Poor Training Management - Consequences

There are countless examples of negative consequences for poor training. Poor training translates into poor performance- it impacts key performance measures that were developed for incentives for career growth, agency stability and promotional opportunities.

Training is a key ingredient that fosters good morale and the elimination of dysfunctional consequences that impact public safety and staff safety daily.

Training results should be measured – it should be evaluated and given the proper consideration to suggest a satisfactory level of proficiency and dependability to do the job assigned. Measurements should be appropriately established by evidence based comparisons using the National Institute of Corrections as a baseline standard of expectations and delivery methods.

Training is not successful just because it has been put on paper. Sign in rosters don’t reflect comprehension levels and the ability to do the task discussed. Practical applications should be included along with visual and audio presentations that reinforces the objectives taught and expectations provided by policy and procedures.

Class participation allows instructors and peers to interact and ask relevant questions and concerns. It stimulates different scenarios that could be helpful in deciding what action to take when the time comes to act or do something you are trained to do in either routine situations or emergencies.

Not understanding strategic management styles, objectives and mission statements creates confusion. It also has behavioral implications that are negative in nature and may cause more harm than good. Training should improve knowledge with measurable outcomes. Good training delivers lasting change and superior performance.

Poor training delivers poor morale, inflicts short term disasters, creates critical moments of confusion and embraces the use of inferior practices that impact public and staff safety in a most exponential manner.

 

The "Silk Road" connections between prison violence and drugs & gangs

The Silk Road video on Prison connections and violence

The OC memo - Charles L. Ryan

The Memo

Coincidence or Fact - You be the Judge - Memo from Charles L. Ryan

In my 25 plus years as a criminal justice professional, I have had the privilege of helping develop and shape various aspects of officer safety programs. What has been most apparent to me as an administrator is the need for a clear mission statement and a defined scope of employment before implementing a program such as a self-protection chemical-agents class for teachers.

If administrators who develop safety programs do not clearly define what the duties and functions of staff should be, the staff themselves will define their purpose.

Likewise, if administrators dismiss the need for staff safety programs because of the fear of a “blurring of the mission,” they jeopardize their staff daily until an unfortunate event occurs.

Both approaches can be equally threatening to the safety of staff and significantly increase the liability of the organization.

Organizations must ensure that their policies, procedures, training, and practices consider the role of staff safety in the daily operations and duties of a corrections department.

·         The need for an employee / officer safety program should never be questioned.

·         Administrators must have a clear understanding of the responsibilities and duties of all staff and ensure that staff safety is the first and foremost concern.

·         A concern for staff safety is not an argument for enforcement versus social work.

 

·         The issue is whether departments require persons to perform job tasks where risks to safety are foreseeable must be made priority one.

 

·         The assurances staff are given all the tools they need to carry out their daily tasks effectively otherwise are they being set up for failure and exposed to great risk and liability?

Administrators must focus on the safety of all staff through clear policy, practice, and training before addressing the mission of protecting and securing our communities by intervening effectively with offenders.

Employees must receive training consistent with the needs of respective job classifications and relevant to the employee’s work assignment – Since the attack on an educational teacher, the agency has identified key support staff to receive professional staff development training in the area of personal protection using OC chemical agents as a defensive tactic device.

The training class should meet minimum requirements as established by the curriculum lesson plan developed by the Corrections Academy and set as a performance standard statewide.

The training class should have a specific written plan of application, purpose, target group and written outlined objectives or expectations at the end of the class.

A use-of-force continuum, also known as a continuum of control, subject control policy, or subject management policy, is a model by which an employee or officer can choose appropriate verbal and physical reactions to someone’s hostile behavior, stop the behavior, and establish control—

The agency will establish an individual training record for each employee and maintain records in designated system.

In a nutshell - The training for OC spray lasted 20 minutes. It was originally scheduled for 2 hours. It gave a very general / generic description of the chemical agent’s ingredients, where to spray, how to spray and how to hold and practice spray.

