It’s no secret that the Oklahoma County Jail is a sinking clusterfuck all across the board. Between a crumbling building, prisoners being locked up without being sentenced (or even getting lost altogether in the system), the presence of ICE agents, and several deaths, there isn’t much that the jail is doing well now.
On top of all the structural and administrative problems, now the people who actually work there are leaving en masse. After the county commissioners voted to install a trust to monitor goings-on at the jail, and elected an administrator last week, apparently many workers are just saying, “Screw this, I’ve had enough.
Here’s details from Fox 25:
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — At least three dozen senior staff and certified officers working for the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office have resigned or retired so far this month.
Public information officer Mark Myers, with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, the departures are due to uncertainty surrounding the Oklahoma County Jail Trust and future jail administrator.
[…]Myers said a resolution (No. 02-19) adopted Monday by the trust is what is upsetting employees and has many questioning their benefits.
Part of the resolution reads, “The Authority hereby states its intention to take actions to ensure that detention officers, as a group, are afforded employment security and retirement and health benefits comparable to those that they currently enjoy as Oklahoma county employees at such time as the Authority assumes operation of the Oklahoma County Detention Center.”
“But what does that mean? One of the great things working at OKC is the benefits. It’s not the pay,” Myers said. “We’re finding that people who have the years and can retire on the current county benefits, they’re doing that because they don’t want to wait around to see what this comparable benefits package is.”
It seems like there’s something else going on underneath the surface here. Maybe it’s because I’m used to not having any workplace benefits, but why would you go ahead and give up what you’ve already got over just the suspicion that they might change?
Perhaps its loyalty to Sheriff Taylor, who inherited the jail after Sheriff John Whetsel was in charge of the joint for decades? That seems like a stretch, because I distrust anyone who is hyperloyal to their workplace authority figure, but I also just distrust cops anyways so who knows what their motivation is. Taylor is obviously upset that his grip of power on the jail is becoming neutered, but if he wanted to retain control on operations, maybe he could have done a better fuckin’ job.
Personally, I think the installation of the trust appears to be a good thing. It’s always a positive to have outside oversight of a center where people are being detained. When said detention center is keeping people locked up in deplorable conditions without them receiving due process, maybe it’s time to kick out the old guards (no pun intended) and try something new.
wtf!!!! You don’t even tell the reader,that CRISSY GAYLORD is the chair of this trust! A high society Debutant running the jail? I am all for Massive change at the jail…. but , is this the way we want to go?? Just a thought…..
Well then, MS. Gaylord should have to spend a couple of days (and nights) in county to see how it ‘operates.’ And watch prisoners die around her. Myself, I’ve always thought the FEDS should step in for a deeper investigation of this ‘facility.’
The feds can’t keep their own prisons in order. I assume that you have heard about what happened to Jeffrey Epstein.
Trust didn’t address terrible workers compensation insurance the workers there have. They get the crap beat out of them on camera. Treatment denied!!! Work comp reform sure has given the companies power to deny treatment. Per Worker’s Compensation Commission WC premiums down 40%. Guess why? Unintended consequences > first responders can’t get treatment. Man I’d get out of that place too. Horrible environment for inmates and workers.
I think these consequences are actually INTENDED. The only people Republicans hate worse than Clinton and Obama are working people. But their day is coming – and they will never be able to get rid of that Trump stench – no matter how hard they scrub.
There’s no way you’re as ignorant as you come across with each and every post. On second thought, you probably are! Get a damn job – AMAZON is hiring and you might make the cut. Might being the operative word – – don’t get your hopes up too high!
Mike, you’re shooting blanks.
I guess you have nothing to offer except ad hominem arguments.
Just replying in kind to a previous vulgar salvo of his directed at me in the Sen Lankford thread last month. Didn’t notice you correcting his vulgar uncalled for comments at the time. Birds of a feather……………
You hang on to a slight for a really long time, don’t you?
It could be that the veteran employees are afraid of losing their pension benefits, or being downgraded to inferior ones. Promises don’t put food on the table.
Or perhaps they fear stricter supervision of their conduct on the job.
At least Crissy Gaylord isn’t a member of the Law Enforcement Fraternity. Law enforcement people often don’t take kindly to civilian oversight.
Anyone who doesn’t want to jeopardize their retirement is leaving, Also why would anyone want to stay you can not become a deputy. Pretty sure they will be cutting pay , I mean look at how tulsa’s jail is they moved to the same type of thing and don’t get paid shit. No reason to stick around. The Trust is going to “Fix” this problem by getting a new jail and then act like they did something special when a new jail would solve alot of the current problems already. This trust program is a bunch of bullshit. Hats off to the great people who serve at OCSO OCDC
See KFOR.com front page on Chickasha police officer shot in the line of duty any losing his job.
Go work comp reform!!
sorry for typo