VOLUSIA EXPOSED

"Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining" ~ Fletcher (Actor John Vernon)
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

If the public took anything away from the recent federal government shutdown - it was that staffing levels at air traffic control towers, and at prisons, are critical concerns regarding public safety.

This publication forwards the OPINION that staffing levels at our local jails are of equal concern.

VolusiaExposed.Com recently came into possession of two videos that are alleged to be from a January 25, 2019 collective bargaining meeting between the Volusia County corrections officers' labor union and the jail's administration. (see right of page for videos).

In as far as police unions - many would argue - that police unions only serve the purpose of protecting bad cops. In reality, the only true antiseptic for bad cops are good cops.

In reality, police unions serve a very important public service.

These public service unions are a safe guard against management stupidity. Stupidity that can - and often does - place the lives and safety of officers, inmates and the public in danger.

Officer Shutdown
vs.
The Ice Cream Man

This publication is of the OPINION that the union (officers) makes a good point regarding whether passing ice cream out to inmates makes sense, especially given the jail's current low staffing levels.

Below videos were provided to this publication via a third party. Reported to be video from a January 25, 2019 collective bargaining session between Volusia County officials and the correctional officers' union.
SEE MINUTE 6 TO 7 OF BELOW VIDEO
CORRECTIONS DIRECTOR MARK FLOWERS DISCUSSES
ICE CREAM DELIVERIES TO INMATE HOUSING UNITS

Negotiations become heat over staffing issues - County officials walk out of negotiation session.

According to a 2014 contract with Aramark Correctional Services, Volusia County makes well over $500,000 a year selling commissary items to their inmate population.

Many of the jail's housing units were originally designed to house only sixty-four (64) inmates - while being operated by two correctional staff members. Due to staff shortages - currently many, if not all of these jail housing units routinely house over a (100) hundred inmates, and while only being staffed with one correctional staff member. During these routine staff shortages - correctional staff are known to refer to this second officer shutdown post as being manned by "Officer Shutdown".

The Inmates Are Running The Asylum

This publication is of the OPINION that an clearly exposed the jail administration's failure in meeting their basic correctional obligations - which are, the CARE, CUSTODY & CONTROL of their inmate population.

Within the above DBNJ article - the public became aware that jail administrators have relinquished their solemn responsibilities to their inmates with mental health concerns. Instead of having jail staff maintain suicide watches on inmates with identified suicidual ideations - the jail assigns other inmates known as INOBS (inmate observers) to maintain these preventative suicide watches.

Jail Administrators Refuse To Discuss Staffing Concerns With Union

Probably the most concerning situation highlighted within these collective bargaining videos - is the unwillingness of the jail's administration to address the replacement of open staff positions within the jail. Watch video two (see above ) as jail administration opt to walk out of the negotiations rather than to discuss staffing concerns.

Ice Cream & Inmate Commissary Can Be Profitable

Given that generate the county's inmate welfare fund anywhere from an annual minimum income of $500,000 - to as much as $1,000,000 - it is somewhat understandable that the county bean counters, and sadly - apparently some within VCDC's own administration - would want to increase their profit margins by offering jail inmates the ability to buy ice cream.

Additionally, , in our OPINION - present evidence that would question whether the profits from the inmate commissary are solely used in the financing of the educational, vocational and recreational needs of the jail's inmate population - as was stated by VCDC Director Mark Flowers (see minute 6-7 - first video).

In the end - here are our observations.

Given the low staff levels at the jail - and the additional need to relinquish security duties to the inmate population - why would jail administrators want to place an additional burden on their staff (the safety of the ice cream man)?

Has the profits from the sale of fudgsicles become more valuable to some administrators - than the lives of their staff, or the inmates in their custody?

Jails and prisons should be operated similar to nuclear power plants - they should be properly staffed, with safety protocols in place to avoid a meltdown. In our OPINION should the jail's administration continue in their unwillingness to address staffing concerns - Volusia County could soon be experiencing it's own . But at least the inmates will have ice cream to eat during this melt down.

Stand by to stand by ...there is surely more to come of this....until then ...what's your fancy...how about a nice bowl of bubble gum ice cream...?

We look forward to your comments on this situation.
Drop us a line to let us know what you think.

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