND THIS BOARD FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
CORRECTIONS IS THE TOUGHEST JOB IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, PERIOD.
IT TAKES A BOLD PERSON TO WANNA WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU ARE IN CARE, CUSTODY CONTROL OF PEOPLE WHO AT TIMES ARE VIOLENT AND THEN SOMETIMES NEED TO BE REHABILITATED.
I COME TO WORK WITH MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE TRUE HEROES IN MY MIND, IN ONE OF THE TOUGHEST PERIODS IN HISTORY, MY STAFF AND I ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF AND FULFILLING OUR MISSION TO THE PEOPLE OF ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR FOR THE OVERVIEW OF THE, UM, CORRECTIONAL FACILITY QUESTION.
WE HIRED THE NATO GROUP TO DO AN UPDATE ON THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
IS IT? NO, WE, WE, WE, THEY CAME IN AND DID THE STAFFING ANALYSIS AND THE OVERTIME.
UH, ARE THEY DONE WITH THE STAFFING ANALYSIS? THAT IS CORRECT, YES.
UM, WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THEM? UM, SO THE, ACTUALLY SOME OF THEM ARE IN PLACE.
SOME OF THEM ARE TO REASSIGN ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, UM, TO THE CUSTODY RANKS.
UM, SOME OF THEM ARE TO PUT THE SERGEANT ON EVERY, ON EVERY FLOOR, WHICH WE DID.
UM, OTHER THINGS, UM, THEY WERE, UH, LOOKED AT REDUCING THE, UH, THE CADRE OF OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO INTAKE, UM, WHICH I, I, I DIDN'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH.
UM, SO WE HAVEN'T IMPLEMENTED THAT.
UM, AND THAT TALKS A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT HOW ADDRESS, HOW TO ADDRESS THE F M L A.
RIGHT NOW, THE COUNTY HAS CONTRACT WITH FM L F F M L A SOURCE, WHICH IS A, I GUESS A VENDOR WHO, WHO HANDLES THAT.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH THEM IN UNI COUNTY.
UM, SO THEY MANAGE THE CASE BY CASE MANAGEMENT OF THAT.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT BECAUSE, UH, NOT ONLY THE NAKAMOTO GROUP, BUT THE AMBROSE GROUP.
AND EVEN MY ASSESSMENT IS, IS THAT I, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB
[01:05:01]
OF MANAGING, UM, THE CERTIFICATIONS, THE LEAVE TIMES, UM, AND, AND THE MANAGEMENT O OF THOSE, WE HAVE AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE STAFF WHO ARE OUT ON THAT, THAT I THINK WE DO, WE COULD DO A BETTER JOB OF, OF, OF MANAGING.I THINK DURING OUR LAST COMMITTEE MEETING, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UM, NEEDING TO UPDATE SOME POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
HAVE YOU GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS YET? WE HAVE.
UM, WE'VE HAD, WE'VE, WE'VE UPDATED, COMPLETE, COMPLETED SOME, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF UP, UP UPDATING, UH, ABOUT 70% MORE.
UM, OUR STATE INSPECTION IS SCHEDULED FOR MID-JULY, SO WE HAVE TO GET ALL OF THAT DONE BY, BY BY MID-JULY FOR THAT INSPECTION.
CAN YOU GIVE US, UM, A WRITTEN RESPONSE, UM, IN REFERENCE TO THE, UM, AMBROSE REPORT? IT WAS VERY, A VERY THOROUGH REPORT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ITEMS YOU'VE COMPLETED, LIKE IN RESPONSE TO THE WAY THE REPORT IS, UM, OKAY.
PRESENTED TO US WHAT'S OUTSTANDING, AND ESPECIALLY HIGHLIGHT IF THEY MADE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU DON'T AGREE WITH.
IF YOU DON'T THINK IS NEEDED, TELL US WHY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A, A THOROUGH REPORT, UM, AND I THINK YOU AGREED WITH THAT.
SO JUST TELL US WHERE YOU ARE STATUS OF THAT.
UM, I'M GONNA MOVE TO THE INCARCERATED DEFENDANT REQUEST RELIEF FORM.
UH, MICHAEL PARLA, COUNSEL TO THE BOARD.
UH, I'LL DIRECT THIS TO THE DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR, UM, AND I BELIEVE YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE FORM.
IT'S A STATE, UH, JUDICIARY GENERATED FORM, OR FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURTS INCARCERATED DEFENDANT, REQUEST FOR RELIEF FORM.
THE QUESTION THAT CAME TO THE BOARD, UH, AND THEN WE PASSED ALONG.
I TALKED TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL ABOUT IT, UH, WAS ACCESS TO THIS FORM FOR THOSE UNREPRESENTED DEFENDANTS WHO ARE INCARCERATED IN THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
THE WAY I UNDERSTAND THIS FORM IS IF, UH, AN INMATE HAS OUTSTANDING MATTERS IN A MUNICIPAL COURT SOMEWHERE, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WHILE THEY'RE INCARCERATED TO EITHER, UH, SUBMIT THIS FORM TO THOSE, UH, TO THOSE MUNICIPAL COURTS TO GET ADDITIONAL RELIEF OR PERHAPS, UH, HAVE IT HAVE THE MATTER TAKEN CARE OF WHILE THEY WERE INCARCERATED OR ADDRESSED IN SOME WAY.
THE CONCERN WAS THAT IF THE PERSON WAS NOT, UM, REPRESENTED IN THE, AT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THESE FORMS, IS THERE A MECHANISM THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THESE? YEAH.
OR IS THERE A MECHANISM THAT EXISTS? SO, SO WHAT, UM, WHEN YOU MADE, UH, MADE US AWARE OF WHAT WE, WHAT HAVE WE DONE FOR A CORRECTIVE ACTION? IS THAT THE, UH, AREA WHICH VIDEO CONFERENCING GOES ON, UH, WHERE WE HAVE C J P COURT, UM, THE SERGEANT IN CHARGE OF THAT AREA NOW, HAS THE FORMS READILY AVAILABLE.
ONCE THEY, UH, APPEAR FOR FIRST APPEARANCE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ASKED IF THEY ARE, UH, REPRESENTING THEMSELVES IF THEY WOULD WANT, UH, THE FORM, IF THEY NEED HELP FILLING OUT THE FORM.
AND THEN IF THEY TAKE THE FORM, UM, WE THEN EITHER REFER 'EM TO THE OMBUDSMAN OFFICE OR TO THE SOCIAL WORKERS TO PROCESS THAT THROUGH AND GET IT TO THE MUNICIPALITIES.
BECAUSE I, I THINK FROM, THIS IS JUST ANECDOTAL FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE, A LOT OF TIMES SOMEBODY'S IN THERE AND THEY MAY, UH, IN, IN THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, IT'S CERTAINLY EASIER WITH THE, UH, VIDEO LINK UP.
THEY MAY HAVE A WARRANT FROM WHO KNOWS HOW MANY X NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY FINISH ONE TERM AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE OTHER ONE KICKS IN WHEN IN FACT IT PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED CONCURRENTLY.
SO THAT, THAT'S BEING ADDRESSED NOW.
SO THE FORMS ARE READILY AVAILABLE NOW FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS DOWN IN THE VIDEO CONFERENCE AREA.
SO, SO, SO EVERYBODY CAN HAVE A ACCESS TO IT.
SO, SO, SO, YEAH, I'M, UH, HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.
AND IT DIDN'T TAKE YOU THAT LONG SINCE WE ASKED YOU, UH, ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR FORM.
CAUSE THE ONE IT WAS BROUGHT TO ME IS LIKE SOMETHING THAT I'VE NEVER HEARD OF.
