Male inmates housed with female inmates in Minnesota

 

Below is a story of biological men (trans men) being housed in Shakopee MCF women's prisons in Minnesota. How does this square with PREA?

FULL STORY

Jail Humor

 

2024 Corrections Officer of The Year from the Minnesota 100 Club

 Congratulations HCSO Detention Deputy Abdiraham.

Trump's upcoming National Emergency and Corrections

President Elect Donald Trump has confirmed he will declare a National Emergency and begin mass deportations once in office. See Alpha News. According to sources criminals will be the first to go.

Many jails in Minnesota are also ICE and Federal inmate holding facilities. Sherburne County comes to mind.

Sherburne County Jail/Ice facility

Detention Deputies/Correctional Officers will play a crucial role.

Other counties, like Hennepin do not honor ICE detainers. Before 2014 ICE picked up from the Hennepin County jail 5 days a week. 3-5 inmates a day, more on Mondays. 

Currently Hennepin County has an overcrowding problem. Fortunately for them, and despite their policy that should ease once these repeat offenders get deported. They would do well to rethink their policy. 

CO's in county jails holding ICE inmates will have the benefit of overtime and their facilities will actually make money from Federal contracts easing the burden on local taxpayers.

Minnesota has up to 140,000 illegal aliens in it's border. They take up low income housing and shelter space from citizens and help overcrowd jails They increase costs to our schools who are always short of funds due to needing interpreters and giving them free breakfast and lunch. Beginning January 1st (in violation of Federal Law) Minnesota will allow them to be on MNCARE (with Federal Medicaid funds) making healthcare even more expensive for citizens.

The cost to Minnesota taxpayers for illegal aliens and their children is a staggering $877 million a year! Source: World Population Review

Mass deportation will make Minnesota safer and  more affordable for citizens and corrections officers will play a big part.

Hennepin County delays vote to fund jail annex

This is interesting. The DOC says that the Hennepin County Jail must reduce it's inmate count from over 800 to 600 because of low staff to inmate ratios.  They have a new deadline of December 5th to comply.

The Sheriff's Office and the County have two choices. Hire enough staff, which is a slow process or reduce inmate population through annexing or releasing inmates.

With a deadline looming the Hennepin County Board chose to delay the vote!

Full Story here 

I know I'm the Sheriff, but I need your help, "Witt told the board saying the Hennepin County jail has to comply with new State restrictions that take effect Dec. 5. Otherwise she might have to tell area police chiefs there is no room for new prisoners. We have to figure it out."

It's a sad day when the County can't keep enough Detention Deputies to staff the jail which is a basic constitutional function of the Sheriff's Office.

It's even sadder that they risk leaving criminals to run loose in the County.

Sexual assaults on Federal Prison Guards

Fox news is reporting that there's a trend of Federal Prison Guards being assaulted and sexually assaulted, especially female guards.

Being a CO has always been a dangerous job. Finally some attention being given and a Bill introduced to protect CO's.

Full Story

DOC gives Hennepin County Jail a 2 week extension

CBS News is reporting that the Hennepin County Jail now has until December 5th to reduce the jail population from 839 to 600.

The main problem is low staffing to inmate ratios. 

There are many factors all of which leads to a snowball effect. These conditions exist in almost every Jail and Prison in the State.

CO's were forced to work massive overtime during the pandemic and were ordered to take the 'jab' or be fired. Many chose to leave. Those who stayed, even though labeled frontline workers, did not receive the frontline worker pay because (drumroll) they made too much money due to the excessive OT to qualify. A large number of them contracted Covid due to close proximity to inmates in jails.

The fewer the staff the more the forced overtime, the more forced OT the more burnout and sick calls which leads to even more OT.

At the State level HR 1234  changed the way disability is applied. Billed as a Police and Fire Bill it also affected CO disability in a negative way.