There was no lesson plan as the training was conducted with hand written notes but the instructor did refer to Department order # 804 illustrating the need to use force and describes the use of force continuum.

Since the department order was not read thoroughly and discussed accordingly the information gleaned was limited to either past experience as a former correctional officer or by taking the initiative to read it again after the class.

Not everyone in these classes were hired as  prior CO’s , so  comprehension levels are questionable at the least and does not satisfy a test of proficiency on the proper use of this chemical agent device.

Poor training causes confusion and confusion at a time there is a threat level will cause a disaster

The classes were made up of teachers, ACI supervisors and were conducted on the Eyman premises where one class was standing room only and the other was partially filled.

It was inadequate training. What bothers me that this was the training solution to a very serious issue?

DO 804 was simply mentioned as the use of force policy, it was not pass around or even read.

It was inadequate training because

It did not help anyone without prior training e.g. teachers to know what to expect when the inmate doesn't get affected by the spray.

They need to show at minimum a video on the anger they will be facing when a individual is sprayed but not affected by the spray.

It should also be shown the effects on individuals who are hyper sensitive to this spray.

The effects on other staff coming to help if you spray them.

This type of training is considered inadequate training in my opinion.

This Department Order establishes procedures relative to inmate behavior control situations in which correctional staff may become involved in situations that require the use of less than lethal and lethal force, firearms, chemical agents or other weapons or force. In addition, the Department Order describes the operation of prison detention units as a means to temporarily or permanently segregate inmates from the general population in order to preserve the safe, secure and orderly operation of an institution, while also safeguarding the health and welfare of inmates.

Force shall only be used after every other reasonable attempt to neutralize the real or potential danger has been considered and determined ineffectual. The use of force is reserved for situations where no other reasonable alternative is available to prevent escape, imminent death, serious bodily harm, or the taking of hostages. Verbal abuse by inmates does not constitute cause for the use of force. The use of force shall never be used as punishment or retaliation

This Department Order is applicable to institutional staff who are authorized to carry weapons in the performance of their duties, and who may become involved in situations in which arrest and/or the use of force is required.

This department order has 12 pages plus four (4) categories related to the use of force for employees to become familiar with before using any of the use of force tools listed on the continuum listed within the policy.

804.04 USE OF FORCE – RESTRICTED

804.05 PLANNED USE OF FORCE - RESTRICTED
804.06 FIREARMS AND OTHER WEAPONS – RESTRICTED
804.07 USE OF FIREARMS - REVIEW AND INVESTIGATIONS – RESTRICTED

 

 

A Prose on Video

A Prose on Video

An Open email to Director Charles L Ryan - dated February 2, 2014 - Recommendations to fix a broken system in Arizona

February 2, 2014

Director Charles L. Ryan

Sir,

The following information is submitted to you merely as a suggestion to address staff safety at the Meadows Unit after the tragic sexual assault of a correctional teacher in one of the classrooms. I yield to you as the director but offer my recommendations based on my tour of duty as the former deputy warden at that unit. Since I took the time to openly criticize the agency I felt compelled to offer any assistance to ensure a thorough and comprehensive review is conducted to glean and correct correctional deficiencies and or allow changes to be made according to best practices.

First and foremost there should be a comprehensive after-action report conducted by those command personnel you hold responsible in the chain of command.

The report should include but not limited to:

·         Compliance with agency policies and procedures

·         Roster management protocol

·         Post Orders

·         Review of all security post journals

·         Informational reports logged on security issues at the unit

·         Interview of staff assigned there for the past one year (due to rotation of staff)

·         Meadows Unit custodial and classification requirements

The review team should have access to all data connecting factors related to safety and security for staff within that unit. Access to this data should include:

·         Physical inspection of the housing units yard and classrooms and other blind spot areas and determine if electronic surveillance technology (cameras) can be used to augment staffing requirements for vigilance and supervision purposes.