UH, AND SO I KNOW A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS PARTICULAR FORM WHERE YOU COULD BE LOCKED UP IN ESSEX COUNTY, YOU HAVE SOMETHING OUTSTANDING IN BERGEN COUNTY, AND THOSE THINGS CAN RUN CONCURRENT AS OPPOSED TO WHEN YOU DO YOUR TIME IN ESSEX COUNTY AND THEN BERGEN COUNTY COME, THEY GOTTA HOLD ON YOU AND THEY GOTTA SHIP YOU TO, TO THE OTHER COUNTY.
SO YEAH, MAKING IT AVAILABLE AND KNOWN THAT THEY CAN, UM, FILL OUT THAT FORM FOR THAT RELIEF IS, UM, IS IS A GOOD THING.
SO EVERY INMATE WHO COMES IN SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THE FORM IS AVAILABLE.
UH, WE WE'RE, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE READILY AVAILABLE, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY PUT IT IN THE, UH, INMATE HANDBOOK AND IN THE ORIENTATION VIDEO AS WELL FOR EVERYBODY TO SAY.
UM, I THINK EARLIER, YOU MAY HAVE TOUCHED ON IT, BUT I DIDN'T MAKE A NOTE OF IT.
HOW MANY OFFICERS ARE WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE? ARE WE AT THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO
[01:10:01]
BE AT? ARE WE SHORT? UM, THE SLIDE SHOW? WE, WE ARE BUDGET FOR 580, UM, OFFICERS.I KNOW YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UM, WHEN YOU FIRST CAME ON THE NEED TO PROVIDE MORE TRAINING.
UH, WHERE ARE YOU WITH THAT? I REMEMBER YOU TALKING ABOUT BUILDING OUT A POWDER OF PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY TO DEAL WITH TRAINING.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO GET SOME, UH, CONTRARY ON THE SUPERVISOR TRAINING, UM, IMMEDIATELY.
UH, I THINK THAT'S, UM, SOMETHING, AN AREA WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON.
UM, THE TRAINING THAT THE OFFICERS GET, THE IN-SERVICE, THE ANNUAL TRAINING, THE TRAINING THAT'S MANDATED FOR THE ACA, THAT'S GOOD.
BUT I, I THINK THAT WE, WE NEED TO DO A, A, A BETTER JOB OF GETTING MORE OF, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON FOR THE QUESTIONNAIRE, RIGHT? BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE WHAT THEY FELT THAT THEY NEEDED, WHAT THE STAFF NEEDED, WHAT THEY WANTED, AND THEN, THEN WE'RE GONNA SCHEDULE THAT, UM, TO, TO HAPPEN, TO HAPPEN.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.
SO THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR COMING.
UM, IN TODAY, YOU'RE GONNA PROVIDE US BACK WITH A FOLLOW UP RESPONSE IN, IN WRITING IN REFERENCE TO THE AMBROSE REPORT.
YOU'LL GIVE US AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY YOU DID NOT IMPLEMENT THEM.
THIS INCARCERATED DEFENDANT REQUEST FORM HAS BEEN PROVIDED AND WILL BE PROVIDED TO INMATES DURING THEIR, UM, I THINK THEY SAID CJP FIRST APPEARANCE.
SO THAT, UM, THEY CAN DETERMINE IF THEY'RE GONNA COMPLETE IT, IF THEY NEED SOME ASSISTANCE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT, IS IT RELATED TO, UM, YOUR PART? WE NEEDED TO SCHEDULE A, UM, MEETING WITH THE, UM, THE OTHER GROUP THAT HANDLES THE SMALLER PLACE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T COME TO HIM.
WHAT WAS THAT GROUP? DELANEY HALL.
UM, DELANEY HALL, I'M HAVING A BRAIN FREEZE RIGHT NOW, UM, WITH DELANEY HALL, MADAM CLERK.
SO CAN YOU PLEASE, UM, REACH OUT TO THEM SO THAT WE CAN, UM, SET UP A MEETING TO HEAR FROM THEM TO GET A STATUS UPDATE FROM THEM AS WELL.
YES, MR. PRESIDENT, IF I MAY, JUST THE QUESTIONS I ASK YOU FOR THOSE BREAKDOWNS, THE BREAKDOWN DEMOGRAPHICS, JUST LIKE GET, I'LL GET YOU.
UM, I WANNA REMIND YOUR DIRECTOR, WE HAD ALSO ASKED FOR AN OVERVIEW FOR THE PROCESS FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT COMPONENTS THAT YOU HAVE.
CAUSE I THINK SOME OF US WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IF YOU HAD ENOUGH STAFFING, ESPECIALLY HEARING TODAY FROM YOUR STAFF PERSON, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF INMATES THEY MAY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
UM, WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT INTAKE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THE MANAGEMENT PROCESS IS ONCE THOSE INMATES, UM, BECOME A PART OF YOUR, UM, ORGANIZATION.
SO CAN YOU PLEASE PROVIDE US WITH THAT? UM, SO AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA MOVE TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO RESPOND.
UM, WE HAVE A CLOCK THAT WILL COUNT YOU DOWN.
SO I INVITE MEMBERS WHO WANTS TO MAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT TO PLEASE COME TO THE MIC, STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION, PUT IT ON THE RECORD, PLEASE.
ROB SLATER, PBA PRESIDENT AS SHERIFFS.
UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE WITH THE TABLE OF ORGANIZATION FOR THE JAIL, DO THEY HAVE MINIMUM STAFFING FOR EACH SHIFT? AND WHAT IS THE MINIMUM STAFFING, IF WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION? UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW THAT FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
UH, FIVE YEARS AGO I WENT TO THE SHERIFF, MET WITH OTHER COUNTERPARTS OF MY UNION TO PUT FORTH TRAINING DIVISION FOR THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, AN FTO PROGRAM FOR THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
FIVE YEARS LATER, WE STILL DON'T HAVE A TRAINING, UH, PROTOCOL FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
OUR CHIEF SIGNED A CERTIFICATION BASED ON AN OPA REQUEST THAT I SUBMITTED STATING THAT NO WRITTEN PROTOCOL EXISTS.
UH, I ALSO ASK IF WE CAN GET A DEFINITIVE NUMBER AS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, CUZ I REACHED OUT TO THREE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TODAY AND GOT CONFLICTING NUMBERS AS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
AND AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE MINIMUM STAFFING IS FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR EACH DIVISION.
YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
SO IF THAT, NO, THAT'S, IS THAT ANY, NO, IT'S NOT ALL I HAVE.
UH, ALSO WITH THE TRAINING, UH, WE MET THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, INTERVIEWED 25 HOUR OFFICERS IN THE PRESENCE OF OUR ATTORNEY TO FIND OUT THAT THE 25 THAT THEY INTERVIEWED WEREN'T PROPERLY TRAINED.
[01:15:01]
AGO AND NOTHING WAS EVER DONE.I'M CURIOUS IF YOU CAN GET A COPY OF THE REPORT BASED ON THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
UM, TRYING TO, TRYING TO THINK.
UH, LIKE I SAID, UH, I WAS ONLY INVITED HERE AND I THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION, UH, YESTERDAY.
SO WE'RE A LITTLE BIT UNPREPARED AS TO WHAT THE PROCESS OF THIS MEETING EVEN IS, BUT I THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION AND I'LL YIELD SOME OF MY TIME.
UM, AS WITH ALL OF OUR, UM, UM, MEETINGS, PUBLIC COMMENT, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE RECORD, WE'LL RESPOND TO YOU IN WRITING.