Correctional Officers/Detention Deputies are constantly compared to less dangerous jobs like dispatch and probation. Evident from repeated efforts to add those job classes to the PERA Correctional pension intended for a high risk job supervising inmates. See the MNCORA Blog for numerous examples.

CO's are assaulted and even murdered with little consequence at times. Let's take Joseph Gomm the Stillwater Prison CO murdered by an inmate with a hammer in 2018. The legislature denied the family's claim for compensation and only awarded them a $60,000 workers comp claim!

As in all Public Safety jobs CO's are viewed in a negative light these days. It's not a glamorous job, but it is necessary.

There is no simple solution but their pay did not keep up with inflation. As the saying goes, "money talks and bullshit walks." A hefty raise would help attract and retain CO's. Certainly a better option than letting criminals walk free to reoffend.

State Dept. of Corrections orders Hennepin County to reduce number of inmates

 

*Hennepin County ordered to reduce inmate population to 600 (has capacity of 839)

*DOC cited them for not conducting well being checks every 30 minutes.

*DOC claims the Jail failed to have one staff per 25 inmates in the City Hall section of the jail on a few occasions.

Hennepin County Sheriff Witt is appealing this order and says "the jail is trying to increase jail staff by offering overtime pay and recruiting new detention deputies."

FULL STORY STAR TRIBUNE

PREA and male inmates housed in female facilities.

In 2010 the Prison Rape Elimination Act  (PREA) was passed. All Corrections Officers had to go through initial training and then a few hours a year on PREA since about keeping inmates safe. MN DOC standards says male and female inmates are to be housed out of sight and sound of each other.

Now along comes the policy of housing male (trans) inmates with women. This creates an unsafe environment for female inmates and a legal nightmare for Corrections Officers. If you keep female inmates safe you may be accused of violating Trans rights, if you don't you've violated PREA with very severe penalties.

The Iowa Standard has a good article about this current state of affairs in Minnesota.

Report: Female Inmates 'Traumatized' In Wake of Walz's Trans Prison Policy 

Pro-Palistine protesters outside Hennepin County Jail

Monday afternoon a group of pro Palestine protesters took over Morrill Hall at the University of Minnesota. They barricaded doors, spray painted security cameras and caused a lot of property damage as well as refusing to let employees and others leave. 

U of M Police and Hennepin County Sheriff Deputies arrested 11 people and they are being held at the Hennepin County Jail.

Tuesday the protesters showed up there demanding their release. You can't make this up.

Full story CBS News

Inmate gets 15 years for assaulting CO's at Oak Park Heights

 Inmate Curtez Deshawn Graham assaulted staff at Oak Park Heights MCF causing serious injury to staff. He plead guilty and was sentenced to the minimum 15 years. 

FULL STORY

Shanks

9 Stillwater CO's Hospitalized

 

Hennepin Co Jail so crowded they're having to annex

KSTP TV is reporting that the Hennepin County Jail will be annexing 180 inmates to relieve over crowding, Sheriff Witt is rightfully saying she's against releasing inmates because 84% of the inmates have a violent history.

Full Story

Bureau of Justice Statistics 2023 Data Release - Jail statistics

 The following is from the Bureau of Justice Statistics 2023 Data Release

2 Correctional Officers assaulted at Stillwater MCF

Fox 9 is reporting that 2 CO's were assaulted at Stillwater Prison. This happened Saturday morning. One CO was assaulted, when a second CO stepped in to help another inmate assaulted that CO.

FULL STORY KMSP

Happy Memorial Day

 

CO fired for not following orders...see why

According to  InDepthNH,org  a female Concord Prison CO was fired for "refusing to follow a direct order." 

The staffing levels at the men's prison had dropped to unsafe levels. CO Claudia Cass Prescott (working nightshift) emailed her supervisor and said that if there wasn't adequate staff she wouldn't unlock the cells on her next shift.

The result? A suspension, forced to undergo a psychological evaluation then termination.