·         A physical inspection dealing with inmate visibility from different angles and eliminating blind spots when officers are making their rounds.

·         A schematic of the secluded or out of sight classrooms to see if there can be consideration for the construction of a physical barrier to separate staff from students during the time the class is in session.

·         The designation for off-limits areas where only staff may enter and position themselves in a safe and proper view and angle for the cameras and prompt disciplinary action when appropriate.

·         Review security and classification practices to accommodate classroom seating for the maximum number of inmates the classroom is designed to hold - max capacity and balance program needs with safety and security needs not exceeding the approved ratio of one program / support staff and number approved inmates inside the designated space at one time.

·         Determine if there are mitigating security needs during certain times of the day and the duration of such activity so that sound safety and security principles can still be accomplished creating an enhanced security balance with the required programs in place.

Since the review will focus on current safety and security practices at the Meadows Unit the focus must be on “how” staff accomplish those systems in place and practice safe operational protocol that will determine the safety levels at all times.

On-Site review emphasis should be on:

·         Examining the current institutional inmate movement  program schedule

·         Availability of radios [current inventories of condition and location] and radio / battery check performed

·         Time of arrival of all program  staff (sign-in)

·         Log tracking radio communications with program / support staff

·         Presence of all staff during count time

·         Accountability of checking in keys in and out

·         Accountability of any movement outside their assigned areas except for departure out of unit.

·         Accountability of inmate movement to and from program building tracking number of inmates allowed to move at one time and number of officers escorting this movement

·         General security policy knowledge and safety protocol reviewed

·         Employee’s knowledge of emergency plans

·         Employee’s knowledge of radio operations

·         Staff interviews to review knowledge of unit’s post orders and applicable Director’s Instructions at various duty stations to include master control, yard, housing and yard control posts. If any of these posts are collapsed or shut down, the review team should review the priority listing of these posts to determine whether or not this post should be placed higher on the list to shutdown or collapse when staffing is an issue.

Primary areas of concern:

·         Movement call-outs, passes, main line unit control protocols

·         Changes on call-outs to ensure current and valid call out lists

·         Change procedure to determine supervisory review and oversight

·         Current positions of camera placements, visibility and upgrade needs if applicable

·         Post orders to eliminate conflicting information for staff

·         Tour the yard and inspect the buildings for visibility, blind spots and object that serve as barriers to line of view

·         Inspection of security gates

Review Team should:

·         Conduct an accurate and update of all security documents to review staff assaults that have occurred since 2010 in order to make a determination of the relative frequency and severity of such incidents compared to other facilities in similar jurisdictions or custody levels.

·         Determine whether disclosed staff assaults are frequent or infrequent as well as overall seriousness of such incidents and whether they are consistent with the custody levels with which are similar to the Meadows Unit.

·         Prepare an evaluation of security operational practices and make recommendations to balance and or enhance practices relative to those type of incidents found during the review.

Custody / Control Balance

·         The review team should determine the balance of custody and control tools based on:

·         Whether or not the environment is conducive to effective programming and treatment.

·         Determine whether the disciplinary structure is sound and discipline and control is in order with established disciplinary protocols showing inmates taking personal responsibility for their behavior.

·         Determine adequate control based on following institutional rules and regulations as they are applied in a fair, firm and consistent manner.

·         Determine whether the facility provides adequate and necessary control and discipline to ensure practices in use are not contrary to balancing safety and order for all.

·         Determine if staff are making too many accommodations that compromises measured standards and are based on being implemented solely on inmate preference, convenience and comfort.

Communication and Alarm

There are no personal body alarms at Meadows. Uniformed and non-uniformed staff must depend on direct verbal notification when possible, telephone and or their assigned portable radio to alert main control and other staff to an immediate need for assistance should they be confronted with a threating  situation or faced with an assault that is imminent or has already taken place.

