Q&A
DOC's awareness and response to 'deadlocking' allegations
2:53:00
·
132 sec
Council Member Sandy Nurse questions DOC officials about their awareness of the practice known as 'deadlocking' and the department's response to recent allegations.
- Commissioner Maginley-Liddie claims she has never heard the term 'deadlocking' in her nearly 10-year tenure at DOC
- The Commissioner describes the allegations as 'extremely disturbing' and states she personally referred the matter to the Department of Investigation (DOI)
- DOC officials explain that there may be a colloquial use of the term 'deadlocking' that refers to locking a cell when an inmate is out to prevent theft
- The Commissioner states that no internal investigation is being conducted, as the matter has been referred to DOI
- Council members express surprise at the Commissioner's lack of familiarity with the term, given its apparent long-standing use in the facilities
Lynelle Maginley-Liddie
2:53:00
I've never heard of
Althea Stevens
2:53:01
the term
Lynelle Maginley-Liddie
2:53:02
in all honesty.
2:53:03
And so let me just tell you those are extremely disturbing allegations.
2:53:09
And upon hearing it, upon reading the article, I personally called the inspector general and forwarded that matter for them to review.
2:53:16
So that is currently under the Department of Investigation review.
2:53:20
I've also made it abundantly clear that that is against our policy.
2:53:24
I've sent out communication department wide, that it is against our policy, and we have communicated in several meetings.
2:53:32
That it is prohibited and that it should not proceed.
2:53:37
So that is something that, you know, DOE is reviewing it, and we will, you know, we wait we wait to have the results of that investigation.
2:53:45
But I have personally never at that time.
2:53:48
Okay.
2:53:49
I when I went to visit when we did an oversight tour,
Sandy Nurse
2:53:53
I one of the white shirts there, and, actually, I'm an older gentleman who clearly been working there for a long time, actually said it was a common term used.
2:54:02
And he said, yeah, it's a terminology we've been using for for a long, long time.
2:54:07
So I'm surprised given how long you've been working there that you've never heard of it.
James Conroy
2:54:13
I had hey, not trainers.
2:54:15
Also, I'm only here, you know, several months.
2:54:17
I haven't not heard it, but what was brought up at the board of correction meeting also was that there is a a colloquial term for us dead locking, which is, I think, in the facilities used to represent where a person in custody is out of their cell, and they lock the cell to prevent theft and other interference with with the, you know, the the property of of that person in custody.
2:54:40
So that is used and and both the board of correction members had that worked and were in the system, had recognized that term in that context, but otherwise, we had not.
Sandy Nurse
2:54:53
Okay.
2:54:53
And I know you said you referred this out for investigation.
2:54:56
So are you doing any internal investigation?
Lynelle Maginley-Liddie
2:55:00
Well, we we we I I and just to clarify
Sandy Nurse
2:55:03
on the record.
Lynelle Maginley-Liddie
2:55:04
No.
2:55:04
Because I because and especially hearing that it's going on since 2017, I referred it to DOE.
Sandy Nurse
2:55:11
Okay.
