Directions May 2003

              Inmates Housed at the Rast Unit
Special Investigations Manager Nolan Thompson
has been named the Homeland Security
Coordinator.
In This Issue...
Director’s Perspective: Working together,
we have made great contributions in the
management and operation of this prison
system............................................................2
Wildland fire crew comes to the aid of Forest
Service and other agencies..........................4
Fifty members of the ASPC-Safford staff
participated in the American Cancer
Society’s National Relay for Life walk.........5
Military vehicle crash simulation puts Yuma
to the test.....................................................6
Perryville employees receive national
recognition at awards ceremony in
Washington D.C........................................10
ADC employees will receive new
Identification cards ...................................11
continued on page 3
continued on page 6
The main entrance of ASPC-Lewis’ Rast Unit.
ADC Creates Homeland Security DI
In the past, if an employee at a
prison complex opened an
envelope and white powder
spilled out, the mess might simply
have been cleaned up and the
matter probably would have been
investigated by prison intelligence
as a random act by someone
wanting to cause disruption.
But that was before September
11.
In today’s post- September 11
world, incidents like suspicious
mail, bomb scares and threats of
food contamination may go as far
as being considered domestic
The Arizona Department of
Corrections has finally opened the
ASPC-Lewis’ Rast Unit to address
the dramatic rise in inmate
population.
The unit, empty since 1999
because of recruitment and retention
problems, now houses more than 190
level two inmates.
“With a bed deficit of more than
4,000 beds, opening the Rast Unit
was ADC’s most logical option. The
unit is not fully staffed but we
believe the new $ 5,160 will help
CHARLES L. RYAN - ACTING DIRECTOR MAY/JUNE - 2003
2
Web site:
adcprisoninfo.az.gov
Printed by
Arizona Correctional Industries
DIRECTOR’S PERSPECTIVE
by Acting Director Charles L. Ryan
“Directions”
is an official publication of the
Arizona Department of Corrections
Charles L. Ryan, Acting Director
Michael A. Arra,
Media Relations Administrator
Virginia Strankman,
Newsletter Editor
Vincent Funari
Editorial Assistant
Arizona Department of Corrections
Media & Public Relations Office,
1601 W. Jefferson
Questions and comments
may be submitted to
Newsletter Editor
Mail Code 441,
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone (602) 542-3133
Working together, we have made great contributions in the
management and operation of this prison system.
First, I would like to express my gratitude and respect
for the men and women of the Arizona Department of
Corrections (ADC) for providing me with a career that
has been exhilarating, challenging and rewarding.
Over the last twenty-six years, I have experienced,
nurtured, and have been directly involved in the growth,
evolution and maturation of this agency from a “mom and
pop” prison system to the professional organization it is
today. Two defining moments have profoundly impacted
the128 year history of Arizona penology during this era:
1) The escape of Gary Tison and Randy Greenwalt on
July 31, 1978, which resulted in the murders of six people
in Arizona and Colorado; and 2) The murder of
Correctional Officer Brent Lumley on March 7, 1997.
The outcome of these brutal acts, was the development
and implementation of an objective inmate classification
system to ensure that inmate management decisions were
not left to the autonomy of one. Of equal significance is
the continuous focus on staff safety, which strikes the
proper “balance” between the safety of correctional
employees and the security and programming of inmates.
From the agency’s creation in 1968 until the early 80s,
the prison system and operational practices were left to
the autonomous decision-making of the individual warden.
This inconsistent approach to managing inmates was
evident by the unlimited property they could possess.
During the previous 20 years, we have standardized the
operation of the prisons, applied “checks and balances”
that rely on rational policies that make it less desirable to
reside in our institutions while at the same time promoting
staff safety, inmate accountability and professionalism.
The role of corrections is multifaceted: incapacitation,
deterrence, punishment and rehabilitation. Although we
cannot “force” someone to change their behavior, we can
and must continue to fully utilize the tools that we have to
include the physical plant, the needs assessment profile,
and the precious resources of space, time and personnel.
The ADC has clearly demonstrated that it has and
continues to maximize its resources, not only out of
necessity, but because of our ongoing commitment to
efficiency. Such reports as those of the Auditor General
in 2000-2001; the Staffing Study of 2002 and, most
recently, the Efficiency Review Program in 2003, confirm
this fact. The creativity and commitment of our
employees is never-ending and amazing.