SO WE HAVE A STAFF PERSON THAT'S COLLECTING YOUR INFORMATION AS YOU COME UP TO SPEAK AND WE'LL RESPOND TO YOU ACCORDING WITH ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME UP TO THE MIC AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
JAMES TROI, NEW JERSEY STATE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE, REPRESENTING THE SUPERVISORS AT THE ESSEX COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
THREE MINUTES ISN'T GONNA CUT IT.
AND THE ONLY REASON WE'RE EVEN HERE TONIGHT IS BECAUSE OUR SISTER UNION OVER AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE LET US KNOW THERE WAS MEETING TONIGHT.
SO, UM, SO I'LL, I'LL LOOK FOR HIGHLIGHTS CUZ THERE'S JUST NO WAY.
FIVE LINE OF DUTY INJURIES IN 2023.
I FIND THAT IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE.
WE WOULD REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE DEFINING WHAT A LINE OF DUTY INJURY IS.
UM, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT OPPOSED TO TRAINING, ADDITIONAL TRAINING, DEESCALATION TRAINING.
WE'RE ALL FOR IT AS LONG AS IT'S REAL TRAINING AND NOT JUST CHECKING BOXES TO SAY WE DID IT.
WHICH TENDS TO HAPPEN QUITE OFTEN.
JUST IN THE INTEREST OF GETTING THINGS DONE BEFORE OVERTIME KICKS IN.
UM, IN TERMS OF CONTRABAND, WE WOULD FULLY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF REMOVING THE INMATE WORKERS FROM THE KITCHEN.
QUITE FRANKLY, IT IS THE WAY, IT'S ONE OF THE PRIMARY WAYS CONTRABAND MOVES AROUND A FACILITY TO OFFER SUGGESTIONS.
WE WERE TOLD NOT TO COME EMPTY HANDED.
WE WOULD PITCH ARC OR A SIMILAR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM.
IF THE INMATES AREN'T IN THE KITCHEN, THERE'S NO REASON THAT THAT PROGRAMMING COULDN'T BE DONE DOWN THERE AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AS WELL.
MAYBE EVEN MAKE IT A CONDITION OF THE GOURMET DINING CONTRACT, WHICH YOU VOTED TO INCREASE BY 4.4 MILLION AT YOUR LAST MEETING.
SEVERAL CRIMINAL INDICTMENTS, ONGOING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS.
COUNTY COUNSEL WANTS TO REPRESENT OUR PEOPLE.
OUR PEOPLE DON'T WANNA BE REPRESENTED BY COUNTY COUNSEL BECAUSE ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS, COUNTY COUNSEL DROPPED THE BALL.
DEFAULT JUDGEMENTS WERE ENTERED INDIVIDUALLY AGAINST OUR MEMBERS TO PAY INMATES.
AND OUR LAWYERS HAVE BEEN WORKING ROUND THE CLOCK TO GET THOSE OVERTURNED, UM, SEARCHES.
20 OFFICER, SEARCH TEAM, TWO SUPERVISORS.
YES, IT EXISTS UNLESS OF COURSE WE HAVE OVERTIME TODAY.
SO THOSE SEARCHES ARE PRIMARILY IN COMMON AREAS, NOT SEARCHING A COMPLETE HOUSING UNIT.
SO IF THE INMATES MOVE STUFF TO THE LEFT, WAIT FOR THE SEARCH TO END AND THEN MOVE IT BACK TO THE RIGHT.
THE CONTRABAND REALLY DIDN'T COME OUT.
IN MY LAST 30 SECONDS, WE COMMEND DIRECTOR CHARLES, THAT STAFF ASSAULTS ARE NOW BEING CRIMINALLY PROSECUTED.
WE COMMEND THAT THEIR SERGEANTS ON ALL FLOORS.
BUT TYPICALLY FOUR SERGEANTS A DAY ARE BEING MANDATED DUE TO STAFFING.
WE COMMEND THE, WELL THAT'S THE INMATE KITCHEN.
WE COMMEND COLLABORATION WITH THE ESSEX COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ON THE HE HEP C AND THE STD TRAINING.
HEALTHIER INMATES, LESS CONCERNED FOR THE OFFICERS.
THE N I C SECURITY ASSESSMENT.
I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ONE OF THOSE ASSESSORS.
I'VE WORKED WITH THE N I C AT THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS FACILITIES.
SO WHY WE DIDN'T TAKE IT TILL, WHY IT TOOK TILL NOW IS BEYOND ME.
THE OFFICER WORKSTATION REDESIGN.
DOES IT GO FAR ENOUGH? WILL THERE BE UNION INPUT? YOUR TIME IS UP.
IF I KNEW THAT IT WAS STATED IN ORDER.
VEGAS PROGRAMS, THEY ALL SOUND WONDERFUL AND WE SUPPORT PROGRAMMING.
BUSY INMATES ARE LESS STRESSED, INMATES ARE LESS VIOLENT INMATES.
BUT THEY CAN ONLY DO THOSE PROGRAMS IF THEY CAN EXIT THEIR CELLS SAFELY.
YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN READY MAN.
[01:20:01]
ALL.ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME TO THE MIC.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
DONNA JACKSON, NEWARK RESIDENT NEW JERSEY.
THAT THIS IS THE FIRST OPEN PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING.
THAT THERE WAS NOT AN EMERGENCY MEETING AFTER THAT OFFICER WAS STABBED AFTER THE OFFICER WAS HELD IN THE CELL AFTER THE INMATES WAS STABBED.
I WANNA KNOW WHEN Y'ALL GOING DOWN INTO THE JAIL BECAUSE RAFIK AND POOKIE AND I ARE MAKING WEAPONS OFF OF THE BROKEN BUMPS IN THAT JAIL.
WHEN IS IT GONNA GET FIXED? NOBODY WANNA SEE NO NEW DESK.
AND I MET WITH THE NICE PEOPLE HERE.
WE HAVE NICE MEETINGS, TIRED OF NICE MEETINGS.
PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE IN JEOPARDY.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ABOUT THE INMATES THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED? WHERE ARE THE INMATES THAT KILLED THE OTHER INMATES? CAUSE NOW THEY'RE STILL IN THERE WITH THE OFFICERS.
AND IF NOTHING IS DONE TO THEM, THEN THERE'S NO REPERCUSSION.
NOBODY GONNA CARE ABOUT BROOKS REPORT.
WAS HE IN THE JAIL? DID HE GO ON ONE THE CELLS? DID HE LAY ON THE BUNK? NO HE DIDN'T.
WAS HE IN THERE WITH AND POOKY? WAS HE IN THE HOT? WAS HE IN THE SHOE? NO, HE AIN'T GOING THERE.
Y'ALL SPENT ALL THIS MONEY ON BS INSTEAD OF STUFF THAT'S NEEDED.
I KNOW THEY LOVE WHEN I COME EVERYWHERE.
LIKE I TOLD HIM AT THE COUNCIL AT THE PUBLIC MEETING YESTERDAY IN NEWARK, 1100 OFFICERS WHERE YOU SHOWED ME 600 CORRECTION.
YOU TELL ME WHY EACH CORRECTION OFFICER HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OVER 60 INMATES AT A TIME IN THAT FACILITY.
AND YOU KNOW WHY Y'ALL DON'T KNOW CUZ YOU AIN'T BEEN IN THERE.
STOP LETTING THEM GIVE YOU STUFF ON PAPER.
STOP LETTING THEM STAND HERE AND GIVE YOU A PERFORMANCE.
SEE, I'M ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS.
THESE ARE ALL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS RIGHT HERE.
I GOT SOME SONS AND DAUGHTERS WORKING IN THERE.
CAUSE IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO MINE, IT'S GONNA BE SHUT DOWN.
I'M CALLING FOR THE FEDS TO COME IN HERE RIGHT NOW.
