Concerns over overcrowding and a decrease in staff resulted in the vote of no confidence, said union representatives. File photos, Alaska Suerstation ABC®.
Story Created:
Apr 23, 2008 at 9:22 PM AKDT
Story Updated:
Apr 23, 2008 at 9:24 PM AKDT
State corrections-officers publicly censured commissioner Joe Schmidt with a vote of no confidence. The vote, which took place on Tuesday, was over allegations of whether or not Schmidt had tried to cover-up issues at prisons and jails.
Over 95-percent of the Alaska Correctional Officers Association issued a vote of no confidence. Officials said union members have expressed concern on several issues, of which under-staffing, wrongful termination and overcrowding in several Alaska correctional facilities have been cited. The union stated that the under-staffing issue was of greatest concern and that the goal of the vote was to bring the problem to light.
According to one union member, there are concerns over the influx of new inmates and the decline in current numbers of officers. He said he's worried that the inmates may riot and that there may not be enough backup for such an emergency.
Schmidt countered these allegations of wrongful termination by stating that 49 internal investigations were undertaken in 2007, and that 26 cases ended in disciplinary action, four were fired and another four quit. Schmidt also alledges that the union's complaints are an act of retaliation to the prior year's disciplinary actions.
"When they say they're understaffed and we post 2 record years in a row and record staffing increases it's hard to say we're understaffed and they want more staff - I want more staff," said Schmidt. "They say they want less inmates - I want less inmates but our job is to protect the public and we can't do that if we find a lot of crafty ways to let them out of jail because there's a union that's mad about the number of inmates we have."
Results indicate that of the nearly 700 members, more than 550 cast their vote, which according to the union is a record number. 96-percent of the ballots were cast in favor of a vote of no confidence.
Governor Sarah Palin has been requested to launch a full scale investigation by the union. Schmidt was appointed to the Commissioner position under the Palin administration.