The ADC’s successes are endless. A few of the
accomplishments that WE have collaborated on and share
in during the preceding years include the following:
• Development of the Incident Management System
(IMS) emergency response strategy that maximizes
resources and controls incidents in an orderly fashion,
to ensure the preservation and safety of our employees
and the management and control of inmates.
• Designated Armed Response Team (DART)
deployment system, a quick response team who
assemble and respond to the first moments of a
disturbance until additional resources can be assembled
and respond, demonstrated to be effective in defending
the prison units.
• Implementation of the comprehensive inmate
management strategy -- “Inmate Program Plan” or IPP
-- the accountability of inmates and the structuring of
their entire day, predicated upon their education
attainment level as the prerequisite. Given the mission
of the ADC, and the average 34 months sentence from
reception to release, the “re-entry” process begins at the
“front-door” and continues through the end of the
prison term. Inmate programming and security are
inseparable, and the melding of security and program
staff during the previous 20 years has moved our
organization forward.
• Development of a staffing pattern strategy that
correlates the level of activity within a prison, directly
Continued on next page
3
Rast Unit - continued from page 1
with recruitment,” said Acting Director
Charles L. Ryan.
Rast, originally designed as a level
four unit to house juveniles, is being
run as a level two unit.
���������Because our staffing level is not at
full strength, it wouldn’t be safe to run
the unit as a level four,” said Deputy
Warden Denise Andre.
According to Deputy Warden Wade
Woolsey, to alleviate the burden on
staff, most of the inmates at the unit
have jobs. During the day, the only
inmates who are at the unit are kitchen
and yard help. Other inmates are off
site working.
Correctional Officer Donna Riley
said , “Employees seem to like
working at the Rast Unit because we
all stay very busy.”
“To house more inmates, staff have
been putting in extra hours to bring
other cell blocks at Rast up to speed,”
said Andre. “We would not have been
able to open this unit and keep it
running without the support from
staff from other units and complex.
Rast, named for fallen ADC
Correctional Officer Paul Rast, is a
350-bed self sufficient unit equipped
with its own medical facilities.
COII Donna Riley looks at the Rast Unit’s empty yard. During the day, most of the inmates
work at jobs off-site.
to the number of officers who are
on duty. This policy maintains the
staff-to-inmate ratio in the unit.
This was the framework for the
staffing study, which recommended
the requirement of an additional
1,200 security staff.
• Through empirical analysis
and a Total Quality Management
(TQM) process, we revised the
policy and lesson plan regarding Use
of Force. The empirical evidence is
irrefutable: Over the previous two
years, inmate assaults against staff
have dropped 50%, industrial injury
claims are down, and the allegations
of staff abuse have almost
disappeared. The change in the
culture has been profound.
• Employment of management
strategies that improve staff safety,
to include the use of various
technologies, cell-extraction dogs,
controlled movement, pepper-spray
and the taser, have contributed to a
more secure environment.
• The various inmate
populations are compartmentalized”
to the extent possible to ensure a
safer environment for everyone.
Your ability to respond to the ever-changing
need to maximize bed
space is unparalleled and reflective
of your skills in the management of
a prison system that is 4,000+ over
capacity and shortly will surpass
31,000 inmates.
Time after time our Department has
been beset with crises, but each time
we have met them steadfastly and with
resolve. The ADC has demonstrated
that inmates are being held
accountable, that safety-oriented
practices are in place, and that inmates
are being assigned to work, education,
treatment and training opportunities,
predicated upon the needs assessment.
It is to the credit of ADC’s 10,000
employees, as well as standardized
training and consistent practices, that
you effectively provide the security,
the feeding, the medical and mental
health care, the programming and
work opportunities (unskilled jobs to
skilled ACI positions) of 31,000
inmates and another 4,600 under
community supervision. And, you do
it exceptionally well, 24 hours a day,
365 days a year.
I am leaving the Department with
mixed emotions, however, I am
confident that we will never lose sight
of our true purpose of protecting and
serving the public, operating safe and
secure prisons, ensuring inmate and
staff accountability, as well as
managing inmates in a structured and
humane manner.
