DEVILS LAKE, N.D. (AP) - The regional jail in Devils Lake is turning to a federal organization for help after a slew of problems in recent years including guard misconduct, inmate escapes, budget woes, staff shortages and a fired director.
The Lake Region Law Enforcement Center is seeking help from the National Institute of Corrections, an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons.
“They’ll send three inspectors who will go through our jail with a fine-tooth comb and look at any deficiencies we might have,” jail Director Tom Rime told WDAZ-TV (https://bit.ly/1VbeRWu ).
The problems began in 2014, when a guard at the jail was accused of having sexual contact with an inmate. Jonathan Defoe eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor sexual assault charge. That and other problems, including staff shortages and resignations, led to the firing of jail administer Denny Deegan in August 2014.
About six months later, a federal inmate being housed at the jail escaped with the help of a guard. Wesley Brown III eventually was caught in Oregon, and jailer Rachel Chapulis was sentenced to more than three years in prison.
There have been other escapes involving work-release inmates. Judge Donovan Foughty said granting non-dangerous inmates work release helps reintegrate them into society, but Rime said the jail gets the blame when an inmate goes on the lam.
Rime said he also thinks the city and the five area counties that utilize the jail need to address budget woes at the facility linked to a smaller inmate population.
“We want to operate at the highest level we possibly can,” he said.
___
Information from: WDAZ-TV, https://wdaz.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.