Short staffing in jails and prisons is unfortunately very common. Each institution deals with it differently. Sadly it's a leading cause of inmate on staff violence.

Full Story HERE

National Correctional Officer Week

The first full week in May is National Correctional Officer Week. Corrections Officers are considered First Responders, but we're also last responders. After the 911 call, after the arrest and also after the conviction CO's are the ones who deal with those who have been separated from society. CO's operate in a dangerous environment out of sight of the rest of Society keeping dangerous people from the rest.

Thank you Correctional Officers.

Minnesota Prisons lockdown due to short staffing

 MPR is reporting that:

Minnesota prisons resort to periodic lockdowns due to staff shortage

Of course anyone working in a County jail is also too aware of this. This leads to unsafe conditions for both staff and inmates.

MPR goes on to say-

The state prison at Faribault is in the midst of having periodic lockdowns due to staffing shortages. During the lockdowns, inmates are kept in their cell blocks. Faribault is down 42 corrections officers. It’s worse at Stillwater state prison, where the facility’s complement of officers is down by 62.

Data from the Department of Corrections shared with MPR News shows as of Monday, the agency is short 211 correctional officers, or 12 percent of what is budgeted. Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to explain what is happening inside Minnesota’s prisons.

Link to story and audio here.

3 Corrections Officers shot during escape

 

"Three Idaho Department of Corrections officers were shot as an inmate escaped from a hospital in Boise. Now, officials are looking for two suspects: The inmate and the man who attacked and fired at the officers.

Police say that the incident started at 2.15am on Wednesday when officials transported inmate Skylar Meade to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center for medical treatment.

As the officers were preparing to transport the inmate back to a correctional facility, an unknown suspect attacked and fired at the officers, hitting two of them, according to officials.

Additional officers responded to the hospital amid news of a shooting and the facility went into lockdown as police searched for suspects. One officer fired his gun at an armed individual near the entrance of the facility. Officials later determined that the person was a correctional officer." -The Independent

Full Story

Pension Commission update and LELS shenanigan's

Today the Pension Commission met and discussed the change from 1.9% to 2.2% for the PERA Correctional Plan's multiplier. 

Anoka County Sheriff Wise gave excellent testimony in support. There was also a letter of support from MNCORA. The  Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) had a letter opposing it. Ultimately it was laid over, tabled for the future.

As most of you know there's once again a play to add Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan. Well in addition to Jim Mortenson's letter supporting this LELS is actively working to weaken our plan! 

Here's a picture of LELS meeting with the Author of HF4796 to raid our pension!

I don't believe LELS even  talked to their Detention Deputies and CO's about this!

PERA Board decision on PERA Correctional Plan Raid

On March 14 the PERA Board met and discussed the proposal by AFSCME, LELS and Teamsters to add 911 Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan.

Ultimately they decided to oppose it. This does not stop the Pension Commission  from moving forward on it, but may help to stop it.

MN State Auditor Julie Blaha

During the discussion PERA Board Trustee and State Auditor Julie Blaha moved to delay a PERA Board vote until the April meeting. She stated that unless there's a Bill there was no need to make a decision. It was then pointed out that there was a Bill and a decision needed to be made as to PERA's position. Auditor Blaha knew or should have known there was a Bill before the meeting. It is this writers opinion she was playing politics and didn't want a negative PERA decision to affect the Pension Commission on this.

The strange politics is this. The Pension Commission just had a study they ordered on this topic. It was the 911 Telecommunicator Pension Benefits Working Group.

The working group decided NOT to support adding Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan.

Yet this year some of the same legislators that ordered the study are ignoring its findings and writing Bills to add Dispatchers to the Correctional plan to its detriment.

Sen Seeberger

Chief Author of SF4958 is Senator Seeberger more Correctional Officers live in her district than any other district in the State! Not a bright political move from someone who won her seat by the slimmest of majorities. Her District includes the Washington County Jail, Stillwater Prison and Oak Park Heights! Also many Ramsey County Detention Deputies work in her district. Many Stillwater CO's and Oak Park Heights CO's work part time at the Ramsey county jail and are also in the PERA Correctional Plan!