I am thankful for the opportunities
the Department has afforded me.
Working together, we have made great
contributions in the management and
operation of this prison system.
Without equivocation, the Arizona
Department of Corrections is the finest
correctional system in the United
States. I have confidence that as the
“torch” is passed, the Department will
continue to grow, and will make a
difference for the citizens of Arizona.
It has been an honor to serve you
and the State of Arizona. It was worth
the ride.
Charles L. Ryan
Director’s Perspective continued from page - 2
4
Arizona Department of Correc
From the Mailbag
Dear Friends,
On behalf of the Hospice of Yuma Board of Directors, staff, volunteers
and patients, we want to thank you for the $5,768.66 one-time payout
contribution. We appreciate what you have done for us more than you will
ever know!
When patients and families choose hospice, they receive medical care, and it eases the emotional and spiritual
suffering of patients and loves ones. Hospice care is considered to be the model for quality, compassionate care at the
end-of life, expressly tailored to the patient’s needs and wishes.
During our last fiscal year ending October 31, 2002, our patient caseload totaled 10,258 patient days, which is a 30%
increase in the number of patient days over our previous year. Because of your generosity, we are able to provide care
for those living in our communities who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or
less.
Once again, thank you for supporting Hospice of Yuma.
Sharon J. Chessum
Director of Fund Development & Marketing
Wild Land Fire Crew Assists Mount Lemmon Area
by Kathy Sticklin, AAIII, ASPC-Safford
Recently, Captain Phillip Elliott, Sgt Ronald
Estes and Officer Lehi Vizcaino escorted 19
ASPC-Safford Wild Land Fire Crew inmates to
Mount Lemmon to participate in a three-day
Fuel Mitigation Pilot Project to remove under
growth and trees from forests near housing
areas.
The Wild Land Fire Crew assisted the U.S.
Forest Service and other agencies in removing
cut trees. The Inmate crew moved and
stacked trees near the roadside, which were
later shredded with a chipper. After
shredding, trucks arrived to take the debris to
a dump site off the mountain.
The Wild Land Fire Crew project in the
Mount Lemmon area will be conducted
throughout the summer. The multitude of trees
in the area and the undergrowth have been
creating a fire hazard. The Wild Land Fire Crew shredding stacks of tree branches.
The following is a letter of appreciation from an organization that
benefitted from State Employees Charitable Campaign support.
5
tions Community Involvement
by Kathy Sticklin, AAIII, ASPC-Safford
EHE Can Assist During Tough Times
by Berry McMacken, Deputy Warden, ASPC-Safford
Employees Helping Employees is
here as a safety net for permanent
employees who are working. An
employee is eligible after exploring
assistance options through family,
community service organizations,
churches, etc.
EHE will write a check (up to $600)
to cover a short-term emergency such
as:
· Temporary shelter, lodging or
rent up to four weeks
· Emergency gas, water, and
electricity assistance
· Short-term outpatient mental
health care not covered by an
Employee Assistance Program
or health insurance
· Court filing fees for order of
protection or child support
and custody matters
· Court fees such as order of
protection or child support
filing and processing
· Special circumstances deemed
appropriate by our Board.
EHE does not disburse checks for
travel, credit card debts, child care
expenses, tax payments, car payments
or expenses, funeral expenses,
attorney’s fees, replacement of stolen
property or any other expense deemed
inappropriate by the Board of
Directors.
An application can be obtained on
the ADC Net. The EHE web site is
www.azehe.org.
(Front) Mary Lewis, Capt. Phillip Elliott, Yolanda Elliott
Second row - Officer Stephanie Whelton and Lt Eric Frantz
Safford Employees
Walk For Cancer
Recently, approximately 50 members of the ASPC-Safford
staff participated in the American Cancer Society’s
National Relay for Life walk held at the Eastern Arizona
College Football Field. The group took turns continuously
walking all day and night. The employees camped out
overnight to ensure a staff member was on the track at all
times. ADC raised $2109 of the more than $21,000 that was
raised locally for the American Cancer Society.
Inmates Assist Arizona
National Guard
Clearing land for fire breaks, de-branching
trees for chipping, completing 20 miles of
fencing, painting, landscaping, installing water
lines and repairing railways.