The review team should examine and test various radios selecting them at random and verify the operational value of the item and report such problems if they do exist. Since the radio does feature an alert capability in addition to the normal radio transmission capability associated with depressing the Push to talk button the alert feature should be tested as well.

Note: However, there is still a vital need to verbally express the need for assistance, give their location, and identity of the transmitting staff member. The alert button is initiated by depressing a small red button adjacent to the radio antenna.

The review team should conduct an evaluation whether there is a reasonable need to enhance existing alert system with the installation of a personal body alarm that will activate when the staff member wears such a device on a lanyard or belt.

Note: When activated when activated automatically alerts the institution main control room and provides the name of the officer and the officer’s location within the institution if the staff member advises main control of their ID number and location assigned prior to leaving the main control.

There are systems that feature transmitters worn by the staff that alert when the orientation angle of the transmitter to perpendicular changes significantly indicating that the staff wearing it has fallen or been forced or knocked to the ground. The issue of false alarms has served to dissuade many users from this feature.

Chemical Agents

Non- Uniformed custody staff are not issued and subsequently do not carry on their person any force multiplier option for their own defense in case of imminent or actual physical assault or to rescue / defend fellow staff or inmates from such assaults. Staff currently must rely exclusively on physical, hands on force options in such cases when non-force options fail.

While it is certainly true that the training provided to staff annually on defensive tactics is beneficial, it is generally known that proficiency in the tactics taught cannot be achieved in the limited training time designated for this purpose. The absence of physical fitness requirements makes this a feasible alternative when staff safety is in jeopardy.

Special note: Physical, hands on confrontation with inmates also has the additional risk associated with the well-established higher prevalence of communicable diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C within the inmate population cuts, abrasions, etc. that allow for contact with bodily fluids during a physical struggle with an inmate pose a significant risk to staff.

Experience in units where this tool has been put into place has been very positive with instances of abusive use by staff occurring very rarely. Benefits in terms of staff safety and reduction in staff and inmate physical injuries have also been observed.

Training Enhancement

As we all know, prisons are inherently dangerous places where continuing vigilance and an appropriate level of alertness are essential to everyone’s safety. Despite this knowledge, staff frequently becomes complacent and too comfortable in this volatile environment.

This fact results from the frequently routine nature of the day to day job responsibilities and the fact that while volatility and potential violence always exist, they exist beneath the surface and only become evident when, regrettably, it is often too late. Frequent reinforcement by supervisors and managers of the existence of this danger is imperative.

Custody Staffing

Particularly problematic to maintaining adequate staffing on site and on post at all times is the currently mandated practice of collapsing posts, pulling staff for unfunded mandates e.g. emergency medical transports or transports unable to be completed by complex transportation etc.  and compliance with “back lot” vehicular traffic that may take vital staff from other posts e.g. yard and leave the assigned areas void of staff as it frequently takes up to 30 minutes to actually complete and return to the assigned post.

These breaks result in critical areas such as the yard and housing units when being posted away from their assigned posts thus significantly reduce vigilance and supervisory levels during high activity time periods. The result is an “artificial” staffing shortage that is disruptive and problematic.

The review team should conduct a review of how all posts are deployed so the staffing is based on peak activity areas and peak times of the day.

Single Officer Posts – Such posts are commonly found in all correctional units. In addition to the other staff safety strategies discussed in this report, the risks associated with such posts can be significantly mitigated by enhancing the inmate accountability practices associated with them.

The predatory inmate plans for opportunities to get a staff member alone in an isolated area. Preempting this opportunity is critical to the safety of staffs assigned to single person posts. Controlled and organized group movement procedures such as that discussed are the key to mitigating the primary threat associated with these posts.

Staff Accountability

The review team should conduct random inspections of all staff locations assigned to the Meadows unit. Correctional agencies have the responsibility to operate safe and secure facilities to ensure optimum public safety, safety of staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors who frequent their facilities. It is critical to have accurate accountability for all staff within for daily operations as well as emergency situations.