DO Y'ALL REALIZE SOMERSET COUNTY IS GETTING MADE TO JOIN ES ESSENCE COUNTY? Y'ALL CAN'T HANDLE WHAT YOU GOT NOW JOE.
DO Y'ALL KNOW THAT? HOW MANY INMATES COMING FROM SUMMERSET COUNTY? YOU CAN'T HANDLE WHAT YOU GOT.
THESE ARE OUR FAMILY HERE, THE SHERIFF OFFICERS.
HOW MANY OF YOU GOT? I TOLD 'EM WHEN Y'ALL WALK OUTTA HERE, DON'T EVEN PROTECT Y'ALL BECAUSE IT'S WRONG.
NO CONTRACTS, NO SAFE WORK CONDITIONS.
COME ON, DON'T GET ME STARTED TALKING ABOUT OUR PARKS.
I KNOW YOU AIN'T GOT ENOUGH SHERIFF OFFICERS.
THAT'S WHY SO MANY INCIDENTS HAPPEN IN WEEK WAY PARK, BRADBROOK PARK.
AND NOW WE'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
YOU JUST HAD A SHOOTING AT LITTLE EGG HARBOR.
CAUSE WE NOT Y'ALL PLAYING GAMES 30 SECONDS.
YOU NEED TO SHUT THESE DAG ON MICS OFF.
YOU NEED TO LET SOME OF THESE OFFICERS, ME AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE, I I CAN HANDLE THE COMMUNITY PART.
IF WE NEED TO TALK, SHOP AND STOP PLAYING.
YOU ARE PUTTING PEOPLE'S LIVES IN DANGER EVERY DAY.
I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL FREE OLD DOMINIONS.
I TOLD Y'ALL TO GET IN THERE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND LOOK WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
AND THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT THESE DRUGS.
WHO BRINGING THEM IN? IT AIN'T THESE OFFICERS.
IT AIN'T THE PEOPLE IN THE KITCHEN.
HOW THEY GETTING IN THERE? Y'ALL AIN'T EVEN LOOKING INTO THAT.
SOMEBODY MAKING BIG MONEY FOR WHAT THEY PAY.
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE SENDING THAT MONEY ON CASH APP TO PAY FOR THESE DRUGS.
HOW MANY OD THEFTS HAVE THERE BEEN IN THE JAIL IN THE LAST YEAR? CAN Y'ALL GET THAT? HOW MANY ODS DO YOU HAVE EVERY DAY? WHY? EVERY TIME, AND I'M CLOSING WITH THIS, I PULL UP THE U M D N J.
THERE'S AT LEAST FOUR ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICER OF VANS AND NORTHERN STATE VANS, SIX OF THEM EVERY DAY SOMETHING IS WRONG.
THESE PEOPLE MAY BE WELL-INTENTIONED, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE.
Y'ALL NEED TO LET AMBROSE GO TAKE THAT MONEY AND PUT IT WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? PLEASE COME TO THE MIC.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
I'M RICHARD BROWN, UM, WITH DESK COUNTY SHERIFF PULL.
I'M WITH THE S COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, AGAIN, THIS MEETING WAS HERE, HERE ON THIS MEETING IN SHORT NOTICE.
UM, JUST A FEW THINGS I WANTED TO SAY.
MR. PRESIDENT, I APPRECIATE YOU.
THIS IS MY SECOND TIME SITTING IN HERE.
THIS PROCESS IS VERY NEW TO ME.
UM, EVEN IN BEING WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE 13 YEARS, 12 YEARS AT THIS POINT, WHATEVER IT IS, UM, I'M GONNA URGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO ASK THE QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGE THE THINGS THAT YOU HEAR HERE BECAUSE
[01:25:01]
THEY ARE EMBELLISHED.UM, THE OC AND HANDCUFFING LEGIT, YOU GET SPRAYED IN THE FACE WITH OC AND TAUGHT HOW TO PUT ON HANDCUFFS.
LIKE THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO WORK IN THE JAIL.
UM, SO THIS TRAINING OR LIKE RHETORIC OF TRAINING, PLEASE CONTINUE TO PUSH BUTTONS AND ASK QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGE THE PEOPLE THAT, OF, OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE SAYING HERE.
UM, ALONG WITH THESE TRAININGS, PLEASE TALK TO SOME OF THESE DOCTORS ABOUT GETTING US SOME COUNSELING.
LIKE, IT, IT, IT, THEY'RE HIDING BEHIND THIS BLACK AND WHITE STUFF.
UM, OUR RANGE DAYS ARE LONGER NOW.
UM, AND US TELLING THAT WE'RE BEING TRAINED IN ALMOST IN LIKE A RETALIATORY FASHION.
UM, SO AGAIN, LIKE THIS TRAINING AGAIN, CONTINUED TO, TO CHALLENGE THESE PEOPLE AND ASK THE QUESTIONS OF THE LEADERSHIP.
UM, BUT ALL IN ALL, AS FAR AS PUBLIC SAFETY, I WILL TELL YOU THIS, I I WORK AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 60 TO 70 HOURS A WEEK BECAUSE I HAVE TO, BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE TO.
UM, I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT BUDGETING, BUT BEYOND THAT, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, I WORK THE OVERNIGHT SHIFT.
UM, AND WE HAVE FOUR CARS ON THE ROAD FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
THE SES COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD FOUR CARS PATROLLING AND OVERNIGHT SHIFT.
CAUSE ONE OF THE CARS IS A TWO MAN.
EVERY OTHER CAR IS A ONE MAN CAR FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY, CORRECT? YES.
UM, RECENTLY, UH, MY SISTER GOT BACK FROM A WEEK OF TRAINING AT HARVARD AND I LEARNED THE TERM PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY.
AND I HOPE THAT IT IS PRESENT HERE AGAIN.
I AM THE SON OF LAWRENCE BROWN SR.
WHO DEDICATED HIS LIFE IN POLITICS AND IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TO THE CITY OF NEWARK.
I HOPE THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IS PRESENT HERE.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT ME CHALLENGING THE RULES OF SAFETY OR SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THINGS THAT I'M NOT RETALIA RETALIATED AGAINST AND SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT HAPPENING HERE.
I HOPE THAT FOR MYSELF AND ALL THE OFFICERS AND LEADERSHIP HERE WHO CHOOSE TO SPEAK OUT, THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IS PRESENT.
MADAM CLERK, I MEAN, MR. PRESIDENT, MADAM CHAIR.
REMEMBER, WE WILL ANSWER OR GET ANSWERS FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASK.
YOU WILL GET AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IN WRITING.
COMMISSIONER, REAL QUICK, YOU HAVE YOUR RESPONSE AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.
GOOD EVENING, OFFICER EDWARD O'MARA, ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UH, HE SAID THAT THE SUPERVISORS IN THE JAIL NOW CARRY NARCAN.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST STOP THE DRUGS FROM COMING IN? LIKE MS. JACKSON MENTIONED, THEN THEY WOULDN'T NEED NARCAN.
THANK YOU IF, IF I MAY, MR. PRESIDENT.
SO IT WOULD, THAT WAS A, THAT'S THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
UM, ALL OF THE SUPERVISORS CARRY NARCAN BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF NARCOTICS GETTING INTO THE JAIL EVIDENT CLEARLY.
AND YOU THINK IT'S COMING IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT'S ONE OF THE POINTS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GET RID OF THE INMATES WORKING IN THE KITCHEN AND IT WOULD LESSEN, UH, NARCOTIC ACTIVITY AND, AND, AND OTHER THINGS.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE DIRECTOR? SO, UM, ONE OF, ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THE CREATION OF THE SEARCH TEAM.
