Priorities, cont.

Each one of these things was priority one; and each took time away from the other.  My highest priority would have been to improve the management team and focus on bringing them on board, and being able to document incompetence or disruptive behavior earlier.

Lots of things were being done that I could only peripherally address:  I found out that personnel files, located in the administrative part of the jail, were open to all, anyone could view them – a direct violation of several laws.  I relocated them as soon as I could, but put a lock on the files immediately.

Several cases were placed in just one file, whether open cases or closed -  making it difficult to locate and opened us up to some disclosure problems.  If a lawyer asked for a file – he could have access to several cases, none relating to his client, but might expose other things.  That was changed.

There were several other administrative issues that had to be addressed in between everything else.

The most complaints I had against a department, within the Office, was Animal Control; and sometimes the lack thereof – no one actually had oversight of the department and I foolishly took it on instead of delegating it – however, in my defense (kinda although I recognize I am a control freak) the Sergeants didn’t have the time and I quickly realized the UnderSheriff was struggling with having to do more than shuffle papers; I couldn’t ‘trust’ him to do even this task.

My time was divided and I was spending 60 to 80 hours a week, sometimes driving for several hours, in addition to meetings, on the 9-1-1 issue so I was out of the office, just trying to juggle everything; but especially the jail issue.

The Jail became my biggest concern.  Not only because there were serious issues in the operation, but also some of the equipment – the stove had been giving problems for the cook, and management had just waved it off without getting it fixed – as an example.

It was an old jail by Oregon standards (I have met Sheriff’s from the east coast that using jails that were a hundred years older than ours.)

In the center of a large bull room was a US Navy brig placed there when the Court house was built in 1914.  It was antiquated to say the least.

The bull pen’s brig had 10 one person cells in the center of the room, it was designed to be 4 person cells, but, on advice from the Corrections Division it had been reduced to one per cell, and the other bunks (fold down from the walls) were removed.  The cells were about 8’X6’. 

There were two rows, back to back, of five cells each with a shower at the far end.  Across from those cells was a single cell that used to be called the ‘rubber room’ where inmates with psychiatric problems had been housed.  Unlike the other cells there was no toilet facility.  It had not been used for that purpose for several years.

The soft material was removed from the cell, so it had bare walls.  Inmates would be placed here for disciplinary measures – kind of an isolation room, ideally for just a day or two since there was a steel door that cut the inmate off from everyone except the CO who checked in on him every hour.

There was an individual – maximum security cell – used for more violent or high risk inmates.

We also had a couple of two inmate cells that we mainly used for ‘trustees;’ inmates who worked around the courthouse and were given extra credit on their sentence.

We had one cell reserved for females, which was away from the general population.  It was accessed by a door in the administrative office of the jail.

Part of the complex, but out of sight and hearing of adult inmates as required by law, was a four cell Juvenile detention facility that also had to be cared for by the CO.

During this first year I had all male Corrections Officers (CO).  The clerical staff, all female, would book in any female prisoners and would see to their needs.

The (CO) related fairly well with the inmates.  For the most part the inmates were people from the community and many of them had been ‘guests’ several times. 

It was like old home week when we brought some of them in.  Few had a history of violent crimes in the county, most of these men (we had one cell for females) did not pose a danger to the lone Officer on duty.  These were placed in the bull pen and used those cells.

There was only one CO on duty in most instances.  They were by themselves in the jail with only the clerk/dispatcher, watching cameras, as their protection.  They could not depend on immediate help from the deputies because they could be on patrol several miles away.  It was basically just them and they had to deal with anything that came up. 

The inmates knew that, of course, and some took advantage of it.  On several occasions fights would happen where deputies and/or city officers had to come in to assist the CO.

To be continued

1 Corinthian 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

We are seeing more and more the intolerance of the Gospel by the world.  The truths that lie within become a means to bring derision among those that do not want to submit to the Hand of God.

Throughout the centuries the Jewish people were told that they would have a Messiah that would re-establish God’s covenant with them, and as they looked at Jesus, rather than worship Him, they sought to destroy Him.

As the Apostle taught after Him and saw many people come to the Cross and accept Christ as their Savior they too were persecuted and put to death.

Many Christians have been persecuted, tortured and killed for their devotion to the Cross.  It is happening today in many parts of the world.

In America the persecution, the disdain of The Gospel and Christians grow.  Christians are looked upon as backward and from another era.  They are not willing to conform to the world’s values so they are foolish.

Even major Christian denominations are backing away from preaching the Cross and trying to adjust their message to the societal norms of this world.  Denying the Love of God through the sacrifice Jesus made on the Cross.

The world rejects God’s authority and power over them.  They declare that man is the ultimate judge and even to the point that each man becomes his own judge.  AND many churches are trying to adjust their teachings to accommodate those who hold that view.

Very few parents don’t love their children, and in so doing they set rules for them.  There are consequences for breaking those rules.

They do so to keep them safe and to make them more responsible in their lives.  As their children grow they adjust those rules so that they are given more freedom to make choices and hope that the guidance and discipline given earlier will guide them in their choices.

However, even parents are letting down their children.  Instead of teaching respect for people, they allow them to act boorishly.  They give them that freedom of choice much too early and we are seeing more and more that parents just allow them to run free without direction.

Because many of the ‘old-fashion’ standards and values of Christians caution and even call some of the actions the sins they are, we are not popular with society/world’s values.

The cross has become the symbol of oppression for those that deny God’s sovereignty and right to rule.  Instead of seeing that it is the means of their salvation they deny its role in their lives and denounce those that recognize it for what it is worth.

Christ died on the cross for the sins of man, even for those that deny the Christ.

The thing is, many don’t even understand the significance of Christ’s death.  They don’t know of His life and sacrifice, to them He is just another person who tries to tell them what to do.

It is the Holy Spirit that makes the symbol of salvation relevant to people; it is the Holy Spirit that calls to them and softens their heart for the Gospel.

But it is up to us to proclaim the truth so that sinners can hear the message of the Cross – regardless of their unbelief.  They have to be told and who but Christians can tell them.

The message of the cross may be looked at as foolish and those of us fools for believing in God’s Word and His promises in this day of ‘enlightenment.’  The world points out, as ‘facts’ against God’s Word, all these scientific studies and the arrogance of those that call themselves intellectually above this primitive book; but that doesn’t stop the message from saving thousands of people who follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to accepting that message.

God has always demanded obedience.  Those that water down the message of the cross do great harm to others as well as themselves.

Many Christians, especially Americans, are being led to believe that going with the societal norms of the world today is okay.  That God has somehow changed His mind, even from some of His commands in the New Testament, through Jesus.

But God is very clear that He is God and He holds His people accountable for failing to obey Him.  We cannot allow those that proclaim God’s Love at any price, no matter what we do to His Word, think God will not hold them, and those of us that follow them, accountable. 

As He stated in the Old Testament:

Exodus 20:4-6  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

⁵ Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

⁶ And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

He reaffirms in the New:

Jude 1:4-6 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵ I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

⁶ And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

We must always remember:  Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not;

His love, His mercy is to be all forgiving, however, those that change His commands, those that imply He would never punish for not obeying Him, do so at their own peril.

The world changes it standards at a whim.  Satan is involved every step of the way.  His lies are sweet and soothing to the ear, but they lead to destruction of the world.  Satan doesn’t care, whatever he can do to take man away from God He will do.

Only God does not change; Only God remains the same; Only God provides a standard for the World that provides salvation.

We must make sure we are not one of those that follow men who have crept into our lives and have turned “the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”  and always remain true to God, His Word and His Son Jesus Christ. 

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again