Jail study cites causes of sexual misconduct

A "sexualized working environment," meager training and poor communication are among the root causes of a string of sexual-misconduct allegations against corrections officers employed by the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, according to a report released Monday.

Reed Holtgeerts, the department's director, said his office already has begun implementing more than 40 of the 93 recommendations contained in the report by the Moss Group, a consulting firm that performed the review in conjunction with the National Institute of Corrections.

He expressed optimism that the report will help him get the message out that the department's "zero-tolerance policy" on sexual misconduct by employees has teeth.

"If they hear it, see it, smell it and actually feel it, they will do it, because we're a paramilitary organization," Holtgeerts said. "But it takes time."

Holtgeerts said two corrections officers who pleaded guilty in the past month to charges of sexual misconduct with the same female inmate — Cedric McGrew and Louis Laurencio — tendered their resignations in the past two weeks because "they knew we were coming after them."

A third corrections officer, Harland Richmond, continues to face charges of sexual misconduct with a different inmate. Richmond was tried earlier this year in King County Superior Court, but the jury failed to agree on a verdict. A new trial is expected soon.

"It's always been a zero-tolerance policy, but somebody needed to get out there and say that," Holtgeerts said.

The report released Monday cited numerous factors that likely contributed to certain corrections officers misbehaving. Training was the most glaring problem, according to the study by the Moss Group. There is virtually no "in-service" training, according to the consultants, who recommended a minimum of 40 hours annually for uniformed and nonuniformed staff.

Also, "there is no specialized training provided to employees who are assigned to work with special inmate populations such as juveniles, female offenders, offenders with a diagnosis of mental illness, inmates housed in administrative segregation, etc.," the report stated.

The lack of guidance for dealing with female inmates is especially glaring in light of the sexual-misconduct problems.

Holtgeerts said his department has had virtually no budget for training since 2002.

But, he said, Metropolitan King County Executive Ron Sims included $900,000 in training funds in his 2007 budget proposal, which is now undergoing review by the King County Council.

Eleven focus groups conducted with staff members uncovered widespread concerns about nepotism and inappropriate relationships among staff members.

"Many staff report a sexualized working environment," the report stated. "They describe some relationships between staff that cross professional boundaries and result in inappropriate interactions."

The department's leaders also were doing a poor job of keeping staff informed of their priorities and goals.

"Without clear and consistent communication, up and down the chain of command, information is lost," the consultants wrote. "Gossip and misinformation fill the vacuum."

Holtgeerts said he believes one way to improve communication, training and discipline is to "get command staff out and about more." Shift commanders and sergeants need to spend more time walking the halls and observing what's going on in county facilities, he said.

David Bowermaster: 206-464-2724

or dbowermaster@seattletimes.com