These are some of the jobs ASPC-Winslow
inmates have performed at Camp Navajo, a
28,000 square acre facility 10 miles west of
Flagstaff. Camp Navajo is a storage depot for
the Navy and Air Force.
According to employees who work at the
facility, inmates who work at Camp Navajo
are hardworking, willing, and motivated.
Base Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Pete
Tosi said, “I appreciate the hard work that
inmates do and I see the program as a very
positive process. I would like to see the
program expanded to include another work
crew.”
Camp Navajo, opened since 1942, is
operated by the Arizona National Guard.
by Michele Reeves, Executive Staff Assistant, ASPC-Winslow
6
Simulation Puts Yuma to the Test
What would happen if a military vehicle came
crashing out of the sky and fell into a general
population inmate yard? Recently, this scenario
was acted out at ASPC-Yuma’s Dakota Unit in
an effort to prepare Yuma Complex Security,
Health Services and several outside agencies for
an incident of this enormity.
by Sean Davis,Administrative Assistant III, ASPC-Yuma/Dakota
Homeland Security DI 211 - continued from page 1
terrorism, a coordinated effort using
violence and intimidation to create
harm or fear among the public.
“We live in a different world today,
but we still need to realize most acts of
aggression are not terrorism. We have
to be patient and diligent to recognize
the differences between terrorism and
random acts of aggression,” said
Special Services Bureau Administrator
Greg Lauchner. “Employees can’t go
overboard, we need to investigate
threats internally before we seek out
assistance from other agencies. If you
receive a threat or witness suspicious
behavior, contact an investigator or a
fire and safety coordinator at your
complex. ”
To raise awareness and increase
communication among Arizona
Department of Corrections employees
on homeland security issues, Acting
Director Charles L. Ryan has
established Director’s Instruction
211, Homeland Security
Coordinator. The new DI is a part of
the Arizona Department of
Corrections’ Domestic Preparedness
plan. Special Investigations Manager
Nolan Thompson has been named
Homeland Security Coordinator, and is
responsible for coordinating activities
and information related to Arizona’s
homeland security.
Last year, ADC received a grant of
$100,000 from the Department of
Justice to begin its Domestic
Preparedness plan.
“Our agency received federal
funding for domestic preparedness
because we are rich in resources.
We have an abundance of
investigators, security staff, peace
officers, nurses, doctors and canines
that Director Ryan can present to
Governor Janet Napolitano for use at
her discretion during a crisis,” said
Thompson.
ADC’s domestic preparedness
plan will not only be a response to
terrorism within Department prisons
and buildings, but the agency will be
capable of responding to any crisis in
Arizona.
“ADC will work with city,
county, Department of Public Safety
and other law enforcement agencies
to protect the citizens of Arizona in a
crisis environment,” said Lauchner.
“Our employees will provide services
to the level of their ability and not go
beyond their expertise. For instance,
the Department would not offer a
Correctional Officer to examine
hazardous materials, but would make
our officers available to provide
security.”
Currently, the Department is
developing their Domestic
Preparedness plan. The plan should
be completed by the end of 2003. A
Total Quality Management committee
consisting of ADC employees
representing all areas of the
Department has been put together to
formulate an emergency response and
recovery plan. The group has been
tasked with identifying all of the
agency’s resources and how to
deploy them during a crisis. As part of
the domestic preparedness plan, a
packet will be created detailing ADC’s
deployment plan and a list of contacts
from other agencies. The deployment
plan will be implemented at the
discretion of the Director in any crisis
environment.
In September a group of
Department administrators will
participate in a functional exercise that
will be designed to allow management
the opportunity to respond to a
simulated critical incident that will
occur within the community and will
affect ADC’s normal operations.
They will have to think fast and make
some crucial executive decisions.
“If there is any positive that came
out of the tragedies of September 11,
it showed it can happen to us and
made our country much more aware
of our vulnerability,” said Lauchner.
Also, ADC is in the process of
creating a Domestic Preparedness site
on the Intranet.
continued on next page
Local first responders arrive at ASPC-Yuma.
7
Could this happen? With the high
level of military and federal
government activity on the Mexican
border, almost two miles south of the
Yuma Complex, the scenario of a
disabled vehicle airlifted from the
desert is quite feasible. However,
prison air space is normally a no-fly
zone.