UM, THE SEARCH TEAM IS DOING TARGETED SEARCHES, WHICH IS COMING FROM INTEL IN THE FACILITY, WHETHER THAT BE STAFF BRINGING IT IN, WHETHER THAT BE, UH, CIVILIAN STAFF, WHETHER THAT BE, UM, COMING IN THROUGH THE VISITS.
THEY'RE DOING UNANNOUNCED, UH, SEARCHES AS WELL.
UM, WHICH, UM, THE CAPTAIN, UH, OF THAT UNIT, UM, SETS
[01:30:01]
HIS TEAMWORK.UM, AND THE UNIT OVER THE LAST THREE, FOUR MONTHS HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB IN REDUCING THE CONTRABAND IN, IN THE FACILITY.
UM, WE CAN HAVE A SEPARATE MEETING JUST, JUST ON THAT AND GO OVER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SOME OF THEM, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS WE FOUND.
EVERYTHING FROM EXTRA PRESCRIBED MEDICATION TO CASH APP ACCOUNTS TO, TO, UH, INTEL INFORMATION.
UM, AND SOME, SOME OF THE THINGS I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IN, IN A PUBLIC FORUM, BUT IT'S NOT COMING IN JUST FROM ONE SOURCE.
IT'S A MULTITUDE OF SOURCES THAT IT'S COMING IN FROM.
SO WHEN ARE YOU GONNA IMPLEMENT THIS CHANGE WITH THE KITCHEN? IF YOU BELIEVE THAT MAJORITY OF THE DRUGS AND OTHER THINGS ARE COMING IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN, YOU SAID YOU WERE ISSUING AN RFP MM-HMM.
WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE, UH, THE VENDORS TO, UH, TO, UH, SUBMIT THEIR, UH, THE, THEIR PROPOSAL AND THEN WE HAVE TO AWARD THE BID THROUGH, THROUGH THE CONTRACT.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD IMAGINE THE CONTRACT RIGHT NOW FOR THE KITCHEN, UM, DOESN'T RUN OUT UNTIL DECEMBER, BUT WE'RE GONNA, UH, I WAS TALKING TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY ISSUE A NEW ONE, PROBABLY END OF AUGUST FOR LIKE, MAYBE LIKE A SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, A DIRECTOR.
IF YOU DEEM THAT A LOT OF THIS CONTRABAND IS COMING IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN, I THINK WE COULD SACRIFICE AND CANCEL A CONTRACT BEFORE DECEMBER.
IF YOU BELIEVE IT'S GONNA MAKE YOUR MEN AND WOMEN SAFER, IT'S GONNA REDUCE ISSUES WITH THE INMATES.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO WAIT UNTIL DECEMBER.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH MR. CORY TO GET THIS BID OUT RFP.
HOW ARE YOU GONNA DO IT? AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE SOURCE WHERE A LOT OF THESE NEGATIVE THINGS ARE COMING AT.
I JUST WANT TO FILL ELIJAH, CHIEF OF SIM, I DON'T, OBVIOUSLY THE DRUGS, ANY NARCOTICS, ANY CONTRABAND, NOT CONTRABAND, ANY NARCOTICS ARE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN.
WHAT WE BELIEVE IS HAPPENING IN THE KITCHEN IS THEY'RE USING THAT AS A DISTRIBUTION CENTER BECAUSE DISTRIBUTION, THE KITCHEN GOES TO EVERY POD AND EVERY, SO IF I WORK IN THE KITCHEN AND I KNOW THAT SOMEONE IN THE D POD NEEDS DRUGS OR E POD NEEDS, C POD OR APE, YOU KNOW, I CAN DISTRIBUTE IT FROM THERE.
OBVIOUSLY THE NARCOTICS ARE COMING FROM OUTSIDE IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE LAWYER VISITS, WHEN WE DIDN'T DURING COVID, WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE AS MANY CIVILIANS COMING IN, THE NARCOTICS WERE STILL COMING IN.
SO IT'S EVERYONE WHO COMES IN AND OUT, OFFICERS, CIVILIAN STAFF, UH, UH, HAS BEEN PART OF IT.
SO WE AS A COUNTY, WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT, AND, AND, AND THE INMATES WERE AHEAD OF US A FEW YEARS AGO, WE REALIZED THAT THEY WERE SPRAYING MAIL WITH, WITH NARCOTICS, RIGHT? AND THE MAIL WAS BEING SENT IN UNBEKNOWNST TO, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE FEDERAL AND NASHVILLE, ANYONE REALIZED THAT THAT'S HOW THEY WERE GETTING IN AND THEY WERE GETTING IT AND THEY WERE SMOKING THE MAIL.
WE, IN, AS SOON AS WE FOUND OUT, AGAIN LATER THAN THE INMATES REALIZED HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT, YOU KNOW, WE FINALLY REALIZED THAT WAS PART OF IT.
WE BOUGHT, UH, WITH YOUR APPROVAL, I THINK IT WAS HALF A MILLION OR A MILLION DOLLARS IN MAIL SCANNING EQUIPMENT THAT CAN READ AND SCAN, UM, UH, THE DRUGS NOW THAT I CAME TO REALIZE RECENTLY THAT, THAT THAT EQUIPMENT AND, AND RONNIE WASN'T BEING UTILIZED BECAUSE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO UTILIZE.
ARE WE NOW USING THAT? I DON'T NEED TO ASK A QUESTION, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
YOU KNOW, UM, I WANNA MAKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMMITTED AS AN ADMINISTRATION TO GIVE THEM THE TOOLS, BUT THE OFFICERS AND THE, AND THE, AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RUNNING THERE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE USE THE TOOLS THAT WE IMPLEMENT.
THE KITCHEN IS NOT WHERE THE DRUGS ARE COMING IN.
THAT'S SORT OF DISTRIBUTION CENTER.
I, I THINK BETWEEN, UM, DRUG SNIFFING DOGS THAT RONNIE HAS WORKED WITH, UH, THE DIRECTOR HAS WORKED WITH SOME OF THE FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, OTHER COUNTIES TO BRING IN RANDOMLY, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, AT DELANEY HALL THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH DRONES, RIGHT? THE, THE, THE DRONES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WERE FLYING IN AND DROPPING STUFF INTO THE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE GOING THE NEXT DAY.
SO THAT AGAIN, THERE, THERE, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE OFFICER SAID, WHY NOT STOP IT FROM COMING IN? WELL, I WOULD SAY, WHY DOESN'T THE DEA STOP THE DRUGS FROM COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY OR BEING MADE? IT'S, IT'S UNFORTUNATELY THEY'RE AHEAD OF US AND WE NEED TO TOGETHER WORK TO IMPLEMENT IT.
SO THAT'S JUST MY WHERE, WHERE WE ARE.
SO, MR. ELIJAH, I APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR RESPONSE AND I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAID.
I OFTEN HAVE ASKED WHY HAVEN'T THE DEA AND FBI DONE A LOT OF THINGS, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE CONTROL OF THE JAIL.
BUT WHAT THE TWO OF YOU JUST DESCRIBED, YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THE WAY THAT THESE THINGS ARE GETTING MOVED AROUND.
SO WE NEED TO CUT THAT OFF AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
[01:35:01]
AS SOON AS WE CAN GET AN RFP, A BID OUT ON THE STREET, I'M SURE THE COMMISSIONERS, WE WILL SUPPORT IT SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST STOP ONE AVENUE THAT WE KNOW THIS, THIS CONTRABAND IS COMING IN.DIRECTOR, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I MEANT TO ASK EARLIER.
AND ONE OF YOUR SIZE, YOU SHOWED THAT 95 PEOPLE RESIGNED MM-HMM.
WHY ARE PEOPLE LEAVING US? IS IT BECAUSE OUR SALARIES ARE TOO LOW? WHAT ARE OUR ISSUES HERE? QUESTION.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A PLETHORA OF REASONS.
