| |
Pearson: 'No confidence'
vote against DOC Secretary is no surprise
Community
Corrections Officers' group votes against Secretary Harold Clarke
Statement from
Rep. Kirk Pearson:
“The news that the state policy group for the Community Correction
Officers (CCO) in Washington today voted to recommend a vote of ‘no
confidence’ in Secretary of Corrections Harold Clarke to lead them in a
way that makes our communities safer should not come as a surprise to
anyone. The executive board for the corrections officers will meet in
July to review to take a final vote on the recommendation.
The CCOs came to me last year with their concerns about Secretary
Clarke’s leadership, particularly concerning the felon release program.
They told me they are incredibly short-staffed and don’t receive clear
directives or discretion to do their critical jobs of supervising felons
that the state Department of Corrections (DOC) releases under community
supervision. It’s clear that CCOs need resources and keen leadership
that can make sound policy decisions to help them do their jobs.
Despite my efforts and those of House Republicans throughout the
2007 session, our community corrections officers now have a new, more
complex system due to this year’s passage of the burdensome and untested
felon re-entry measure,
Senate Bill 6157. This legislation gives CCOs more responsibility
without providing the resources or staff to do the job of protecting the
public.
Sadly, the shortsighted and inflexible leadership of the DOC and the
governor have led to less public safety – not more. We’ve continued to
see the DOC’s already-deplorable record of leadership spiral to a new
low with the deaths of three police officers last year at the hands of
unsupervised felons out on early release. Additionally, the mixed
messages from the governor on how to fix the failing felon release
program have not inspired public confidence nor the confidence of the
community corrections officers.
While the governor continues to punt on demanding that Harold Clarke
make the necessary policy changes to help our CCOs do the job of
protecting us, I co-sponsored a piece of legislation on the last day of
the 2007 session,
House Bill 2415. This bill would empower CCOs and make them more
effective and efficient in their jobs. It would also allow CCOs
flexibility to determine sanctions for felons violating the terms of
their early release and provide for more community corrections staff to
enhance public safety and rebuild the trust of citizens. I hope this is
the first bill passed and signed into law in 2008.
In the meantime, the recommendation for vote of ‘no confidence’ is a
clear sign that Secretary Clarke, the governor and the Legislature are
failing to move public safety in the right direction to better protect
families.
This issue is not Republican or Democrat, it’s about caring for all of
our citizens and protecting them as best we can. I remain solidly
committed to guarding families, CCOs and local law enforcement from
those who will do them harm.
During the 2008 session, I will continue my efforts to protect the
citizens of this state.”
# # #
EDITOR'S NOTE: Rep. Kirk
Pearson, in his fourth term in the House, serves as the ranking
Republican on the House Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Committee.
For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Information
Officer: (360) 786-7252
|
|