During the simulation, the fallen
vehicle crashed into the Yard Control
Tower, and rolled into Building 7 and
injured two staff members and 13
inmates. Responding to the incident,
the Dakota Unit locked down the
yard, established Operations Planning
Administration Logistics and
requested outside additional medical
resources. Health services’ medical
staff responded and established a
triage center. Security and medical
staff then entered the inmate yard.
They found staff and inmates with
injuries ranging from simple cuts and
abrasions to
severed limbs.
Within 23
minutes of
notification,
outside help
began to arrive.
Emergency
medical
technicians and
medical staff
began to evaluate
and evacuate
victims to triage.
Casualties were
treated or
transported
according to severity. CISD
members conducted defusing for
participating staff. All simulated
transports and outside personnel were
off the unit in approximately one hour
following the crash.
A debriefing was conducted with
personnel from Dakota Unit, Yuma
Complex, medical and outside
participating agencies following the
simulation. The simulation was
replayed and participants shared
their thought processes and
actions. Also, each outside
agency was given an opportunity
to re-assess and critique their
tasks and responsibilities.
Associate Deputy Warden
Gary Jones stated, “ I was very
impressed with our staff’s
performance. Also, the response
time from the San Luis,
Somerton, and Rural Metro fire
departments was outstanding. I
learned that we can handle extensive
multiple injuries using outside
resources from our community. The
only glitch I saw was the need to pre-establish
separate radio frequencies
for use by medical staff. ”
The participation and input by the
fire departments of San Luis,
Somerton, and Rural Metro, allowed
the outside participants to experience
interaction with ADC Staff in a
realistic, controlled, training
environment. Completing this exercise
demonstrated the ability of responding
agencies to work successfully
together.
Yuma Complex Acting Warden
Gus Basurto said, “ The exercise
reinforced my confidence in the
Yuma Complex staff to deal with any
situation. I thought our Staff and the
agencies involved exhibited a
tremendous amount of expertise, skill
and knowledge to resolve the
compound problems presented to
them.”
Phoenix Employees Overcome Power Failure
Recently, ASPC-Phoenix went
without electrical power for two
days.
The power outage forced staff to
perform their duties and
responsibilities under difficult
conditions.
“Our staff was absolutely
wonderful during this hot, difficult
experience,” said ASPC-Phoenix
Warden Judy L. Frigo. “Everyone
worked as team players during the
power outage. Staff rearranged their
schedules and their work locations
without complaining.”
According to Warden Frigo, all
staff members at the complex are to
be commended for their swift
attention and care regarding Incident
Management System. Employees
worked in the dark and in the heat and
still managed to get their job done. For
instance at Alhambra, staff were able
to keep up with intakes. They
processed 206 inmates during the
outage.
Correctional Officers provide security as medical attends to the wounded.
A victim from the mock tragedy receives medical
attention.
8
The Arizona Department of Corrections is
saving money wherever it can, even when it
comes to downsizing Directions, its own
Department Newsletter. In a cost-cutting
measure, the Media & Public Relations Office
has reduced the number of copies printed from
about 9,000 to almost 2,000. This action will result in an
annual cost savings of $13,866.
The reduction of newsletters is offset by the availability of the Newsletter on the
Department’s Internet and Intranet websites. Prison Complexes and offices around
Arizona ensure that employees have access to the newsletter either by receiving a
printed copy or allowing employees to read it on a stand alone computer in their work
areas.
Internet availability has also made it more convenient to readers outside of the
Department such as the media, legislators and correctional associations.
The staff of Directions realizes its obligation in helping to reduce the budget
deficit that affects us all.
Did You Know.............?
A Sallyport
􀂄􈑁 A Sallyport is a heavily fortified, double-gated portal
outside a prison where inmates are dropped off or where
vehicles are stopped for inspection.
Sallyport is the combination of two words; sally
and port. Port is French and means a doorway or gate, it
originally comes from the Latin word portus, which means a
harbor. The word sally is Latin for an armed military
excursion.
In medieval times, Sallyports were built to protect
cities against attackers. Using a Sallyport, soldiers would
enter the internal gate and the gate would close behind them.
