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Volusia Correctional Officers Advise Council That Conditions At The Jail Are Dangerous County Manager Alleges That "All Of It Is Not Correct" |
October 13, 2023 |
Captain Fletcher - from the 1976 movie - "The Outlaw Josey Wales"
AS A JOURNALISTIC EDITORIAL,
NO LEGAL OPINION, OR AUTHORITY, SHOULD BE INFERRED
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On October 3, 2023 - several county jail correctional officers attended the meeting of the Volusia County Council (DeLand, Florida).
From our count - at least twelve (12) officers were in attendance - including several mid-line supervisors (sergeants). These courageous officers listed a litany of security concerns - mainly centered around the lack of proper staffing within the jail. (see video - right of page ==>) October 6, 2023 Daytona Beach News Journal Volusia corrections officers plead for safer conditions; manager calls it a union tactic October 6, 2023 MSN.Com / WFTV Correction employees voice safety concerns to county commissioners However - to these officers' credit - their concerns were not merely about their own safety, OR the size of their paychecks - they voiced concerns for the welfare of the jail inmates that have been entrusted to their care, custody and control. |
OCTOBER 3, 2023 OFFICERS VOICE THEIR CONCERNS County Administrators Respond To Officers' Concerns County Manager George Recktenwald & County Attorney Mike Dyer |
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This publication opines that these public servants are truly heroes - and deserve the next thirty minutes of your time. Please review the above video (top of page) - so that you too can fully appreciate the dangerous conditions that are on-going within the Volusia County Division of Corrections.
A short time after these heroes had voiced their grievances and concerns to the Council members - County Manager George "Wreckingball" Recktenwald advised the council that "all of it (officers' concerns) is not correct". So - Mr. Recktenwald - what in the particular wasn't correct? Is the jail not critically short of staff? Are inmate programs (education - religious services - recreation - visitation, etc) NOT being routinely canceled because of this staff shortage? |
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Are general population inmates routinely being held in "lockdown" status for eighteen (18) hours daily - due to lack of staff?
Are inmates classified as two officer handling - because of behavioral & security concerns - only being handled by one officer - OR more importantly - are officers' calls for emergency assistance being delayed because of this lack of proper staffing? Mr. Recktenwald - did one particular officer provide a false account when he stated that male staff are supervising female inmates - sometimes in a state of inmate undress? An apparent violation of Florida State mandates (Florida Model Jail Standards). See right of page ===>> See above video for additional staff concerns |
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Rumor has it - that the the Volusia County Correctional Facility recently experienced a unscheduled inspection by the Florida Model Jail Standards (FMJS) inspection team. Wonder what inspired that? Mr. Recktenwald - if ONLY one of these above concerns IS "correct" - then this publication would suggest to you - that you have a major problem within your jail operation. If two or more of the above are correct - then sir this publication would kindly suggest that you consider submitting your resignation. After-all - last January (2023) - Public Protection Department Director Mark Swanson - while under your review and supervision - terminated then Corrections Director Mark Flowers' employment - stating that Flowers had "lost the confidence of most, if not all, of your command staff and many of the corrections officers. (Click here - see page two of termination letter) Given that these brave officers - together with members of their mid-level command staff have now approached the Council for assistance - there exist the appearance, that they also have no confidence in your abilities to resolve these safety concerns. December 11, 2022 VolusiaExposed.Com Volusia County Corrections Director To Be Fired While Some Will Merely Thank These Officers For Their Service, This Publication Will Thank Them For Their Courage. Given the County's past history - this publication expects that these twelve brave souls will be retaliated against. All the sergeants that spoke out - will never be promoted to lieutenant - and the senior officers will never wear sergeant strips. In truth - these officers are exactly the individuals that should be promoted - they all have the "courage" to speak the truth - when the truth is dangerous to speak. They all are truly Kings and Queens of their forest. |
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However, this publication anticipates that this brave "dirty dozen" will have their assigned shifts and posts manipulated - to inflict on to them the highest level of inconvenience and stress that the County can dish out (conflicts with daycare, school schedules, etc).
With little doubt - the County (the wicked witch) will release her flying monkeys (jail administration / county legal) to pounce on these heroes. Simply because they spoke the truth - in an attempt to keep safe - themselves - their fellow officers - and the inmates that they supervise. Quick - someone find a bucket of water to toss!! |
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A Comedy Of Errors & The Joke Known As FMJS Within these officers comments to the County Council were a few references to "Florida Model Jail Standards" (FMJS) (Click here to review FMJS). FMJS is the current jail oversight system adopted in October 1996 - when the Florida Legislature repealed the former oversight system - that was commonly referred to as "33-8" (Florida Administrative Code 33-8). All of the officers that spoke to the Council were too young to have worked under the mandates of FAC 33-8. Under FAC 33-8 - the State would regularly inspect jails for compliance with state and federal mandates. Under FAC 33-8 - inmates (and more importantly jail staff) could reach out to state jail inspectors and anonymously report violations. Violations were actually timely investigated - and properly resolved. In fact, this publication is aware of a now retired Volusia County correctional sergeant that did this on a fairly regular basis during the mid 1990s. The current FMJS jail inspection system is merely a "paper tiger" to the former FAC 33-8 system. The FMJS is operated by the Florida Sheriff Association. Most Florida jails are ran by the local sheriff. Many years back - this publication published a white paper titled - Jail Oversight in Retrograde - The Pendulum Swings Right - which detailed the ineffectiveness of the FMJS oversight procedures. We invite you to read this paper - along with the below linked media articles - in order that you may gain a full appreciation - that Florida lacks a truly accountable jail inspection / over-sight process. March 26, 2021 ABCactionnews.Com County jails haven’t been inspected in more than a year, now ‘optional’ inspections have advocates frustrated February 15, 2021 FloridaPhoenix.Com County jails in FL not inspected during pandemic; lawmaker demands to know what’s going on April 14, 2014 VolusiaExposed.Com Are Florida Model Jail Standards Failing The Citizens Of Florida? September 28, 2012 VolusiaExposed.Com Are In-custody Sexual Assaults being properly investigated within the Volusia County Jail? August 14, 2013 VolusiaExposed.Com SHOULD THE JAIL REGULATIONS OF FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE 33-8 BE RE-INSTITUTED? We (VolusiaExposed.Com) now argue - that had former Correction Director Mark Flowers' transgressions occurred under the mandates of FAC 33-8 - jail staff could have quickly and anonymously reported their concerns directly to the state prison inspector - resulting in a quick disposition of the misconduct. Stand by to stand by ..... there is surely more to come of this.......and don't forget to thank these local heroes....... |
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