ONE, THE SALARY, THERE'S, THEY'RE CLAIMING THEY'RE LEAVING FOR DEPARTMENTS THAT, THAT ARE PAYING HIGHER SALARIES.
THEY'RE LEAVING TO JUST GET OUT OF THE CORRECTION PROFESSION.
UM, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY RECENTLY IS THAT THEY CREATED A, WHAT I CALL A FREE AGENCY MARKET.
SO THEY CAN, NOW THAT IT CAN GO TO ANY DEPARTMENT, UH, AND JUST ONLY HAVE TO DO GO WHAT THEY CALL A GAP TRAINING.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR BETTER OFFICERS.
THEY'RE, UH, OFFERS, THEY'RE MARKETING THEMSELVES AND, AND, AND THEY'RE LEAVING.
UM, WE HAVE OFFICERS GOING FROM CORRECTION OFFICERS TO FIREMEN, CORRECTION OFFICERS LEAVING, GOING TO JOIN THE PLUMBER, PLUMBERS UNION.
WE HAVE PEOPLE JUST MOVING OUTTA STATE JUST JUST TO GET OUTTA THE STATE.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A WIDE RANGE OF I OF ISSUES.
WHERE ARE OUR SALARIES IN LINE WITH THE REST OF THE STATE? HAVE YOU DONE THAT ANALYSIS? NO.
UM, OUR STARTING SALARY IS COMPARABLE.
OUR TOP SALARY IS NOT, OUR STARTING SALARY IS COMPARABLE.
SO HOW, WHAT, WHAT'S THAT CHAIR? WHAT'S THE GAP? I MEAN, HOW, HOW BIG A GAP IS IT? UH, THE CORRECTION OFFICER, UH, A TOP SALARY IN ESSEX COUNTY MAKES JUST ABOUT $89,000.
UM, THERE ARE A COUNTY JAILS, COUNTY FACILITIES THAT ARE MAKING SOMEONE, LIKE ONE OF, I COULD TELL UNION WAS 1 0 5, UH, WHEN I WAS THERE, 1 0 5 AND CHANGE.
UM, SO THAT SEEMS TO BE RIGHT AROUND THE, THE AVERAGE.
THERE'S MORE AT BERGEN COUNTY, YOU'RE MAKING ABOUT ONE 40 WHEN YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THAT IS FILL A LARGER CHIEF OF STAFF.
ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THAT IS THAT THE, UH, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A CONTRACT WITH THE, UH, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS FOR SIX YEARS.
UM, WE HAVE ALREADY NEGOTIATED THAT THE, THE RAISES, I MEAN, THE REST OF THE COUNTY GOT 3% RAISES THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR.
UM, AND FOR JUST SO, SO YOU GUYS KNOW THAT OFFER IS ON THE TABLE TO, TO BE EQUITABLE, THAT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY, I SIGNIFICANTLY, LET'S NOT DO THAT.
AS YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, THE OTHER 22 UNIONS HAVE THERE, THERE WE'RE STARTING NEGOTIATING ON OUR THIRD ROUND OF CONTRACTS WITH THEM AND ARE, ARE FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS WHAT ONE UNION GOT THE ENTIRE COUNTY WORKFORCE GOT.
SO THAT OFFER HAS BEEN ON THE TABLE FOR SIX YEARS.
UH, WE'RE READY AS SOON AS THEY, AS SOON AS THE UNIONS WANT TO, TO ACCEPT IT.
I MEAN, AND IT WOULD REALLY BRING, I MEAN IT'S AT LEAST 16, 15 OR, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T WANNA STATE A NUMBER CAUSE I'M NEGOTIATING, BUT WHATEVER THE REST OF THE COUNTY GOT, IT'S THERE.
AND, AND THAT WOULD IMMEDIATELY BRING THE, THE SALARY UP TO A LEVEL THAT'S MORE, MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REST OF THE STATE.
SO WE'RE WAITING, WILLING AND FOR THEM TO ACCEPT THOSE OFFERS.
SO, SO WHEN, WHENEVER MR. UH, PHIL, WHENEVER THAT, UH, CONTRACT, WHENEVER THEY DO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT, SO ALL THE WAGES WOULD BE RETROACTIVE.
I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT.
THAT'S WHAT TRADITIONALLY HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR, UH, THE REST OF THE CONTRACTS THAT HAVE SETTLED LATE.
BUT WE'RE READY, WILLING, AND WE HAVE THE NUMBERS ON THE TABLE AND WE'RE WAITING.
IF WE THEY WANNA SIGN TODAY, WE CAN GO TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND GET IT DONE.
OH, THAT WAS, HEY, THANK YOU FOR A REMINDER.
SO I'M SORRY, YOU CAN'T, IF YOU WANNA, OUR MEETING IS BEING RECORDED, PLEASE.
SO SOMEONE MENTIONED COUNTY COUNSEL DROPPING THE BALL AND TWO INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS BEING SUED.
IS THAT THE CURRENT COUNTY COUNCIL? THANK YOU.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, NO.
CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD? ANTHONY DE PROPO, PBA 3 25, UH, PROSECUTOR'S, ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF, OF THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS GONNA DO THIS.
THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS GONNA DO THAT.
CONTRARY TO WHAT ANYBODY SAYS THAT ANY ADMINISTRATION SAYS, WE'RE RUNNING ON FUMES, WE'RE LITERALLY RUNNING ON FUMES.
SO ALL THE ADDED WORK THAT THEY THINK WE'RE GONNA TAKE, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S GONNA DO IT.
BUT, UH, I LEFT TRANSIT POLICE YEARS AGO, UH, DUE TO A TOXIC ENVIRONMENT AND UH, IT WAS A REVOLVING DOOR.
[01:40:01]
WAS, UH, THE RUNNING JOKE WAS THAT IT WAS A TEMP AGENCY FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO CHERRY PICK FROM.UNFORTUNATELY, I FOUND MYSELF IN THE SAME PREDICAMENT RECENTLY.
UH, DETECTIVES ARE RESIGNING TO GO TO OTHER AGENCIES.
UH, THEY'RE NOT EVEN, THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TIME IN THE RETIRE HEARING.
AND, UH, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT NEVER HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE NEVER HAD PEOPLE LEAVE.
PEOPLE ARE JUST PICKING UP AND LEAVING.
I HAVE IN MY HAND TWO CHIEFS OFFICE MEMORANDUMS DUE TO LOW MANPOWER.
THEY'RE JUST DISSOLVING UNITS AND THEY'RE SHUFFLING AROUND GUYS LEFT AND RIGHT.
YOU CAN'T MAKE A DOLLAR OUT OF 15 CENTS.
SO, I I I, I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW THIS IS ALL GONNA COME ABOUT WITH THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA SAY.
THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS GONNA HANDLE IT.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT IT AND, AND SEND IT, SEND IT TO THE NEXT GUY.
WE NEED SOME REAL, REAL SUBSTANCE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN HERE.
UM, I'M NOT ONLY KNOWN AS THE, UH, DETECTIVE DE PRO.
I'M ALSO KNOWN AS THE, UH, DOCTOR AND, UH, AND PROFESSOR DE PROVO.
I INSTRUCT, UH, SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES AND, UH, I HAVE LITERATURE ON ADMINISTRATION AND RETENTION.
AND THIS IS JUST, THE WAY THIS PLACE IS RUN IS JUST A CLASSIC CASE OF HOW A CRISIS HAPPENS.
IT'S JUST NOT, YOU GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS AND IT'S JUST NOT PROPERLY ENTERTAINED.
IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A FACADE.
IT'S UNFORTUNATELY, CUZ IT'S JUST PLAIN AND SIMPLY NOT ENTERTAINED.