When the external gate was opened, the soldiers would sally
forth, and the external gate would be closed.
􀂄􈑔 The term Graveyard shift came from England
centuries ago. In those times, medicine was not nearly as
advanced as it is today and little was known about the human
body, illnesses or science.
During that time, lead was used in most of the metal eating
and drinking utensils. The combination of lead and ale or
whiskey would sometimes knock people out for a couple of
days. It was not uncommon for someone who came across
the body to pick the body up, presume the person dead and
prepare it for burial.
This occurred so often, the people of England started
running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up
coffins and reuse them. What they discovered was some
coffins had scratches on the inside. They realized people
were being buried alive. To prevent people from being
buried alive, they came up with the idea of tying a string
on the wrist of the corpse, leading the string through the
coffin up through the ground and tying it to a bell. A
person would have to sit out in the graveyard all night to
listen for the bell. If the bell started ringing, the
graveyard attendant would alert the townspeople to come
dig up the person. (submitted by Dan Danser)
Newsletter Downsizing
Saves ADC Money
Arturo Gonzalez,
Occupational Safety
Consultant, Douglas
Raul Yanez, COII,
Douglas
In Memoriam
ADC Mourns the
Passing of some of its
Finest Employees
9
Retirements
Employees On the Move
Patricia Compton, Rcrds Clerk II, Phnx.
Margee S. Holley, CO III, Phoenix
Luciano Gonzalez Jr., Chaplain,
Douglas
Judy Gabbert, COIV, Douglas
Jane Shuck, COIII, Douglas
Casey Tuttle, COIII, Douglas
James Nutti, Captain, Douglas
Sharon Mayes, Administrator,
Community Coorections
Robert Stout, Senior Parole Officer,
Community Corrections
Larry Brown, Captain, ASPC-Lewis
Walter Roy, Phy.Plant,Eyman
Billy Bahm, Lt., Eyman
Peggy Baldwin, ASPC-Lewis
Larry Brown, Captain, Lewis
Dainis Zalitis, CO II, ASPC-Winslow
Margarita Flores, ASPC-Yuma
Herb Culpepper, Network Spec., CC
Michael Townsend, COIII, Tucson
James Crunk, COII, Tucson
James Hand , CEPS, Tucson
John Rupp, Lt, Tucson
Dennis Hoff, COII, Tucson
Roger Jenson, COIII, Tucson
Frankie Barreras, CO II , Florence
Promotions
Mark Barrows ,CO II,-Eyman
Donald DeWitt, Lieutenant, Tucson
Frank Esparza, CO IV - Tucson
John Larkin, Dep. Warden, Yuma
John Moore, Captain, Phoenix
M.O. “Russ” Savage, DW, Eyman
Matt Proto , PPS II, Safford
Joe Perez, Plant Supv. II, Douglas
Sabine Ludwig Occupational Safety
Consultant, Douglas
Larry Hicks, CO III, Douglas
Lori Stickley, Sergeant, Douglas
Ernest Martinez, Sergeant, Douglas
Andres Betancourt, CO III, Douglas
Daniel Flores, Sergeant, Douglas
Robert Murphey, CO III, Douglas
Marisela Nunez, CO III, Douglas
Ron Towle, Lieutenant, Douglas
Donna Goldstein, Sergeant, Douglas
Joseph Rodriguez , Plumber, Douglas
Julie Wilcher, Sergeant, Yuma
Edward Mato, Equipment Repair
Technician, Yuma
Carlos Rochin, Lieutenant, Yuma
Roxanne Kramer, Sergeant, Lewis
Susanna Findlay, Sergeant, Lewis
Denny Jackson, Sergeant, Lewis
John Hall, Sergeant, Lewis
Erik Koenig, Sergeant, Lewis
Brian Dudley, Sergeant, Lewis
Jon Jones, Sergeant, Lewis
Susan Halfhill, Sergeant, Lewis
Luis Matos, Sergeant, Lewis
Anthony Delgado, Sergeant, Lewis
Karl Groeschel, Sergeant, Lewis
Jeffery Brooks, Sergeant, Lewis
Dillyn Keith,COIII, Lewis
John Esquivel,COIII, Lewis
David Brodesser,COIII, Lewis
Annie Lopez,COIII, Lewis
Michael Dunphy, CO III, Tucson
Cheryl Malysa, Sergeant, Winslow
Guy L. Berry, CO III, Winslow
Joseph A. Poletti, Sergeant, Winslow
Jennie Montoya, Scrty II, Winslow
Jennifer Blakeman, Lt., Florence
David Laudero. Lt., Perryville
Maureen Santry, CO III, Perryville
Melina Vick, Lt., Perryville
Andrew Beamer, Investigator