Both her and Author Sen. Sandy Pappas are on the very same

Sen Pappas

Pension Commission that commissioned the 911 Telecommunicator Pension Benefits Working Group. Yet they chose to IGNORE its findings! Then why waste taxpayer money on a study if you're going to toss it aside because its conclusions are not to your liking?

The House File HF4796 was authored by a new Representative, Representative Dan Wolgamott. Again many Correctional Officers live in his district and many are employed at the Saint Cloud Prison, Benton County jail and Sherburne County jail!

Rep Wolgamott

The bottom line is the The Correctional Plan was established in 1999 for correctional officers serving in county and regional adult and juvenile correctional facilities due to the physical nature of their jobs. The members of this plan are responsible for the security, custody and control of the facilities and their inmates. (PERACorrectional Plan Handbook)

Dispatchers do not fit the requirements to be in the Correctional Plan. Adding them will reduce the financial health of the plan and may cause Correctional Retirees to have their 2.5% COLA reduced to 1.5%. 

Legislators supporting these bills should keep in mind there are thousands of CO's in the State and they vote. Don't raid our Pension!

Here is the contact information for the Pension Commission. Call them and tell them not to support these Bills!

AFSCME, LELS and Teamsters Local 320 support raid on PERA Correctional Plan

Jim Mortenson of LELS, Bart Andersen of AFSCME Council 5 and Brian Aldes of Teamsters Local 320 have all written letters of support to add 911 Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan.

Jim Mortenson

Source PERA-https://mnpera.org/wp-content/uploads/TAB-C-2024-Stakeholder-Agenda-911-Telecommunicators-Final.pdf

If allowed this would endanger the financial stability of the PERA Correctional Plan and endanger the 2.5% COLA that PERA Correctional Plan retirees enjoy. The Dispatchers currently get a 1.5% COLA.

Surprisingly there are 2 bills that would benefit PERA Correctional members.

HF4242 which would add a PERA Correctional Plan member to the PERA Board.

HF4081 which would increase the high 5 multiplier for PERA Correctional Plan members from 1.9%, where its been since 1999, to 2.2%. This number is the same as State Correctional Officer receive in the MSRS plan.

Brian Aldes

WHERE IS LELS, AFSCME AND TEAMSTERS SUPPORT OF THE BILLS BENEFITTING THEIR CORRECTIONAL MEMBERS?

THEY ARE AWARE OF THESE BILLS AND SIT ON THE SIDELINES WHILE COLLECTING THEIR DUES.

THERE ARE MORE CO'S IN THESE UNIONS THAN DISPATCHERS. MAYBE IT'S TIME CO's RETHINK THEIR UNION MEMBERSHIP

Pension News

There's a new legislative session and with it new bills affecting our pension.

There's Bill HF4342 which if enacted will add a seat on the PERA Board for a CO. This is coming from MNCORA.

Bill HF4081 which if enacted will increase the high 5 multiplier for the PERA Correctional Pension from 1.9 to 2.2%.

And of course with a new session comes a new attempt by LELS to raid our pension and add 911 telecommunicators. If enacted the added cost could lower our funding ratio reducing the current Retiree cost of living adjustment (COLA) from the current 2.5% to 1.5%!

LELS Executive Director Jim Mortenson has been making the rounds trying to get other unions to support this. I have no idea why LELS would work to weaken the pension of Corrections Officers.

LELS Jim Mortenson

We encourage everyone who is in the PERA Correctional Plan to join the Minnesota Correctional Officer Retirement Association (MNCORA). It is dues free!

email mncora@protonmail.com

Inmate charged with 4th Degree Assault on Detention Deputy

An inmate at the Dakota County Adult Detention Center has been charged with 4th degree assault after throwing "an unknown liquid and human feces" at a Detention Deputy.

Full Story