I WANTED TO ASK THE DOCTOR, PROFESSOR.
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS ALL DUE TO? SO, SO, SO I NEED, MAYBE I SHOULD ASKED A QUESTION, BUT FOR, FOR ME, I ALWAYS LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES, BUT I'D LIKE TO GET TO THE SOLUTIONS.
SO PUTTING THE SOLUTION, THE, THE ISSUES OUT HERE IS ONE PIECE.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THE SOLUTION A ABSOLUTELY SIR AS WELL.
SO YOU, YOU MENTIONED SEVERAL THINGS.
AND I'M JUST PICKING YOU OUT OF THE HAT.
BECAUSE YOU, YOU JUST HAPPENED TO BE THE LAST PERSON WHO SPOKE.
UM, SO WHAT DO YOU SEE AS SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS TO THE ISSUES YOU JUST BROUGHT UP? WELL, NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
UH, ANTHONY DE PROCO, PBA 3 25 DETECTIVES UNION FOR ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO BOAST THAT WE CARRY THE MAJORITY OF THE STATE'S WORKLOAD, BUT YET, UH, AT THE LAST I CHECKED OUR PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, UH, WAS NUMBER 15 AND KEEPS FALLING BEHIND IN TERMS OF PAY AND IN TERMS OF BENEFITS.
SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
UH, I KNOW I'M GONNA BE ATTACKED FOR THIS, BUT WE HAVE HARD WORKING DETECTIVES WHO SEE THEIR, WHO JUST BECOME STAGNANT AND THE WIND IS TAKEN OUT OF THEIR SAILS BECAUSE THEY SEE NEPOTISM, BECAUSE THEY SEE ALL SORTS OF OTHER STUFF HAPPENING.
WE HAVE PEOPLE BEING PROMOTED THAT HAVE NO TIME ON THE JOB BECAUSE I'M A DOCTOR AND APPARENTLY I I I'M NOT QUALIFIED TO BE SUPERVISOR AND THAT, THAT'S MY EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND BECAUSE I'M NOT RELATED TO SO-AND-SO IS THE BOTTOM LINE.
SO UNTIL WE GET INTO THE REAL NITTY GRITTY AND WHY THINGS ARE ACTUALLY HAPPEN, IT'S JUST PASSING IT ALL BACK AND FORTH.
THE, THE LIKE, LIKE EVERYBODY SAID, THE GUY WE'RE PUPPETS, WE'RE PUPPETS IN THE GAME.
AND UNTIL WE REALLY ENTERTAIN THESE HARD FACTS, IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S A FACADE AND WE'RE ALL HERE FOR, YOU KNOW, TO, TO RUN THE MILL.
SO, SO, NO, WE ALL ARE NOT HERE FOR THAT.
AGAIN, SOLUTIONS, YOU, YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OTHER ISSUES.
HOW DO WE FIX IT IS WHAT I WANT TO HEAR.
AND THAT'S, WE NEED TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER MORE, MORE ACCOUNTABILITY.
THAT YOU GUYS, MEN AND WOMEN ARE PRESENTED WITH HOW DO WE FIX THESE ISSUES, RIGHT.
AND HAVE A REAL ROBUST CONVERSATION.
UH, AND, AND, AND I LIKE THE ONE SUGGESTION THAT, UH, THAT DONNA JACKSON MADE.
LET'S TURN OFF THE MICROPHONES AND LET'S HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION.
BILL, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, GENTLEMEN AND LADIES, THANK YOU.
CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? DAVE BETOS
[01:45:01]
ES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, PBA PRESIDENT ON THURSDAY, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, A HEARING WITH PERK FOR OUR MEDICAL LAWSUIT THAT'S PREVENTED US TO NEGOTIATE OUR CONTRACT.THE COUNTY OF ESSEX KEEPS ON APPEALING THIS LAWSUIT, WHICH THEY KEEP LOSING AND LOSING.
WHEN ARE THEY GONNA STOP APPEALING SO WE CAN GET TO THAT CONTRACT? WHEN ARE THEY GONNA STOP DOING THIS? THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
WE ARE ESSEX COUNTY CORRECTIONAL POLICE.
WE'RE ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HERE.
THE AVERAGE IN THE STATE IS $115,000.
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT STAYING AT THE JAIL.
WE HIRE A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED LEAVE.
YOU'RE NOT MAKING IT ATTRACTIVE TO STAY THERE.
YES, THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT SAFER.
I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT SAFER, BUT YOU'RE NOT MAKING IT ATTRACTIVE TO STAY THERE.
THEY TALK ABOUT THE AMBROSE ROUTE, THE REPORT, NOBODY HAS SAID THAT, THAT REPORT SAID IT SHOULD BE TWO OFFICERS ON THAT UNIT.
WE GOT AROUND IT, WE SAW A WHOLE THING.
IT SHOULD BE TWO OFFICERS IN THE UNIT.
YOU KNOW WHY? CUZ TIMES HAVE CHANGED.
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WE'VE MADE IT THIS FAR.
THE DEMOGRAPHICS ON THE STREETS HAVE CHANGED AND SO HAVE THEY IN THE JAIL.
SO WE HAVE TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES WE GOT AWAY WITH ONE OFFICERS FOR A LONG TIME.
NOW IT'S TIME TO CHANGE AND PUT TWO OFFICERS ON THAT UNIT TO WATCH THE 64 INMATES AND PUT THREE OFFICERS OR MAYBE FOUR TO WATCH THE 128 INMATES.
CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US? GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS AP ESPOSITO FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
I REPRESENT PBA 180 3 A, WHICH IS THE SUPERVISOR'S UNION.
SO I KNOW THIS IS YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND, UH, WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS DIRECTOR.
BUT PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THIS IS NO DISRESPECT TO CORRECTIONS, IS MORE THAN JUST CORRECTIONS.
THAT'S ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
AND THERE'S NOBODY HERE REPRESENTING THE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS OR ENTITIES THAT EXIST THAT, THAT YOU FUND, THAT YOU HAVE BUDGET, AUTHORITY, AND CONTROL OVER.
SO MY ONE QUESTION IS, WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THE FUTURE TO ENSURE THAT THE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY ENTITIES THAT ARE WITHIN THE COUNTY ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THESE MEETINGS? SO THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
NEXT, I WANNA MOVE TO SOLUTIONS.
I'VE NEVER BROUGHT UP A PROBLEM TO THE ADMINISTRATION AS THE UNION PRESIDENT OR AS A SUPERVISOR WITHOUT AT LEAST OFFERING A SOLUTION OR POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS, MAYBE MORE THAN ONE TO THE PROBLEM THAT I'M PRESENTING.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE ISSUES, THE SALARY, FOR EXAMPLE, TWO, 2.5, 2.83% RAISES THAT WERE GIVEN OUT TO THE OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
THEY MAY SOUND GOOD ON PAPER, BUT NOT WHEN YOUR BASE PAY IS SO FAR OFF FROM WHAT OTHERS IN THE SAME INDUSTRY ARE GETTING PAID.
WHEN YOU HAVE, WHEN YOU HAVE SALARIES THAT ARE WITHIN THE ACTUAL RANGE FOR THE PROFESSION THAT YOU'RE IN AND FOR THE TASKS THAT YOU MAY BE CALLED TO DO, THEN TWO, THREE, WHATEVER PERCENT RAISES THAT ARE IN LINE WITH OTHER RAISES MAY BE ACCEPTABLE.
BUT TO SIT AND SAY, AND I SAID THIS AT ONE OF THE PAST FREEHOLDER MEETINGS ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I ASKED QUESTIONS.
I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE, UH, ANY RESPONSES.