Sharon Corbin, CRC II, Perryville
William Hart, Sgt, Perryville
Francisco Araujo, Sgt, Perryville
Todd Carter, Sgt., Perryville
Thirty-five Years: Frankie Ballard, Administrative services Officer 1, ASPC-Eyman
Thirty Years: Marta Duarte, Administrator, Office of Employee Assistance, Abel Rose, Administrative
Assistant II and Information Technology Services
Twenty-five Years: Joseph Clark Jr., Personnel Analyst II, RUSH, Brenda Combs, Parole
Officer, Mohave County Regional Parole, Catherine Fonseca, Executive Staff Assistant, Health Services, Charles Poole,
Education Program Supervisor, ASPC-Phoenix and Charles L. Ryan, Acting Director
The following employees received length of service awards at the Department’s Quarterly Administrator’s
meetings held in Tucson and Phoenix.
Length of State Service
10
TSU Training Resumes at COTA
Perryville Employees Nationally Recognized
by Cindy Neese, Executive Staff Assistant, ASPC-Perryville
ASPC-Perryville COII Martha Basami (center) flanked by the other
four finalists for correctional officer of the year.
Recently, the Arizona
Department of Corrections was
the only state corrections
agency in the United States to
have at least two award
recipients at the 2003
International Association of
Correctional Officers awards
ceremony in Washington D.C.
For demonstrating leadership
within the corrections field, CO
II Martha Pasami and Deputy
Warden Madeleine Perkins from
ASPC-Perryville were among the
top five finalists for Correctional
Officer and Supervisor of the
year .
“Having one employee
nominated is quite an honor, but
having two from the same
complex is extraordinary,” said ADC
Acting Director Charles L. Ryan.
CO II Pasami, nominated for
Correctional Officer of the Year, has
worked with the Department for eight
years. The Officer is currently the
primary urine analysis lab operator.
She has been instrumental in analyzing
and investigating positive marijuana
test results, and has developed
several analytical charts that have
been able to show patterns of drug
use by inmates.
“I would like to sincerely thank
the Arizona Department of
Corrections for giving me the
opportunity to travel to Washington,
D.C. as an International Association
of Correctional Officers��� finalist for
Correctional Officer of the
Year. I would also like to
thank those who believed
enough in my work to
nominate me. It was a great
honor, and I was truly proud
to be representing our
Department. I was amazed at
the level of professionalism
and camaraderie with which
we were treated, “ CO II
Pasami said. “At the
ceremony, everyone in
attendance agreed that
correctional officers walk
the toughest beat in the
country.”
Madeleine Perkins ,
nominated for Supervisor of
the Year, started her
corrections career in 1986 as a
Correctional Officer for Juvenile
Corrections. After being promoted
several times, Perkins was eventually
promoted to Deputy Warden in 1994.
She has served as Deputy Warden at
various complexes. Perkins was
unable to attend the ceremony.
Tactical Support Unit training has returned to the Correctional Officer Training Academy in Tucson. The program had been discontinued because of
budget constraints. The new training program will be operated at no cost to the Department.
11
New IDs for
ADC Employees
All employees will be receiving a similar Arizona flag identification card.
Christine Bronson, recently appointed as a
Human Resources Manager for the Arizona
Department of Administration, now oversees
most of the human resource activities for
large state agencies, including the Arizona
Department of Corrections.
Ms. Bronson’s duties include managing
ADC’s recruitment and staffing, employee
relations, HRMS and personnel files. Also,
she will coordinate with ADOA on
classification/compensation and benefit
issues.