Miscellaneous Comments –

 

·         Consider using the ID barcode to track and account for staff while inside the facility.

·         Design an accountability process to know staff whereabouts to include all non-custody staff.

·         Budget or roster more staff so the units are not left with one officer during main line and peak hours of activity, especially since that is when a lot of staff are out for an hour for meals.

·         Balance rosters on weekends days off and number of staff assigned to support shift

·         Stop using inmates to repair cameras for yard and have staff doing this task.

·         More cameras to detect what is going on in single posts and areas of limited visibility.

·         Structure inmate’s daily activities so that officers are not absent from assigned area.

·         Too much movement - too often sometimes without escorts

·         Bring back daily briefings to stay updated on rules and policies changes.

·         Some staff pencil whip logs and forms of importance, complacency.

·         Prevent inmates having knowledge of operational changes before we do as some work in clerical areas where discussions are ongoing.

·         Poor visibility of supervisors e.g. Sergeants, or Lieutenants.

·         Searches of industries area are “catch as you can”. Never time to do this area in sufficient manner. .

·         Housing Unit cell searches are not being done per post orders however, this does not occur because of staffing shortages. .

·         Consistency between shifts and supervisors as they all do it their own way literally.

These violent delights have violent ends

 

“These violent delights have violent ends” Shakespeare

For everything that happens there is a reason and for everything under the stars of heaven there are strange and bizarre events that surround us. So we smile and move on to the next best thing in life – ignore the ugly and embrace the good. Dealing with life during the afterhours brings a frown or a smile if you are fighting hard within yourself to fight the sorrow.

We cannot allow sorrow to dominate our feelings for what good things can come from sorrow? Is it not a short minute or two of reflecting the truth and knowing how to deal with it as it casts you into the shadows? Does it not cause you to close your eyes and clasp your hands and pretend you are somewhere else where you dare to be imaginary and unreal so you can forget and step once more forward to capture tomorrow.

Life gives us love-devouring death for that is for certain. In between life and death there are constant struggles of sanity and irrationality we learn to cope with so we can survive these ordeals and avoid the sorrow. Violent deaths are violent delights to some and catastrophes to others. It makes sense to one and it totally loses its reality to others as they ponder how to confront the fire that consumes them like fire and powder.

The answer and the fix comes too slow. It is tardy in delivery and causes more sorrow through disappointments. Before the nighttime falls there will be another that will fall and nobody will know until tomorrow. There is but one lonely confessor among the thousands that comes forth and tells the story of truth but is ignored by those in positions of power. For those words, those courageous and straightforward words, openly spoken confounds the appetite and creates migraine headaches as thoughts are pondered.

So we glean the past and find those moments of joy that falsely measure the time forever. Words are erased and new words are created to sweeten their breath as they lie with imagined visions of truth and deliver an encounter that is filled with double tongues and clear the new encounter of those violent delights and violent ends that are man-made in substance but evil in measureable methods.

These words are richly filled with words of deceit and a spineless tone is spoken. They are but beggars of those that will blindly follow and ask not what is true but rather what is broken. These violent delights have grown to such excess and you can feel it, they are getting closer. You find your worth diminished in value as the life you live is easily broken. 

The truth is so powerful it cannot hide but your concerns for wealth and enrichments keep the lids on the coffins. Your weakness to persevere and your energy to combat these feelings have been decimated by the fear that surrounds you. Only true love for justice and personal freedoms will remove these chains you have bound yourself with and then the curse is broken.

So every day you live the conceit is shown and deceit is spoken. Your ears are bleeding and your heart is faint but you know deep inside its time to counter their bragging and dispute what is spoken. Violent delights have violent ends so it comes down to your own individual worth and your own true love for what you believe in and what you sum up to be your values and you wealth , not in gold but in character and richness in integrity and love for your fellow men and those you care for.