Elected through Terror

Untitled Part 19

Each one of these things was priority one; and each took time away from the other. My highest priority would have been to improve the management team and focus on bringing them on board, and being able to document incompetence or disruptive behavior earlier.

Lots of things were being done that I could only peripherally address: I found out that personnel files, located in the administrative part of the jail, were open to all, anyone could view them - a direct violation of several laws. I relocated them as soon as I could, but put a lock on the files immediately.

Several cases were placed in just one file, whether open cases or closed - making it difficult to locate and opened us up to some disclosure problems. If a lawyer asked for a file - he could have access to several cases, none relating to his client, but might expose other things. That was changed.

There were several other administrative issues that had to be addressed in between everything else.

The most complaints, from citizens, I had against a department, within the Office, was Animal Control; and sometimes the lack thereof - no one actually had oversight of the department and I foolishly took it on instead of delegating it - however, in my defense (kinda although I recognize I am a control freak) the Sergeants didn't have the time and I quickly realized the UnderSheriff was struggling with having to do more than shuffle papers; I couldn't 'trust' him to do even this task.

My time was divided and I was spending 60 to 80 hours a week, sometimes driving for several hours - putting hundreds of miles on my car (and never leaving the county,) - in addition to meetings, on the 9-1-1 issue so I was out of the office, just trying to juggle everything; but especially the jail issue.

The Jail became my biggest concern. Not only because there were serious issues in the operation, but also some of the equipment - the stove had been giving problems for the cook, and management had just waved it off without getting it fixed - as an example.

It was an old jail by Oregon standards (I have met Sheriff's from the east coast that are using jails that are a hundred years older than ours.)

The jail was sectioned off, with the majority of the inmates housed in a large area called the bull room. It was located off the main corridor that led into the jail area.

In the center of the bull room was a US Navy brig placed there when the Court house was built in 1914. It was antiquated to say the least.

The bull pen's brig had 10 one person cells in the center of the room, it was designed to be 4 person cells, but, on advice from the Corrections Division it had been reduced to one inmate per cell, and the other bunks (which had folded down from the walls) were removed. Each had a metal toilet/sink on the back wall. The cells were about 8'X6'.

There were two rows, back to back, of five cells each with a shower at the far end. Across from those cells was a single cell that used to be called the 'rubber room' where inmates with psychiatric problems had been housed. Unlike the other cells there was no toilet facility. It had not been used for that purpose for several years.

The soft material was removed from the cell, so it had bare walls. Inmates would be placed here for disciplinary measures - kind of an isolation room, ideally for just a day or two since there was a steel door that cut the inmate off from everyone except the CO who checked in on him every hour.

Outside the bull room area, off of the main 12 foot corridor running the length of the Jail, there was an individual - maximum security cell - used for more violent or high risk inmates.

Across from the security cell we had a couple of two inmate cells that we mainly used for 'trustees;' inmates who worked around the courthouse and were given extra credit on their sentence.

On the same side of the corridor we had two interview rooms and the booking area which also had a dress down/temporary holding cell. Across from these rooms was the wall that separated the bull pen area from the corridor.

We had one cell reserved for females; away from the general population. It was accessed by a door in the administrative office of the jail, not an ideal location but the best that could be done under the circumstances.

Part of the complex, but out of sight and hearing of adult inmates as required by law, was a four cell Juvenile detention facility that also had to be cared for by the CO by the evening and late night shifts.

During this first year I had all male Corrections Officers (CO). The clerical staff, all female, would book in any female prisoners and would see to their needs.

The (CO) related fairly well with the inmates. For the most part the inmates were people from the community and many of them had been 'guests' several times.

It was like old home week when we brought some of them in. Few had a history of violent crimes in the county; most of these men did not pose a danger to the lone Officer on duty. These were placed in the bull pen and used those cells.

There was only one CO on duty in most instances. They were by themselves in the jail with only the clerk/dispatcher, watching cameras, as their protection. They could not depend on immediate help from the deputies because they could be on patrol several miles away. It was basically just them and they had to deal with anything that came up.

The inmates knew that, of course, and some took advantage of it. On several occasions fights would happen where deputies and/or city officers had to come in to assist the CO. That was a pressure filled time for the CO.