BUT, UH, JUST IF I COULD REMIND YOU ON THAT.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT IT'S EASY TO ACCEPT A RAISE THAT'S IN LINE WITH THE AVERAGE WHEN YOUR SALARIES ARE WITHIN LINE WITH THE AVERAGE.
THIS BOARD HAS VOTED TO APPROVE SALARY, SALARY ADJUSTMENTS IN THE RANGES FOR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS WITHIN THIS COUNTY, FOR THE COUNTY CLERK, FOR THE COUNTY SURROGATE.
I'M NOT GONNA CALL OUT ALL THE POSITIONS, BUT THE BOARD HAS NO PROBLEM ADJUSTING THOSE SALARIES.
AND THEN IT'S EASY TO GET A TWO AND A HALF OR 3% RAISE.
SO THAT'S A QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU.
WHAT WILL YOU DO TO ADJUST THIS SHERIFF'S OFFICE CORRECTIONS AND PROSECUTOR SALARY RANGE BEFORE WE START HAVING THAT CONVERSATION? AND FINALLY, I
[01:50:01]
KNOW I HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT.I WANNA ALSO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A SOLUTION WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HAVING A CONVERSATION AND THAT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO, TO SIT DOWN.
WE WERE TOLD THAT WE COULD NOT HAVE THE CONVERSATION MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
AND WE'RE TRYING SO HARD TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
AGAIN, NOBODY ON THIS SIDE IS NOT WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE.
WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE, BUT THERE HAS TO BE A CONVERSATION, NOT A DICTATION.
AND PER HAS SAID THEMSELF IN THEIR OWN RULING, PER HAS SAID THEMSELF IN THEIR OWN HEARING EXAMINER'S RULING THAT THE COUNTY'S NEGOTIATION WAS A TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT OFFER.
SO THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM IS COLLECTIVE NEGOTIATION, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE TO DO.
DONALD JACKSON, 1 28 SMITH STREET, UH, NEWARK RESIDENT.
I DON'T REALLY NEED A MIC, BUT NEWARK RESIDENT.
I AM EMPLOYED BY THIS COUNTY VIA THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
HOWEVER, I SPEAK ON MY OWN BEHALF, NO AFFILIATION WITH ANY STAFF, SUPERVISORS, SUPERIORS, OR UNION.
WELL, BY THE END OF THIS SPEECH, I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO START OVER FOR ANOTHER JOB, BUT IT'S OKAY.
UM, I THINK SOME THINGS NEED TO BE SAID AND WE NEED TO STOP PLAYING WITH THE 800 POUND GORILLA IN THE ROOM.
UM, BUT WE NEED TO STOP TRYING TO PROTECT FEELINGS AND FRIENDSHIPS AND DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.
UM, I'M A RELATIVELY NEW OFFICER IN THE JAIL.
UH, WITH TWO AND A HALF YEARS EXPERIENCE AND CORRECTION TIME, THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT 10 YEARS.
UM, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE DAILY STRESSORS IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, MR. RICHARDSON, UM, MS. GRAHAM, YOU'VE KNOWN ME FOR GOD KNOWS HOW LONG.
UM, AND I'M THE SAME PERSON I WAS THEN THAT I AM NOW.
UM, AGAIN, NO ONE IS, UH, WILLING OR, OR IS WILLING TO STOMACH TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I SAW FROM THE SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, I THINK ARE GREAT.
UH, AS A HUMAN HUMANITARIAN AND A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST MYSELF, I THINK IS EXCELLENT.
BUT THEN I HAVE TO PUT MY OFFICER CAP ON.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE IN A VERY VOLATILE ENVIRONMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AT THIS POINT.
UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS.
UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT AND DEAL WITH AND TALK WITH.
WE JUST AREN'T THERE YET TO EN TO, TO, TO ENFORCE AND HAVE THAT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING ONLY BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD.
UM, SOMEONE SAID, HOW DO WE KEEP OFFICERS QUITE SIMPLE? AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE WITH TIME WHO SPOKE HERE TODAY HAVE ALREADY TOUCHED ON THOSE ISSUES.
PAY HEALTH INSURANCE, HEALTHCARE, QUALITY OF THE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT WE WORK IN, IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, THESE ARE ISSUES THAT HAVE, UH, UH, UH, ACCUMULATED OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE GONE IGNORED.
AND I'M JUST GONNA BE QUITE HONEST, THE POLITICS HAVE RUINED THESE PROFESSIONS.
THE POLITICS HAVE RUINED THE CORRECTIONS.
THE POLITICS HAVE RUINED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
THE POLITICS HAVE RUINED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THE POLITICS HAVE RUINED THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
THE POLITICS HAVE RUINED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
THE POLITICS HAVE RUINED THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
PLEASE SPEAKING TO THE MIC, POLITICS HAVE RUINED PUBLIC WORKS.
THE POLITICS, THE NE NEPOTISM, THE FACT THAT WHEN THINGS ARE WRONG AND PEOPLE SPEAK OUT, THEY GOTTA WORRY ABOUT A, IF THEY GONNA HAVE A JOB B ATTACKED, HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UH, FRIVOLOUS, WRITEUPS, FRIVOLOUS, UH, UH, UH, UH, UH, SUSPENSIONS OR BECAUSE OF COMING OUT TO EXPRESS THE TRUTH.
SO AGAIN, WE NEED TO HAVE A REAL SERIOUS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THE LOSSES ARE GONNA GET BIGGER.
YOU'RE GONNA HIRE AND HAVE TO REPLACE ONLY BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T WANNA STAY BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE APPRECIATED AND THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AND EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERNS.
UM, DIRECTOR CHARLES, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR COMING OUT.
UM, MR. ELIJAH, MR. CORY, FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS MEETING TODAY.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY CLOSING COMMENTS? ONE, ONE OF THE, UM, OFFICERS ASKED ABOUT ANY OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, I THINK, UH, IT'S TIME TO GET THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN HERE.
I HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH, WITH THE SHERIFF AND, AND HIS FOLKS.
SO I THINK WE'LL PUT THAT ON THE CALENDAR.
[01:55:01]
SO THEN PLEASE, PLEASE INVITE US.
LISTEN, YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE NOTIFIED AND, AND LONGER THAN TWO DAYS, AND I APOLOGIZE,
SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS YOU MADE HERE TODAY WERE ENLIGHTENING.
UM, CERTAINLY SOME OF US ARE GONNA ASK QUESTIONS AND DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER TO FIGURE OUT MORE.
REMEMBER, WE DON'T WORK IN YOUR DEPARTMENTS WITH YOU.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GO THROUGH.
BUT I DO KNOW, UM, THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE HERE AND THE CORRECTIONS, UM, DEPARTMENT SINCE MR. CHARLES HAVE JOINED US.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALL OF YOUR EFFORT THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAS MADE.
AND I DO KNOW THAT MR. ELIJAH IS COMMITTED AND DEDICATED TO CREATING A GOOD WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
SO I KNOW HERE ON THE COMMISSIONER SIDE, WE WILL CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CONTINUE TO OPEN THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND KEEPING THE DIALOGUE GOING BECAUSE WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING.
A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE OFFICERS AS WELL AS THE INMATES.
UM, AS COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT JUST SAID, WE ARE GOING TO INVITE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICER HERE AND WE ARE GONNA CERTAINLY INVITE DELANEY HALL HERE AS WELL.
ALL OF OUR MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC UNLESS THEY'RE CLOSED.
AND THEN WE ADVERTISE THAT TO LET YOU KNOW.
SO PAY ATTENTION TO OUR WEBSITE, WE ADVERTISE IN THE NEWSPAPER TO, UM, INFORM THE PUBLIC AND WHEN WE'RE HAVING THESE MEETINGS.