For the last 15 years, Ms. Bronson has
worked in state government human
resources. She has a Master’s Degree in
Business Administrations, Bachelor’s Degree
in Business Administration and certification as
a Senior Professional in Human Resources.
by Jeff Hood, Administrator, Inspections and Investigations
New DOA Manager
Appointed
Efficiency Review
Making Progress
ADC’s efforts towards improving efficiency continue to
move forward at a rapid pace.
In April, the ADC committed to the implementation of 17
ideas designed to improve operational efficiency, take
advantage of technological opportunities and conserve fiscal
resources. These ideas include increasing the number of
reports delivered electronically; reducing travel costs;
standardizing and reducing, through attrition, the number of
ADW positions; improving retention at ASPC-Lewis by
implementing a park-and-ride program, and reducing
correctional service journal costs by reducing the number
required and going to a less-costly format. These ideas are on
schedule to be implemented before the end of the current fiscal
year. Implementation of these ideas is expected to save over
$670,000 in Fiscal Year 2004, as well as avoiding cost
increases in several other areas.
ADC staff have now turned their attention to selecting the
next round of ideas for review and implementation. Thirty-nine
new ideas are currently being examined, and as many as
possible will be selected for implementation in the months
ahead.
According to Jeff Hood, ADC’s coordinator for efficiency
efforts, “The Efficiency Review project is a long term
commitment. The Department must ensure the ideas it selects
make good operational sense, and then we must ensure that we
successfully implement the selected ideas and save the money
we have committed to saving. There remain many good ideas
to explore, but we must also keep in mind that the people
tasked with researching and implementing these ideas have
regular, full-time duties to perform.”
In the near future, Arizona
Department of Corrections
employees will be receiving new
identification cards. The new
cards will feature a crisp photo
of the employee with the Arizona
flag in the background. Also, the
cards will have a magnetic strip
on the back and a computer chip
inside that will allow employees
access to ADC Central Office
buildings and the Madison Street
parking garage.
12
COIV Dan Danser: Tell me a little
about yourself Woody:
Woody: I was born at the ASPC-Florence
kennel more than a year ago
with three other siblings. I had a typical
puppy hood until I was about six months
old. Then ADC put me to the test.
COIV Dan Danser: What test?
Woody: When I was a puppy, those
humans tried to trick me. They trained me
to detect scent by laying meat scraps
everywhere.
COIV Dan Danser: Did you like it?
Woody: No, it was confusing at first,
but I began to catch on. I knew if I
continued to play their game, I would get
more goodies.
COIV Dan Danser: What does it take
to become a superior tracking hound?
Woody: The canine and their handler
must know the fundamental concepts of
body scent. Body scent is not the same
as body odor. Body scent comes from the
50 million cells the average person sheds
every second. When bacterium acts on
these cells, they give off a gas. The gas
is different for every person. A body
odor can be removed whereas body scent
can’t.
COIV Dan Danser: Describe your
team’s tracking process:
Woody: I usually have three humans
on my team when I am tracking. The
handler keeps the leash and watches me
closely for any signals I give. The other
two team members take care of radio
communications and keep a look out for
what is ahead of the team. They are
looking for possible ambushes, sightings
of the subject, tracks, indications of the
subjects condition and safety hazards.
COIV Dan Danser: Would you like to
offer any tips to other tracking hounds?
Woody: A good tracking hound
should know that when it gets hot, scent
rises. Also, when the wind is blowing,
the scent is not always where it was left
by the subject. On these occasions, a
good tracking hound will go in a circle to
find the scent. Sometimes there are a lot
of different scents, especially when the
subject tries to mingle with others or the
scene gets contaminated by other
searchers. It is important that all hounds
remember to stay focused on the scent
they are following.
COIV Dan Danser: What are you
most proud of?
Woody: Helping others. We have
searched for children, lost hikers,
escaped juvenile and adult prisoners, INS
escapees and Alzheimer patients. Once, I
traveled from Florence to Flagstaff
during a tracking assignment.
COIV Dan Danser: What will you do
when you retire?
Woody: When I retire, I want track the
things that interest me -coyotes, rabbits
and deer.
Canine class 1 7-49 graduates COTA
Trailing Hound Hero Shares His Thoughts
An ADC exclusive interview from the Florence kennels between ASPC-Florence COIV Dan Danser and K9
Woody. Woody is the trailing hound that tracked down murder suspect Juan Ruiz.